The Birth Of KulaMind- Dr. Kibby McMahon’s story
“I’m just getting myself ready for both of my parents to be dead,” was my response when I was asked why I was acting so distant. Only a few years after my dad passed away, I found myself sitting in the exact same hospital with my mother who just had a brush with death herself. I would say that for many years, “my mom suffered from alcoholism,” but the truth was that I suffered from her alcoholism as well: The fights, the lying, the blaming, the hope of a new treatment, the subsequent disappointment of relapse, the fear of uncertainty, the health crises, and the compassion too deeply buried to feel anymore. Having a loved one with addiction kept my eyes fixed on her as the “identified patient,” but I, too, needed help.
I didn’t know it at the time, but that moment was the beginning of a long journey that culminated in co-founding KulaMind, a company dedicated to helping people cope with the hardship of having a loved one struggling with mental health. The field of mental healthcare has evolved with new ways of understanding and treating psychological issues. All clinicians and patients know that having the love of family, friends, romantic partners, co-workers, neighbors, and caregivers is essential to wellbeing. And yet- the vast majority of treatment and prevention efforts ignore the central role of social support, even though academic research highlights how relationships can make or break our emotional health. That day in the hospital was the first spark that ignited my passion for helping people like us, communities and families affected by the ripple effects of mental illness.
To pursue that mission, I got a bachelors in psychology from Columbia University and a Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Duke University. Under the guidance of Dr. Zach Rosenthal, I trained extensively in the science and practice of treating interpersonal problems with evidence-based behavioral interventions. Having so many conversations with distraught family members of our patients, my clinic at Duke created programs that taught family members information about mental illness and practical skills to help their loved ones and themselves. While I lead some of these programs, I also developed digital solutions that could potentially bring millions of people accessible, affordable, and effective mental health support. Seeing the hunger for resources that address the relational aspect of mental health, I launched a podcast called “A Little Help For Our Friends” with my close friend, classmate and former ABC’s Bachelor alum, Jacqueline Trumbull. Still, family members and loved ones wanted more. They wanted help knowing what to do in the most difficult moments, tools and emotional support when they felt most alone and overwhelmed with caregiving.
That’s when I met Sida Zhu, CTO and co-founder of KulaMind. He had just finished his masters at Duke in computer science, specializing in artificial intelligence. A founding member and star of the Duke Robotics lab, Sida had developed a platform where AI agents and humans learn to collaborate as a team. He could have taken the prestigious Ph.D. offer from the Department of Defense, but instead he wanted to apply his skills to building something that helped people live better. With natural curiosity and relentless work ethic, Sida was the perfect partner to start this company.
KulaMind is on a mission to treat mental health through strengthening connections to ourselves and others. We believe that when one person suffers from a mental health problem, the rest of their family system suffers with them. Fortunately, science has taught us that it’s possible to learn how to bond, collaborate, and support like any other skill. Teaching loved ones of patients how to caregive effectively not only prevents the ripple effect of mental illness, but may even treat the root of the problem.
That day in the hospital, I was very close to losing all hope. But my words lodged themselves into my mom’s heart just deep enough to motivate her to change. Realizing how much her illness affected me, she sought treatment for her addiction and was sober ever since. At that time, I predicted she wouldn’t see this day, but she is happy, healthy, and an amazing grandmother to my 2-year-old son. KulaMind was created to spread healing through the ability to love.