Women In Wellness: Emma Amoscato Of Smile App On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing
An Interview With Wanda Malhotra
Ultimately, it is important to believe in yourself and your vision and know that although other people may have more experience they don’t have your experience.
Today, more than ever, wellness is at the forefront of societal discussions. From mental health to physical well-being, women are making significant strides in bringing about change, introducing innovative solutions, and setting new standards. Despite facing unique challenges, they break barriers, inspire communities, and are reshaping the very definition of health and wellness. In this series called women in wellness we are talking to women doctors, nurses, nutritionists, therapists, fitness trainers, researchers, health experts, coaches, and other wellness professionals to share their stories and insights. As a part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Emma Amoscato.
Emma Amoscato is a mental health trainer, who trained in Psychology and Neuroscience of Mental Health in Kings’ College London. She is the founder of Smile App, the first mental health app for those with chronic illnesses and their carers. Emma created Smile, which incorporates video and audio tracks from a range of clinical experts, live workshops and reflection tools, after her own experience with anxiety and PTSD.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?
I was working as a journalist and communications consultant when my toddler son had his first anaphylactic allergic reaction and I was thrown into a new world of anxiety about how to keep him safe. I used my skills to start researching and writing about the subject to help others, eventually leading to two books and lots of work with this community. Then, my husband was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and we were suddenly overwhelmed by scans and survival rates, and a new life altering diagnosis. I reached out for mental health support but found it lacking or not tailored to the challenges we were facing with our family’s health conditions. So I started exploring what would help, went back to study the psychology and neuroscience of mental health at King’s College London, worked as a mental health trainer for Mind. Then I began to develop Smile, the UK’s first mental health app for people managing long-term health conditions.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? What were the main lessons or takeaways from that story?
I have had some amazing experiences raising awareness and advocating for people with health conditions, including speaking at parliamentary meetings, lobbying in Washington DC and appearing on This Morning. My main takeaway is that our lived experience matters and our voices can make a difference. We see the problems firsthand and know better than anyone what support and provision is actually needed.
It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about a mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
When I was first starting out, I spent too long comparing myself and my company to others and trying to replicate their paths. I was part of a prestigious business accelerator programme so there were lots of driven, smart people with great ideas and many were further ahead than me. Many of them were also a lot younger or had less demands on their time, whereas I had a husband with cancer, and two young children with additional needs. So I learnt to be gentle with myself, recognise my own progress and realise that I’m on my own timeline, not anyone else’s.
Let’s jump to our main focus. When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing helping to make a bigger impact in the world?
At Smile, we support the mental health of people managing long-term, health conditions such as diabetes, cancer or long covid. Through my own experiences, and talking to many other people, I found a huge lack of tailored services in this area. People are often told ‘it’s normal to feel that way’ when they are struggling with the overwhelm, uncertainty or life impact but not given strategies to help. Or they are pushed down general mental health pathways which aren’t applicable to their needs. I want Smile to be mentioned at the point of diagnosis so we can help people manage their mental health from the onset, improve wellbeing, increase people’s ability to work and contribute to society and reduce costs to the NHS,
Can you share your top five “lifestyle tweaks” that you believe will help support people’s journey towards better wellbeing?
1 . Check in with yourself everyday. Take a few quiet moments to ask: how do I feel today? What do I need? How can I get it today?
2 . Practice mindfulness. Studies show that just 11 mins a day can have a lasting impact.
3 . Prioritise your sleep and good nutrition as these are the foundations of your mental health
4 . Get outside. Time in nature and fresh air are great stress relievers.
5 . Schedule in time for yourself — just like you would a meeting or a dentist appointment.
If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?
Great question! I think wellness and good mental health are intersectional and to have the greatest impact we need to address poverty, the problems in the NHS and poor housing. On a more manageable scale, championing self compassion and encouraging people to take the advice they would offer their best friend.
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?
It will be harder and take longer than you think.
Your lived experience matters.
Listen to everyone’s advice but know how to filter it.
There are lots of free support programmes and grants available.
Connect with your ‘why’ as that is what will see you through.
Ultimately, it is important to believe in yourself and your vision and know that although other people may have more experience they don’t have your experience.
Sustainability, veganism, mental health, and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?
My mission is to support the mental health of people managing long-term health conditions and give families the tools to live well alongside a difficult diagnosis. I have experienced anxiety and PTSD and believe prioritising your mental health and wellbeing is essential and we should all give it as much time and attention as we do our physical health.
What is the best way for our readers to further follow your work online?
You can visit our website and download the app at www.wearesmileapp.com
https://www.facebook.com/wearesmileapp
www.instagram.com/wearesmileapp
Thank you for these fantastic insights! We wish you continued success and good health.
About the Interviewer: Wanda Malhotra is a wellness entrepreneur, lifestyle journalist, and the CEO of Crunchy Mama Box, a mission-driven platform promoting conscious living. CMB empowers individuals with educational resources and vetted products to help them make informed choices. Passionate about social causes like environmental preservation and animal welfare, Wanda writes about clean beauty, wellness, nutrition, social impact and sustainability, simplifying wellness with curated resources. Join Wanda and the Crunchy Mama Box community in embracing a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle at CrunchyMamaBox.com.
