Press Kit

About Help Texts

Life can be hard. Getting support shouldn't have to be. đź’™ Help Texts provides personalized, expert, grief and mental health support in 61 countries and 28 languages.

Help Texts is the world's leading clinically sound, scalable, bereavement intervention. We deliver affordable, multilingual, support globally via text message, for all of life's toughest moments. With extraordinary acceptability (95%) and 6-month retention (90%) rates, Help Texts' light-weight solution makes it easy for employers, providers, payers, and others to improve health and community outcomes, while also realizing significant cost savings for those in their care.

Download Media Brief for Emma Payne, Help Texts Founder & CEO.

“Client Story - Son Supports Grieving Mom” - Emma Payne on Optispan Podcast with Dr. Matt Kaeberlein
Spectrum News 1 - Popular texting program removes barriers and helps grievers feel less alone
“Why I Created Help Texts” - Emma Payne speaks with Dr. Karen Wyatt about her husband's suicide
“Surely we can do better” - Emma Payne on Buried In Work Podcast with Adam Zuckerman
“My life fundamentally changed” - Emma Payne talks about sudden, traumatic loss with Dr. Mary Pardee
Emma's favorite thing about Help Texts—we text tips to friends and family too
The neuroscience of grief

Emma's biography

Emma Payne founded Help Texts, a global grief support platform, after her husband’s suicide. An MIT graduate and experienced entrepreneur, Emma was shocked by how little support existed for people after a loved one dies and by the damage unsupported grief can cause: depression, illness, job loss, even suicide. She left her job as a technology executive in 2018 to make sure nobody ever has to grieve alone.

Today, Help Texts delivers expert-backed grief support to families in 61 countries and 28 languages, addressing the gap Emma experienced personally. Her work has been featured by outlets including The Washington Post, New York Times, Mashable, MSN, NBC News, Spectrum News 1, Hospice News, Optispan Podcast, and GeekWire.

