Meet Steph Naval, a Filipina on a Mission to Make Mental Healthcare Easier to Access

While true open and understanding conversations about mental health in the Philippines still have their ways to go, the culture of how mental health is seen in the context of the Philippine culture is starting to shift for the better. More and more Filipinos are seeing the value of proper mental health care and approaching the topic with the respect and understanding it needs. And helping lead the way are advocates, entrepreneurs, and experts who are helping change the way people talk about and approach mental health in this country. One such personality is Steph Naval.

​The 28-year-old software engineer and psychologist-in-training isn’t just destigmatizing mental health but also championing more accessible care for the everyday Filipino. As the founder of Empath, Steph has been putting in the work, and for her efforts, she was recently included in Forbes Asia’s 30 Under 30 list, where she joined other notable young Filipinos such as tennis star Alex Eala and OPM hitmaker Zack Tabudlo. Get to know more about Steph and her mission to change the way we talk about mental health below.  

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​Founder, Advocate, and Social Entrepreneur Steph Naval

For Steph Naval, mental health isn’t just the topic of her professional pursuits; it’s one she’s experienced firsthand. When she was 14 years old, Steph went through hardships dealing with her mental health struggles. Crucially, she also witnessed how difficult and stigmatized it was to get the proper help she needed, especially in a country that often trivializes mental health as made-up. Those experiences inspired Steph to start Empath, a mental health consultation service in the Philippines, where she serves as its founder and CEO.

The company and social enterprise is rooted in its advocacy to help Filipinos take care of their mental health, and it does so by making care as accessible, affordable, and understandable as possible. It’s no secret that proper mental health services in the country aren’t easy to come by, so Empath hopes to fill in the gaps through its services, such as online counseling, psychotherapy, psychiatric consultations, and educational tools and tips shared on its various social media platforms.

Empath’s work isn’t just limited to their efforts online as they’ve also partnered with schools, workplaces, and NGOs to bring their programs directly to communities.

As divisive as the topic of mental health can be to Filipinos, Steph, with Empath at the forefront, has not only been making mental healthcare easier to reach but also destigmatizing how we should be talking about mental health. It’s not a secret to hide, but a real issue that should be addressed accordingly. At the core of this work is Steph’s advocacy of addressing mental health as a right and not a luxury that only people with money and connections can have.

The Filipina founder is helping empower Filipinos to see the importance of proper mental healthcare and not just brush it off to the side. As much as taking care of your physical health is a priority to be at your best, so too should it be with your mental health, in Steph’s view. As she told MEGA Asia in 2025, “In order for us to be our best selves and give more, we need to replenish and fill that cup before we keep pouring our love to others.” Ultimately, there’s nothing selfish about self-care.

Featured Image and Photos: STEPH NAVAL (via Instagram), MEGA ARCHIVES