hearMeout - Your Mental Wellness Companion

A safe and supportive space for students to prioritize their mental well-being.

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✨ About The Project

hearMeout is a comprehensive web application designed to provide students with accessible and confidential mental health resources. From an AI-powered companion for daily check-ins to a secure journaling platform and counsellor booking system, hearMeout aims to destigmatize mental health and make support readily available.

This application is built with a modern, robust, and scalable tech stack, making it a great starting point for further development and customization.

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🚀 Core Features

The application features a multi-role system to cater to the needs of different user groups.

For Students:

• AI Companion: Engage in supportive conversations with an AI chatbot that tailors its responses to your mood.
• Private Journal: A secure space to write journal entries, track your mood over time, and get AI-generated prompts for self-reflection.
• Counsellor Booking: View counsellor profiles, check their availability, and book one-on-one sessions.
• Self-Assessments: Take confidential medical questionnaires (like PHQ-9 for depression and GAD-7 for anxiety) to gain insight into your mental state.
• Anonymous Forums: Connect with peers and volunteers in a safe, anonymous space to share experiences and find support.
• Resource Library: Access a curated collection of articles, videos, and books to support your mental wellness journey.
• Emergency Support: Quick access to crisis hotlines and calming exercises.

For Counsellors:

• Dashboard: Manage your schedule, view upcoming appointments, and set your weekly availability.
• Student Insights: With student consent, view their self-assessment results to better prepare for sessions.
• Resource Management: Contribute to the self-help resource library.
• Forum Moderation: Engage with and moderate the community forums.

For Admins:

• User Approval System: Review and approve/reject registrations for counsellors and volunteers.
• Platform-Wide Management: Manage all resources in the library and oversee all appointments.
• Feedback Review: View and act on feedback submitted by students about counsellors.

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🛠️ Tech Stack

• Framework: Next.js (with App Router)
• Language: TypeScript
• Styling: Tailwind CSS
• UI Components: ShadCN UI
• Database & Auth: Firebase (Firestore & Authentication)
• Generative AI: Google's Genkit with the Gemini models.

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🏁 Getting Started

Follow these steps to get a local copy up and running.

Prerequisites

• Node.js: Version 18.x or higher.
• Firebase Account: You will need a Google account to create a Firebase project.
• Google AI API Key: To use the Genkit features, you'll need a Gemini API key from Google AI Studio.

Installation Steps

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/your-username/hearMeout.git
   cd hearMeout

2. Install NPM packages:

   npm install

3. Set up your Firebase project:

   • Go to the Firebase Console and create a new project.
   • In your project, create a new Web App.
   • Copy the firebaseConfig object. You will need this for your environment variables.
   • In the Firebase console, go to Build > Authentication and enable the Email/Password sign-in method.
   • Go to Build > Firestore Database, create a database, and start in test mode (you can configure security rules later).

4. Set up environment variables:

   • Create a new file named .env in the root of your project.
   • Update src/lib/firebase.ts with your firebaseConfig details.
   • Add your Gemini API Key to the .env file:

     GEMINI_API_KEY=your_gemini_api_key_here
     

   • Your src/lib/firebase.ts file should be updated with the configuration object from your Firebase project.

5. Run the development server:

   npm run dev

   The application should now be running on http://localhost:9002.

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👨‍💻 Teammates

Thanks to all these amazing people who made hearMeout possible! 💙