About Katabasis
The descent before the return.
The Mission
Katabasis exists because men are dying and nobody's doing enough about it.
Male suicide rates are 3-4x higher than women. Men face workplace discrimination, false accusations, relationship struggles, and loss of purpose with nowhere to turn that actually understands their specific challenges.
We're not here to replace therapy or professional help. We're here to provide what's missing: anonymous peer support from men who've been through it. No judgment, no corporate HR bullshit, no walking on eggshells.
This platform is free. Always. Men in crisis shouldn't have to pay for support.
Why Men-Only?
Because men face specific challenges that need specific solutions.
This isn't about excluding women to be cruel - it's about having limited resources and choosing to focus on an unaddressed crisis. Women's mental health deserves attention too, and there are more resources available for that. Men have almost nothing purpose-built for them.
We make no apologies for this focus. Men deserve spaces where they can talk about their experiences without having to qualify, justify, or defend themselves.
Why "Katabasis"?
In ancient Greek mythology, katabasis means "descent into the underworld" - the hero's journey through darkness before emerging transformed.
When you're in crisis, lost your job, facing false accusations, going through a divorce, or feeling like your life has no purpose - you're in katabasis. This platform is the guide rope back up.
The descent is necessary. The return is possible. You're not alone in the darkness.
How This Started
Katabasis was built by someone who lived through these struggles across multiple pharmaceutical and corporate environments:
- Lost jobs to affirmative action - twice
- Fired after false accusations from a group who coordinated lies
- Asked management for support at P&G and was laughed at
- Watched hiring managers get overridden by HR based on demographics
- Experienced the complete inability to name these issues without being dismissed
This isn't theoretical. This is lived experience that shaped the platform you see today.
We built Katabasis because after asking "why don't men have an outlet?" the answer was: they don't. So we created one.
You're Not Alone
These are real experiences from men who found themselves with nowhere to turn. If any of these sound familiar, you're in the right place:
"The hiring manager told me behind closed doors they were going to hire me, but HR overrode the decision. Happened twice at different companies. Both times it was about hitting diversity targets, not my qualifications."
— Anonymous, 36
"A group of coworkers lied about what I said. When I tried to defend myself, no one even asked for my side of the story. I was written up and it went in my permanent record. There was no recourse, no appeal, nothing."
— Anonymous, 31
"I told management we needed some kind of support group or outlet. They literally laughed at me. That's when I realized - there's no help coming. We're on our own unless we build something ourselves."
— Anonymous, 34
"I watched my team go from 20% women to 80% women in the name of 'diversity.' The irony wasn't lost on anyone, but you couldn't say anything without being labeled. Several qualified men were passed over, myself included."
— Anonymous, 42
"The worst part isn't the discrimination itself - it's that you can't even name it without being dismissed or attacked. Your lived experience doesn't matter. Your struggles don't count. You're told you can't possibly be experiencing what you're clearly experiencing."
— Anonymous, 38
If these experiences resonate with you, you're not imagining it. It's real. Your feelings are valid. And you deserve a space to talk about it without judgment.
Part of the Holistic Quality Ecosystem
Katabasis is a project of Holistic Quality, a technology company building consciousness-centered platforms that serve human flourishing rather than extraction.
Holistic Quality operates under a simple philosophy: #FTP - For The People, Always. No dark patterns, no extraction, no exploitation. Just tools that actually help.
Katabasis operates independently with its own mission, but shares HQ's core values: respect for human dignity, transparent operations, and building technology that serves rather than extracts.
Legal entity: Holistic Quality LLC
What's Next
Right now, you can access crisis resources and category-specific support. Coming soon:
- Community Forum - Reddit-style anonymous discussions
- Peer Chat - Connect with trained peer supporters
- Resource Library - Practical guides for specific situations
We're building this carefully because we know how important it is to get it right.
Get Involved
Want to contribute? Have feedback? Need partnership information?
Visit holisticquality.io for contact information.