From Patient Number One to 1 Million Patients: Headway CEO Andrew Adams’ Personal Journey to Transform Mental Healthcare
Headway helps people find and book mental health providers who accept their insurance, making therapy and psychiatric care easy to access.
Headway is a platform that connects individuals with mental health providers who accept their insurance, streamlining the process of finding, booking, and paying for therapy or psychiatric care. It removes administrative burdens by handling all payment and billing logistics, making mental health care more accessible and affordable.
Headway, a platform dedicated to transforming the mental health care system, has reached a major milestone: serving its 1 millionth patient. For Andrew Adams, Headway’s CEO and founder, this achievement is deeply personal. Inspired by his own frustrating experience navigating mental health care, Adams set out to create a system that would make therapy accessible to all.
In a heartfelt announcement, Adams reflected on his journey as “patient number one.” He shared the overwhelming barriers he faced while seeking therapy—sifting through endless directories, encountering dead ends, and struggling with the complexities of insurance claims. It was this experience that motivated him to build Headway, a platform designed to simplify the process for patients, providers, and insurers alike.
“When we launched, I imagined a future where others wouldn’t have to go through what I did to get the help they needed,” Adams shared.
Since its founding, Headway has grown to serve patients in all 50 states. By partnering with health care providers and insurers, the platform connects individuals with therapists who accept insurance, eliminating many of the financial and logistical challenges that often prevent people from accessing care.
Adams recalled the company’s humble beginnings, including his early attempts to help just six patients file out-of-network claims over two years. Fast-forward to today, and Headway has served over 1 million patients—each representing a step toward a healthier, more equitable mental health care system.
“This milestone isn’t just about numbers,” Adams said. “It’s about lives changed, barriers overcome, and the belief that everyone deserves access to care.”
Headway’s success is rooted in collaboration: the therapists who join its network, the insurance plans willing to innovate, and the patients who trust the platform. The milestone demonstrates that accessible, affordable mental health care doesn’t have to be out of reach—it can be built on connection, compassion, and systemic change.
Looking ahead, Adams emphasized that the journey is far from over. “We’re just getting started,” he said. “Here’s to the next million lives we will uplift, together.”
As mental health challenges continue to rise, Headway’s milestone offers hope for a future where seeking care is no longer a daunting task but a straightforward, supported process.
Read more from Andrew Adams’ LinkedIn post