Stix Mindfulness, a start-up founded by father and son duo John and Liam, has launched an innovative solution to support children’s mental health and well-being through interactive technology.
Their product, The Stix Remotes, aims to provide a fun and engaging way for children to practice mindfulness techniques to help reduce stress and anxiety, teaching them coping mechanisms to stay with them for life.
The inspiration for Stix came from Liam’s experience growing up with his brother, who has ADHD. Liam was determined to explore alternatives to medication for children with ADHD to help support families while they wait on the 6+ month-long CAMHS waiting list.
He explored how he could make mindfulness easier for children who struggle to concentrate. At university, Liam developed the first concept for Stix and was passionate about developing it further into a business.
Liam teamed up with his father, John, who has worked on Stix for three years. They’ve had ups and downs in their journey – from winning awards to dealing with painstaking tech problems – but along with the amazing team behind them, they launched their product, The Stix Remotes, last month.
“We believe that mindfulness is an essential tool for children’s mental health and well-being, and we aim to make it accessible and engaging for children everywhere,” says Liam, co-founder of Stix Mindfulness. “We are thrilled to have launched our product and are excited to see its impact on children’s lives.”
The Stix Remotes offer interactive mindfulness activities to help children develop life skills, including concentration, focus, and emotional regulation. The Stix team collaborated with psychologists at Brunel University to develop a series of mindfulness activities following well-researched mindfulness principles.
They have already received positive feedback from parents and educators who have used the product with children and have data from an early pilot study with Brunel that suggests Stix helps boost mood and reduce anxiety, which they plan to take forward into a clinical trial.
“The breathing activities help Isabella calm herself if she’s feeling worried, whilst the balance activity helps her refocus and distract her from anxious thoughts,” says Ruth Carson, a parent who has used the product with her two children.
Stix Mindfulness is already making a difference in the lives of children, and they are excited to continue developing the product and expanding their reach to support children’s mental health worldwide.
