From Passion to Purpose: How One Student Founder is Breaking Barriers in Mental Health Access
Written by the Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center | March 2025
Fueled by a passion for mental health advocacy and a drive to create lasting change, Freedom Mind aims to transform the way mental healthcare and education are accessed worldwide. At the forefront of this mission is Monica Garza, a third-year Management Information Systems (MIS) major at The University of Texas at Austin and the founder of Freedom Mind. Her startup is dedicated to breaking down barriers to mental health services through systematic innovation and accessibility, with a particular focus on underserved communities and developing countries.
“Freedom Mind is transforming the mental health space with an innovative, three-part system designed to make mental healthcare and education more accessible and effective. The platform integrates strategic mental health check-ins, ongoing educational support, personalized therapy referrals, and mentorship sessions — all aimed at detecting early signs of mental health struggles before they escalate into more severe conditions,” Garza explains. “Freedom Mind is designed for everyone. Regardless of one’s mental state, its intentional structure provides a space to enrich, enhance, and foster mental wellness at every stage of life.”
Garza’s vision for Freedom Mind is deeply personal. Growing up along the U.S. — Mexico border in Eagle Pass, Texas, and Piedras Negras, Mexico, Garza witnessed first hand the stark disparities in access to basic needs across different socioeconomic environments — especially mental healthcare. Living between two countries, she saw how a shortage of professionals, ineffective treatment systems, and widespread stigma contributed to deep societal challenges. These gaps fueled her determination to drive meaningful change in mental health accessibility.
Her commitment to mental health advocacy became even more personal after losing a childhood friend to suicide. That moment reinforced her drive to create accessible solutions so fewer people would struggle in silence. “That experience really stuck with me. It made me realize how many people don’t seek help because they don’t understand what they’re going through,” she reflects.
Beyond improving access to care, Freedom Mind also expands employment opportunities in the mental health field, addressing the industry’s widespread workforce shortage. Its income-based revenue model promotes affordability, while strategic partnerships with mental health clinics, nonprofits, and churches help extend outreach to underserved communities — reinforcing Garza’s mission to create sustainable mental health solutions.
To expand accessibility, Freedom Mind is developing a faith-based option for those who seek it. “My Christian faith played a transformative role in my wellness, and for many, faith is an essential part of their mental health journey,” Garza explains. By partnering with churches, she aims to integrate professional care with spiritual support.
Garza’s passion for mental health care, however, didn’t initially align with entrepreneurship. In fact, when she first considered how to tackle these issues, she never imagined entrepreneurship as the way forward. But that changed as she watched her father build a successful business from the ground up. “This helped me view entrepreneurship not just as a career path, but as a way to create opportunity and impact,” she says. Her curiosity for business and innovation grew in college, where she came to recognize entrepreneurship as a tool for social change.
When she arrived at UT Austin, Garza had no prior experience in entrepreneurship but felt an immediate pull toward it. Her introduction to the startup scene came during her freshman year when she joined the Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center (HKEC) as a Marketing Assistant. Immersed in UT’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, she gained first hand exposure to student founders and the wealth of opportunities available.
“At first, I thought entrepreneurship was only for people with groundbreaking, one-in-a-million ideas,” Garza shares. “But working at HKEC, that’s when I saw that even students could build something innovative and impactful around their passions. That realization changed everything.”
Her interest led her to apply for the Social Entrepreneurship Learning Lab (SELL), a selective program where students ideate and incubate businesses centered around addressing social issues. “I didn’t even have a startup idea at first,“ Garza says. “I simply felt an inner spiritual calling toward entrepreneurship, and I just knew I desired to create something impactful through it.” But as she progressed through the program — conducting research and exploring different social issues — she rediscovered the mission that had always been closest to her heart: transforming mental health care. “The more I learned about the severity of the issue, the stronger my passion and drive grew,” Garza reflected.
Garza’s startup quickly gained recognition. After SELL’s Sell Your Story event, she won the Firefly Award for the most outstanding member in the Ideator Program. Advancing into the Incubator Program, she became a finalist in the Sell Your Impact pitch competition, securing grant funding to further develop Freedom Mind. The competition also connected her with industry professionals, reaffirming her belief in Freedom Mind’s potential to create meaningful change.
Encouraged by her momentum, Garza applied to the Forty Acres Founders Program, a prestigious pre-accelerator at UT Austin. “Being selected was a major turning point,” she says. “Working on a startup alongside other ambitious and inspiring founders made every step in the program so rewarding.” Through mentorship, collaborative coursework, and grant funding opportunities, the program provided a space for growth and strategic development. Garza credits much of her growth to UT’s entrepreneurship ecosystem, particularly her time at HKEC. “The supportive environment played a huge role in my development,” she shares.
Looking ahead, Garza is focused on finalizing Freedom Mind’s development, refining its model with expert feedback, and expanding partnerships. She is also exploring ways to integrate new technology and extend outreach to underserved communities, with plans to officially launch the full service by 2026.
As she continues her journey with Freedom Mind, Garza hopes to inspire others to pursue their own entrepreneurial paths. “If you’re interested in entrepreneurship, take the first step,” she advises. “As students, there are so many opportunities to gain mentorship, explore programs, and utilize the resources at our disposal.” She encourages students not to fear failure, but to view setbacks as valuable learning experiences. “Every obstacle shapes you into a more resilient, wiser, and stronger founder,” she says.
To Garza, success in entrepreneurship is defined by impact, not financial milestones. She encourages aspiring founders to stay grounded in what drives them and embrace the journey of building something meaningful. Whether through social change or products that improve daily life, she stresses the importance of staying true to your passions and initial “why.” “An entrepreneur is someone who remains rooted in purpose and has the drive to turn their passion into a meaningful solution,” Garza concludes. “That’s what entrepreneurship means to me.”
If you ask Garza, she’ll tell you that entrepreneurship is not about reaching a specific destination; it’s about staying rooted in passion and purpose. “If I can positively change even one person’s life, that alone would be enough,” she reflects. With her unwavering dedication and vision for mental wellness, Garza is paving the way for a future where mental health care is more accessible, inclusive, and effective for all.
This article is from the FOUNDER STORIES series, a feature article series published by the Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center (HKEC) that highlights UT Austin student founder success stories and how the HKEC has played a role in their entrepreneurship journey. The HKEC offers a variety of dynamic resources to UT Austin students, including competitive funding opportunities, networking events, informative article series, mentorship and more.
To learn more about the entrepreneurship resources that the HKEC has to offer, visit our website and subscribe to our newsletter to get involved with future opportunities!
