7 Cups of Tea takes listening to the web

7 Cups of Tea is a site and app for anyone seeking emotional support for any issue they may be facing.

“It’s a place where anyone can either open the app or go online and receive support from a kind, active listener,” said 7 Cups of Tea founder Glen Moriarty.

Moriarty was inspired to create 7 Cups of Tea when he thought about behaviors that existed offline but not online, citing dating as an example of a behavior that has already made the transition. He often found himself speaking to his wife who is a professional counselor when he had problems, but wondered how people could work through their personal challenges without a therapist in their family. He decided to create a platform for people to connect with someone who was willing to listen.

The vast majority of people using 7 Cups of Tea are young adults, Moriarty says. Visitors to the site can match themselves with a listener based on language, country, age group, or issue. Categories of issues include eating disorders, alcoholism, depression, anxiety and work-related stress. There are also self-help guides and tests available for individuals to gain a better understanding of their own problems, as well as a group support option.

“Our vision is for all 7 billion people on Earth to have somewhere to go where they can feel safe and free from judgment to receive the support they need," Moriarty said.

The site launched in June 2013 and currently has over 80,000 "listeners" from 150 countries, providing support in 130 languages. The app was released in the Apple store in November 2014, followed by the release of the Android version in January 2015.