Media release: Gheorg app launches to deliver therapy to rising number of kids with anxiety
Rates of children with anxiety have increased exponentially in the past few decades.
Female founder launches Gheorg (pronounced “George”) - the first app in Australia that supports kids with anxiety.
Gheorg is the first mobile-app designed for children, to deliver common therapy techniques with self-calming practices to empower kids to improve their long-term mental wellbeing.
Gheorg is available for up to 10 free daily check-ins before being charged $14.99 per month or $135 per year - less than one coffee per week and cheaper than one psychologist appointment.
A psychologist has turned tech entrepreneur to support an increasing number of kids with anxiety.
Dr Louise Metcalf is the CEO and founder of Gheorg (pronounced “George”) – the first mobile app in Australia to deliver common therapy techniques and self-calming practices to empower kids to improve their long-term mental wellbeing.
She has devoted her near 30-year career to supporting both adults and children across Sydney to improve their mental health
“Anxiety is the most pressing issue in Australia for kids. Two-thirds of kids with childhood anxiety are undiagnosed and untreated,” says Dr Metcalf.
The rapidly increasing rates of anxiety Dr Metcalf was seeing in children prompted the idea for a fun and friendly robot character that would allow kids to learn about mental wellbeing, resilience as well as self-regulation and calming techniques in as little as five minutes a day. The idea gained momentum when Dr Metcalf was selected into the award-winning startup accelerator, SheStarts. Gheorg has since received $50,000 in funding from the Future Minds Accelerator and $25,000 from the NSW Government Minimum Viable Product (MVP) Grant.
Minister for Jobs and Investment Stuart Ayres said the NSW Government’s MVP program is designed to support promising startups like Gheorg.
“Childhood anxiety is a real issue and this app is designed to help children deal with that,” Mr Ayres said. “Innovations such as the Gheorg app can make a real difference and we’re happy that the MVP grant has allowed the app to now launch.”
Before 2020, anxiety rates in children in Australia were said to have been at 20%. With the many challenges that 2020 has posed including the devastating bushfires and COVID-19 pandemic, almost 50% of students in Australia have reported higher levels of severe stress and anxiety.
Dr Metcalf points out: “Kids with anxiety have a 50% chance of not passing all their subjects at school, and that’s compared to 18% for kids with no mental health challenges.”
And that’s just in the short term. Anxiety in children can have a drastic impact on their mental health later in life through negative learning and social development.
During COVID-19 and state-based lockdowns in 2020, maintaining good mental health has been an issue for parents, teachers and kids alike. A third more children have presented in emergency rooms in Victoria due to self-harm, in comparison with 2019.
Co-designed with families and schools in Sydney, Gheorg is designed to support long-term positive changes in children’s mental health. Gheorg is the first mental health app that integrates both common therapy practices, beyond calming and meditation techniques.
In as little as five minutes a day, children can complete daily check-ins, perform mindfulness-based exercises and learn about challenging emotions - without becoming addicted to the tech.
Gheorg is available for up to 10 free daily check-ins before being charged $14.99 per month or $134.99 per year - less than one coffee per week and cheaper than one psychologist appointment.
Gheorg can be downloaded from the Apple App Store and Google Play store.
Gheorg
Gheorg is a friendly robot that empowers children to develop resilience and manage stress. Co-designed with families and schools, the Gheorg app allows kids to perform daily check-ins, self-calming exercises and gratitude practices all with the goal of improving long-term mental wellbeing. Gheorg uses the most up-to-date psychological science therapies and is designed for kids aged 7-12 years.
Dr Louise Metcalf, CEO & Founder of Gheorg
B.A. (Psych) (Hons), M.APP.PSYCH (Org), M.B.A., M.Bus.Anal. PhD, MAAPi
Dr Louise Metcalf is a Psychologist with almost 30 years of experience helping people create better lives and healthier brains. Louise has worked in multiple sectors as a psychologist and has a keen interest in positive psychological change. Louise values the way one individual person can make a difference, and has a strong interest in brain health and resilience. After years of supporting children with anxiety and mental wellbeing, Louise had the idea for a robot that can help kids with their anxiety. Now launched in app form, Gheorg the friendly robot empowers children with emotional intelligence and mental wellbeing through check-ins and meditation exercises.