About
This project was conceived by Dr. Rich Fletcher in 2020 as platform to help support mental health and
wellness among the MIT Community. The initial concept was to create a platform to share stories that could
be uplifting and heartwarming, to give us different perspectives, grow our sense of gratitude, or simply
make us smile. The domain name, ThoughtLine, is a reference to a former student-support phone line service,
called NightLine, that was operated by MIT in the pre-Google days, that students could call when they wanted
to talk to a human or ask a question.
While there is a huge amount of media channels available today, our modern technology often presents us with
a sensory overload that provides us little opportunity, and little space, to think, relax, and reflect.
Audio files provide a unique opportunity to close our eyes, and open our minds. Audio can provide a range of
experiences, ranging from the basic sounds of nature (e.g. ocean waves, rain) to the sound of a human voice
and mental imagery to help clear and heal our mind.
This web site is one of several mental health-related projects being conducted by Dr. Fletcher and the
Mobile Technology Lab
Developers: Michael Cantow, Sami Amer, and Sonia Uwase.