Abigail Olasehinde is a distinguished clinical psychologist, founder and lead therapist at Belwet Mind Clinic, boasting an over 80% success rate in mental health treatment. Her services have transformed lives across multiple countries, including the USA, UK, Canada, Toronto, South Africa, Morocco, and Ghana. In 2023, Abigail’s self-sponsored mental health outreach programs positively impacted over 2,000 high school students, showcasing her commitment to community well-being.
As a speaker at the 2023 International Women in Science Day and Well-Being “Australia,” Abigail passionately advocates for mental health awareness. She also volunteers as a clinical psychologist for various organizations.
A certified web developer, Abigail works remotely with STEM Canada and has empowered over 1,000 children in Canada, the UK, and Nigeria, teaching web development, animations, and generative AI arts. She is also the founder of Galileo Tech Hub, and her virtual assistant skills extend to CRM systems and project management tools, making her a leader at the intersection of technology and mental health.
What inspired your journey into mental health and founding Belwet Mind Clinic?
The journey began in 200L. I’ve always noticed how people love to confide in me even as far back as when I was 9 years old. I still remember a woman who unburdened top secrets of her life to me before her demise; I was just 10 years old and those secrets are still safe with me.
So back to my undergraduate days at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, I noticed friends and acquaintances found solace in speaking to me. I have seen people walking up to me and requesting to be my friend. (I was very quiet and calm, easygoing and always smiling.) I could be walking the road and a stranger would stop me and begin to unburden my life issues.
On one of those nights in 200L, a friend called and began to unburden. (I have one of the most listening ears you would ever encounter.) After he had spoken, I gave a few words here and there and this was his response;
“Wow!!
Abigail, do you know that what you provided a solution to within 20 minutes of speaking with you has been a burden on my heart for over a week now? I think the world of psychology needs you more than the world of Medical Physiology.” On arriving home from the semester’s break, my dad called me to the master’s bedroom and said; “Tosin, The Spirit of God is pressing it hard upon my heart that you should check out Psychology and read more on Medical Psychology. You might be interested in what you read.” And that was the beginning of a conception yet unknown…
Belwet Mind Clinic officially began in 2021 during my psychology program at the Nigerian Defence Academy.
Aside from being the lead therapist and founder of Belwet Mind Clinic, I currently work as one of the clinical psychologists at Redeemers University, Ede, Osun State.
In 2023, your self-sponsored mental health outreach programs positively influenced over 2,000 high school students. What drives your commitment to community well-being, and what do you consider the most rewarding part of this work?
What drives your passion for mental health outreach, especially for high school students?
In 2023, I had a strong desire to begin mental health outreach programs. This was borne from my interactions over the years with teenagers both in religious and academic settings. In 2019, I was one of the teenage teachers at the Mountain of Fire and Miracles ministers, and I can say for a fact that those are still some of my most fulfilling memories. After which is my experience at the Airforce High School, Kaduna, 2022.
So, in 2023, I had a strong desire to begin mental health outreach but I said “Charity begins at home” and I went to my Alma Mata. I was gladly received by Prof. Florence Oluwafunmilayo of the Chemistry department under a referral by Barr. Adaoma Ekwueme. A letter was submitted to the LAUTECH staff school and it was gladly accepted. I spoke on Anxiety at the Assembly ground.
I also submitted a letter to the Anglican Grammar school, Ogbomosho and I was gladly welcomed. (It was in this school I wrote my Pre-degree entrance exams 13 years ago.) I stood at the field as I addressed the senior secondary students and I spoke on Anxiety and career path. They were so elated and the questions asked were so deep.
These birth my invitation to be a mental health speaker at the International Women in Science Day, Kwara State chapter. Anchored by Ladoke Akintola University of Technology. I spoke on mentor-mentee relationships and anxiety. The memory still lingers and it is always soothing to know that the lives of the young were impacted.
The most rewarding part of my work is watching genuine smiles, gratitude and hope on faces that once wore sadness, and tears, and already gave up on life and hope. What drives my commitment to community well-being is the desire to impact the world; one person at a time.
What was the highlight of speaking at the International Women in Science Day event in Australia?
The well-being science lab was a virtual speaking engagement and it was an invite from Australia. I was reached from LinkedIn and invited for a speaking engagement.
Despite returning from a volunteer trip at dusk the day before and barely sleeping for 4 hours before the virtual speaking engagement; I felt really happy and excited. The excitement was borne from the fact that my words would be an inspiration and healing to anyone who listened to them.
How has blending psychology with technology shaped your work and vision?
Smiles,
Blending Psychology and Tech has been fun and motivating. It all began when I had a client whose mental health issues were a deep stress to my mental health. Learning to code and coding began my go-to resort to unburden.
It has helped to sharpen my work and vision in the following ways;
If I could be very patient with my computer while coding (and I can spend hours or even days trying to pick a bug), and if I am very ardent to ensuring I crack the nut and unravel the problem, then why would anyone who has given up on hope or life be left alone? I want to be the reason why someone would look at the wall and with broad smiles of fulfilment and warmth say “That is the lady that started it!!”
With your work empowering over 1,000 children in Canada, the UK, and Nigeria through web development and animations, what advice would you give to women seeking to break barriers in STEM fields?
Just believe in yourself!!
It is okay to give up, it is okay to stop trying, it is okay to take a break. But never forget the reason why you once wanted it so badly. When the reason is still in place, you will one day get back on track, and this time around you will win.
