Using technology to make self-help engaging, fun and effective

Whilst we almost all have aspirations, such as improved fitness, weight-loss or reduced anxiety, our resolve to sustain action tends to dissipate over time. This may be because symptoms reduce (life issues often settle themselves), because improvement is so slow as to be unnoticeable, or because establishing new habits or ways of thinking is hard.

Gamification and measuring our progress with accessories like Fitbit or smart watches can help, but their use is typically not sustained by all but the most committed users. Typically, only the most severely stressed, anxious or depressed will get to see a therapist and receive the support they need in a timely fashion. Even if they do, it is likely that support will be available only on a weekly basis, and perhaps only in a group setting, for a limited period of time. These factors can undermine the personalised attention and ease of access needed for this support to effectively establish long-term behavioural change.

At Calmer Mind, we believe many people abandon these therapies because they feel them to be ‘dull but worthy’ and so disregard them before they have the chance to become effective. New behaviours or ways of thinking need to be practiced for 3-6 months to become embedded as healthy habits, but most people give up long before then. Helping people feel heard and empowered to make change is a crucial part of this process.

 Our solution is to make the activities more engaging by using coaching chatbots and engaging games, which respond to people’s struggles to put their aspirations into action, helping them achieve clarity of understanding and purpose and encouragement in their quest for improved wellbeing. We structure this by combining the use of positive psychology and humanistic psychology. In short, we aim to make self-help engaging by using the power of A.I. to provide coaching and therapeutic support and truly psychologically rewarding games, to aid people in achieving their goals and establishing new, happier and healthier mental habits.