Help Texts logos

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Sample Help Texts messages

  • Hi, Franny. Here's an idea youmight like to try. Take a few minutesto write down something that youlearned from your dad. Maybe hetaught you a practical skill orimparted a favorite life lesson? Putthe piece of paper in your pocket,so that you have his lesson withyou as you go about your day.
    Franny is grieving her dad
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  • Hi, Julie. There is a term called'glimmer' which you can think of asthe opposite of a trigger. Glimmersare micro-moments that happenthroughout your day that make youfeel happy, joyous, peaceful, orgrateful. If you train your brain tolook for these tiny moments eachday more will begin to appear. Lookfor the glimmers. đź’«
    Julie is grieving her best friend
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  • Hi, Max. Some people worry aboutforgetting their person's voice orhow they laughed. Creatingintentional ways to remember yourmom - like cooking her recipes,sharing her stories, or carryingforward her values - can help.Research shows these "continuingbonds" often bring comfort and helpus maintain a meaningfulconnection. What helps you feelmost connected to your mom?
    Max is grieving his mom
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  • Hi, Ruby. Grieving after a suicide isoften intense and emotions likesadness, anger, shame, and guiltcan feel more complex. Somepeople say that grief from a suicideis "grief with the volume turned up."When grief starts to feel too loud,try to pause what you're doing, takea few deep breaths, and see if youcan change what you're doing orswitch to a more relaxing activity for10 minutes, until the grief volumefeels manageable again.
    Ruby's boyfriend died by suicide
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  • Hi, Deepti. Questions about thecircumstances of your nephew'sdeath can feel invasive. The nexttime someone asks you forinformation, you can let them knowyou're not ready to share thosedetails right now but you are opento telling them how you're doing.Shifting the focus from whathappened to your well-being couldhelp you both connect.
    Deepti's nephew died from drug-related causes
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  • Hi, Isabella. The endlessappointments, difficult decisions,and uncertainty that came with yourgrandfather's dementia wereprobably exhausting. You mightnow feel both relief that yourgrandfather's suffering has endedand guilt for feeling that relief - thisis normal. If feelings of guilt arise,try placing a hand on your chest,taking a deep breath, andreminding yourself: "I was thecaregiver he needed. I carriedburdens no one should have tocarry."
    Isabella's grandfather died from dementia
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  • Hi, Monique. Unlike other losses,when a pregnancy ends in loss,there are not many social rituals orceremonies available to help yousay goodbye. You may need tofacilitate your own ritual alone orwith a small group of loved ones.Activities such as lighting a candle,wearing a memorial item, releasinga paper lantern, or planting flowerscan be meaningful ways toremember baby Elijah.
    Monique is grieving a pregnancy loss
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  • Hi, Priyanka. It is okay tounapologetically love your children,whether you get to hold them inyour arms or carry them in yourheart. Ayaan may have died but healso lived, and both are equallyimportant to acknowledge.Mothering Ayaan and honoring hislife might mean finding ways torepresent him in your own personalways on important dates or even inyour day-to-day life.
    Priyanka's son was stillborn
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  • Hi, Sonia. Because Tuna was a pet,you may feel that the depth of yourgrief from their passing is not beingfully recognized by others. This iscalled disenfranchised grief and ithappens when your grief doesn'tneatly fit into society's views aboutgrief and loss. This can beespecially isolating and painful.Your grief for Tuna is real andsignificant and deservesacknowledgment and support.
    Sonia is grieving her cat Tuna
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  • Hi, Elijah. Having a physicalreminder of your dog to carry withyou is called a linking object and itmay help you feel more connectedto Khloe. Some ideas for linkingobjects can include a bracelet ornecklace with Khloe's name orphoto, a small toy she liked, or herleash or collar. Linking objects canbe as creative as you'd like, forexample, you might turn a piece oftheir collar into a keychain.
    Elijah is grieving his dog Khloe
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  • Hi, Rochelle. Here's something youcan try the next time your dadexhibits challenging behaviors.Rather than thinking "My dad isfrustrating me," try separating himfrom the disease and instead trythinking "Dementia is creatingchallenges for my dad andeveryone who loves him" This smallshift can help preserve yourconnection to you dad, even whenhis symptoms are at their worst.
    Rochelle is caring for her father with dementia
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  • Hi, Kai. Dying bodies graduallyneed and want less food. Meats areoften first to go, followed byvegetables and other hard-to-digestfoods until even soft foods are nolonger eaten. As time goes on,Nathan will need less and lessenergy from food. While it can behard to see him eating less, it'simportant that you follow Nathan'scues. It's normal for him to declineyour offers of food.
    Kai's partner Nathan is dying from cancer
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  • Hi, Elle. It's common for dyingpeople to withdraw from activities,friends, and family. Know thatwithdrawal is not personal. It isoften the body's way of preparingfor death and the mind's way offocusing on the emotional andspiritual work of dying. If yourstepmom is withdrawing, considerplanning activities or visits duringher most alert times of day. Speakto her in the same tone of voice asyou always have. Your care andpresence is still being received.
    Elle is caring for her stepmom who has a terminal diagnosis
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  • Hi, Omar. When things feelchallenging or overwhelming, it canbe helpful to say to yourself, "Mycurrent situation is not my finaldestination." Try repeating this as amantra to yourself a few times thisweek. This might help you expandyour focus from the difficultsituation in front of you to the goalyou ultimately want to achieve.
    Omar is a healthcare worker facing burnout and fatigue
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  • Hi, Rue. The vagus nerve runs fromthe brainstem to the colon and isresponsible for regulating emotions,thinking clearly, feeling safe in yourbody, and more. When you'restressed, this nerve's job is to getyou back to a state of calm.Support your vagus nerve throughdeep breathing, humming, coldexposure, or doing yoga poses.These all get you to a state of calmfaster. Try one next time you'refeeling anxious.
    Rue is looking for support for health and well-being
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