This is my story:
My first encounter with HTML was in 2013, when won a scholarship sponsored and anchored by Django Girls. It was a one-week boot camp at the LAUTECH new ICT centre. However, I couldn’t proceed with learning because the tutor attached to me could not teach me to understand. He was an amazing and brilliant developer but he was not a teacher to me. I frantically tried to get to understand those steps, but he wanted me to cram the steps and the codes. How would I cram what I don’t know why it is the way it is? It was frustrating, I remember being awake on several nights with the desire to self-learn but I had to give up trying.
Seven years later, I said to myself; “It is time to go back and let my “once upon a time dream” know the stuff I’m made of.” I met a tutor who did better than my tutor of seven years ago. With resilience, I was able to learn as much as I could from the recorded training videos.
I said to myself: “Abigail, the best way to know how much you know is if you can teach kids and they can understand.” The rest they say is history. I’ve been remotely working with a branch of STEM Canada as a tech tutor for two years and counting. It has been fulfilling, and one of the most interesting moments was during the project showcase. I always feel fulfilled watching the amazing projects these kids present, all thanks to Ms. Abigail their amazing tech tutor.
You’ve worked remotely with STEM Canada and contributed significantly as a virtual assistant managing CRM systems and projects. How do you balance your diverse roles, and what skills do you think are essential for success in such multifaceted endeavours?
I teach coding on Saturdays and Sundays. I don’t fix therapy sessions on these days, I only entertain emergency sessions.
In 2024, I wanted to sharpen my tech skills and I enrolled into DevOps training. I paid a handsome 6-figure. But I stopped immediately I noticed that I was putting myself and my mental health under the pressure of DevOps training, Saturday coding classes, and clinical internship at the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, in Abeokuta, Aro.
It is always important to know when to draw the line, it is also very important to set boundaries while adhering to self-care. Though it was a money wasted because I couldn’t complete the training nor achieve the reason why I initially enrolled, I would prefer the money got wasted than my mental health wellness getting wasted.
Your mantra, ‘Show me I can’t and I will show you how high I can soar,‘ is both bold and inspiring. Can you share a moment in your journey when this mindset helped you overcome significant challenges?
Smiles, I’ve several instances but I would try to share a few.
As a 400L undergraduate student at LAUTECH, I joined myself in Network marketing. I remember back then how I hated the smell of vehicle exhaust and the smell of commercial vehicles generally. Whenever I travelled by road, I always felt like puking as my tummy began to rumble and my eyes began to get dazed. So, I was always taking coke or any gaseous drink while travelling. But, I faced the fear as a network marketer.
I came out of my comfort zone, was so resilient, and implemented all I learnt and read books. I gradually became so popular and back in Lagos, I was always selected to speak on health at the Ikorodu Company. All thanks to Mr. Shotobi Gabriel and Mrs. Ibironke Martins.
As a student, I was shuttling Ogbomosho and Lagos like someone going from her living room to the courtyard. My internship result in LAUTECH came out and I got a B.
During my psychology program at NDA, as the end of the semester drew near, I got a scholarship in Data Science sponsored by Africa Agility. I took permission from all my lecturers, the head of the department and my supervisor as I travelled to Lagos for the Bootcamp. I went via night bus, it was quite risky. A week before returning, the news of the Kaduna-Abuja train blast went viral. I intended to return by flight but no airplane was flying to Kaduna and this prolonged my stay in Lagos from 3 weeks to 6 weeks. I returned to Kaduna by night bus, but while returning, we had to sleep over at Ife roundabout because armed robbers were operating ahead.
In Lagos, I was being interviewed by various organisations. Ranging from Kuda bank … they were so keen to see the lady who travelled over seven seas and 12 kingdoms to attend the boot camp. During the Hackathon, my group came in second position, I got a job offer after my Bootcamp to be an intern at the Island and it came with a stipend, but I declined reason being that I had to return to where I came from (Ajani must go home).
On returning to NDA Kaduna, I was met with a whole lot of schoolwork. I’ve missed several tests, but I ensured to do and submit all assignments by mail back in Lagos. Shortly after, exams began. I had a 4.2 GP and an “A” in my project. My supervisor still believes that I would have had a first-class CGPA if not for “my moments of distractions with tech.”
What are your hobbies, and how do these activities contribute to your personal and professional well-being?
My hobbies include listening to music (as I type my responses to the interview questions, I am currently listening to music via my stereo), and dancing (I dance to increase the release of dopamine as it makes me feel really good while profusely sweating. I can dance to win a million dollars; this is how much I’m always excited when it is time to dance). And Writing (Writing is a way of unburdening and speaking to my notes).
My mindset while dancing is that I’m having fun and I need to enjoy it to its peak. I dance like I’m in a competition with another dancer. The feeling and experience is so exhilarating. You might want to try it someday.
What’s next for Abigail Olasehinde? Are there any upcoming projects or visions you’re particularly excited about that align with your goal of impacting the world, one person at a time?
Oh yes!!
My goal is to reach out to correctional centres and Juvenile homes aside from high schools and universities. I can’t do this alone, so I’m in volunteer roles with an NGO and I’m also in partnership with a mental health organisation in New Zealand.
Also, I look forward to starting “Moment with Therapist Abigail” every Saturday at noon (15 to 20 minutes) at the Redeemers University Radio. By God’s Grace, I look forward to impacting more lives this year than I did in 2023 and 2024.
Credit: Oluwatomisin Olowoyo