Just 6 years ago, Monique Ong was flying high – she had recently got married in Las Vegas and had landed her dream job at a major social media company. She and her husband, Cedric, relocated from Geneva to Manila and were making plans on building their careers and raising a family together.
On June 19, 2017, while on a business trip to Singapore, Monique met her friend at a restaurant after a long day of meetings. What was supposed to be a quick trip to the lavatory took a tragic turn, as Monique collapsed and was found unconscious on the floor, bleeding from an apparent head injury. She was rushed to the hospital and underwent emergency surgery.
Monique was in a coma for 21 days due to a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) to the left frontal and temporal lobes of her brain, and, according to the surgeon, she was lucky to have survived, due to the condition having only a 15% survival rate. Sections of her skull also had to be replaced with plastic. After waking up from the coma, Monique had to relearn everything – even walking, talking, and eating. Her neuropsychologist found that based on a test that he conducted, that her brain was “below average” following the injury. It took her 13 months of continuous therapy until she was able to go back to work. However, it was not a smooth process.
“It was a huge struggle. Everybody thought that because I'm back means I'm fully recovered, just like if I were absent due to a flu. But that was not the case, as I was struggling with permanent brain damage. My managers and the company never understood that,” Monique says.
Upon returning to work, Monique was asked if she was willing to be demoted, so she could take on fewer responsibilities, on condition that, if she does well, would be promoted back to her original role after six months.
“I felt insulted. While they did ask nicely, I felt my bosses lacked understanding of what happened to me, how traumatic the experience was, and the extent of my brain injury. Had I taken their offer, and after six months they’d told me that I wouldn’t be promoted back to my original position, it would have been as if they’d cast judgment on me because of the incident. I would not have been able to accept that.”
Monique returned to work on a part-time basis, working Mondays to Thursdays, while undergoing speech therapy sessions on Fridays. Due to her brain injury, she was diagnosed with aphasia, which results in difficulty in speaking and understanding speech. According to Monique, she could barely understand half of what was being said during meetings, so she had to record and listen to them again to glean the needed information. She also had to relearn the industry terms and work processes, which only added to her struggles.
Despite her reservations, Monique was told to handle the company's second-largest client due to it being short-handed. Her boss told her that she had no choice but to accept it. Several months later, tragedy struck further – Monique suffered a miscarriage. Following these major traumatic life events, Monique decided to apply for different roles within the company, but she was not accepted and was told that her communication skills “were not good enough.”
“These were among the many instances when I felt that there was no understanding nor empathy from my company for what I was going through.”
Due to the numerous struggles Monique faced in her return to work, she decided to found her own business – Mindnation – in 2020, which helps individuals care for their mental health, and partners with organizations to provide mental health services for their employees. She says that Mindnation can guide employers in providing the much-needed support their employees need when dealing with mental health issues.
Mindnation provides support for those dealing with mental health issues, as well as proactive services for mentally healthy people to maintain their condition, including guidance on how to have better sleep and diet. The company partnered with mental health experts to provide its CareNow plan, a holistic wellbeing service that helps users in their journey towards a better self.
Monique says, “if I didn't say anything about what happened to me, nobody would ever think that I have brain damage. Nobody would say that because I look and sound normal. The same goes for those who have depression or anxiety. People are really good at hiding it.”
Mindnation's online platform has what's called the Best Me Dashboard, where users can pick proactive goals to help them improve their mental health. These include wanting to feel better, more energetic, calmer, more focused, or more in control of their finances. These are broken down into weekly challenges that will help users achieve their goals, and they are partnered with a WellBeing Coach that provides advice and helps them be accountable.
Mindnation provides various resources on its website that can help people learn more about and manage their mental health. These include blogs, videos, podcasts, and exercises. The website also has several quizzes to help users assess their current mental health state and take appropriate action.
“Following my accident, I was told that my brain was in a 'below average' state. I struggled tremendously to regain my mental and physical faculties, and I ended up leaving what used to be my dream job. I started Mindnation so we can help individuals manage their mental health and allow organizations to provide the support and understanding that many people like me often do not receive,” Monique says.
Media Contact:
Name: Monique Ong
Email: [email protected]
