Ysabella Louise Ante
In the Philippines, access to mental health services remains limited and often out of reach for many. Despite having mental health professionals, stigma and scarce resources continue to prevent many Filipinos from getting the help they need.
Circle of Hope (COH), our newest partner, is working hard to change that. Starting as a small support group, COH has grown into an organisation that truly understands the mental health challenges Filipinos face.
This May, for Mental Health Awareness Month, we sat down with Dr. Joanna Herrera, Co-Founder of Circle of Hope and Michael Shimamoto, the new Executive Director. They shared a hopeful vision for building stronger, more caring communities through COH’s fresh and compassionate approach.
Their story reminds us that hope and connection can light the way forward for Filipino communities.
The Circle of Hope Story
Circle of Hope’s journey began with a deeply personal mission—to nurture hope, meaning, and human connection among teen cancer patients at the Philippine General Hospital.
These young patients faced immense physical and emotional challenges and to address this, Circle of Hope (COH) embraced a participatory approach—co-creating interventions with patients, parents, doctors, and nurses. This collaborative spirit led to the “Teen Barkada” peer support group and a support group for mothers and caregivers, creating spaces for healing.
These experiences shaped Circle of Hope’s Loob-Kapwa-Diwa model: Loob promotes self-awareness, Kapwa strengthens compassion, and Diwa uplifts collective wellbeing. Dr. Herrera explains, “Diwa reminds us that healing is a shared journey anchored in community and interdependence.”
Meaningful Impact on Communities
Since 2015, Circle of Hope, with its dedicated volunteer mental health clinicians, has provided individual and group counselling, mindfulness sessions, livelihood programmes, and life skills training to teen cancer survivors and their families.
Mike emphasises that Circle of Hope’s programmes are often supported by partner organisations “who support our mission in providing affordable and contextualized mental health services for low-income and marginalised communities.”
During the pandemic, Circle of Hope quickly adapted by launching low-fee teletherapy services—partnering with organisations like the Angat Buhay Foundation and Barangay St. Ignatius to reach those most in need.
According to Dr. Herrera, “one of the most heartening outcomes of Circle of Hope’s support groups and mentoring programs is seeing teen cancer survivors blossom into empowered young adults.”
Many have gone on to earn university degrees in fields like social work, psychology, accounting, and IT, with one even becoming a successful entrepreneur. This involvement between cancer patients and Circle of Hope shows how powerful hope can be when nurtured in a caring community.
Breaking the Mental Health Stigma Today
Circle of Hope is focused on breaking the stigma around mental health by building caring communities and making support available to more Filipinos.
Mike mentions that having the right information is key to understanding one’s needs and knowing where to find help. To do this, Circle of Hope offers webinars, talks, and training sessions for schools, workplaces, and local communities—allowing people to feel confident to seek support.
To reach those who might otherwise be left out, Circle of Hope works with groups like Dr. Yanga’s Colleges, Inc. and Barangay St. Ignatius to provide low-cost teletherapy services, making mental health care more accessible.
Through their community programmes and upcoming podcast, they raise awareness and encourage open conversations about mental health—ensuring support is available to everyone, no matter where they live or what background they have.
Partnership with TheOneHourProject
Looking ahead, the partnership between Circle of Hope and TheOneHourProject (TOHP) promises to amplify Circle of Hope’s reach. A key goal for 2025 is to enhance Circle of Hope’s online presence.
“We’ll be launching the Hinga Lang Psychoeducation Video Series online, producing the Kuwento ng Pag-Asa, Circle of Hope Podcast, and organising mental health events all over the country,” Mike shares.
With the help of TOHP volunteers, Circle of Hope can better spread awareness for mental health—by producing professional-quality digital assets and designing effective marketing campaigns.
Hope Starts with You
“Hope and resilience emerge through relationships and shared humanity,” Dr. Joanna emphasises. She calls on everyone to remember that mental wellbeing begins with finding a place in a circle of safety, care, and shared responsibility.
This Mental Health Awareness Month, let’s stand with Circle of Hope as they continue to bring hope and healing to those who need it most. Discover more about their inspiring work and access resources at the COH website today.
If you want to support mental health with as little as one hour, sign up to be a volunteer with TheOneHourProject.