How LSBU helped Bilge Kivrak turn her mental health expertise into a start-up
After moving from Turkey to London to study at LSBU, Bilge Kivrak built a career as a clinical psychologist before turning her clinical experience into an innovative mental health start-up. Discover how her time at LSBU helped her develop her expertise, build confidence and turn an idea into Ground Me, a free app designed to help people recognise and manage dissociation.
Tell us about your journey to LSBU and what you hoped to achieve when you moved to London.
I moved from İzmir, Turkey, to London in 2019 to complete my MSc in Mental Health and Clinical Psychology at LSBU. I had studied psychology and knew that I wanted to work in mental health, but I was still discovering what kind of psychologist I wanted to become and how I could build a meaningful career in the field.
What challenges did you face during this period, and how did these experiences shape your journey?
My ambition was to strengthen my clinical knowledge and support people experiencing trauma and other mental health difficulties. However, moving to a new country and completing my degree during the COVID-19 pandemic brought unexpected challenges, including isolation, uncertainty and the need to rebuild my confidence.
What did you take away from your time at LSBU, and how has it influenced your career?
My MSc gave me a strong academic foundation, particularly through its focus on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and evidence-based practice. Later, LSBU continued to support my development as a founder through its entrepreneurial community and Incubator programme.
Can you tell us the story behind Ground Me and what inspired you to develop the app?
After graduating, I returned to Turkey and worked as a clinical psychologist. Through my work with clients, I noticed that many people experienced dissociation but had very few accessible tools to help them recognise and manage it outside therapy. This inspired me to develop Ground Me, a mental health app designed to make dissociation measurable and manageable. I later returned to London to build the company and won the Impact Accelerator category at the LSBU Ignite Awards in 2024.
What support and opportunities at LSBU helped you develop as an entrepreneur and bring your idea to life?
LSBU helped me grow beyond developing academic and clinical skills. I became more confident in communicating my ideas, speaking publicly and seeing myself not only as a psychologist, but also as someone capable of building an innovative solution to a real mental health need. LSBU’s Incubator programme gave me much of the business knowledge I have today. It helped me build my start-up from the ground up and supported me in successfully securing a start-up visa to develop Ground Me in the UK.
What does your work look like today, and what are you hoping to achieve through Ground Me?
Today, I am a clinical psychologist and the co-founder of Ground Me. Our free iPhone app helps people check their dissociation levels, track their experiences and access grounding exercises. I have also delivered talks and workshops for universities, workplaces and wellbeing communities across London.
Looking back on your journey, what advice would you share with students and graduates who are thinking about pursuing an ambition of their own?
Put yourself forward, even when you do not feel completely ready. Say yes to opportunities, ask for support and allow your path to evolve. Confidence often comes after taking the first step, not before it.