Mindful Circles Project Report

The COVID-19 pandemic raised the global prevalence of depressive and anxiety
symptoms in children and teenagers. Therefore, there is an urgent need to provide
teenagers with coping tools and support to improve their mental health. Research over
the past two decades suggests that mindfulness is effective in addressing depression
and anxiety. We believe that digital technology might allow us to create a learning
experience that promotes daily mindfulness practices and a sense of belonging in
teenagers and young adults.
Mindful Circles is a mobile app for teenagers to practice mindfulness with the support of
peers and experienced mentors remotely. Our project empowers teenagers to become
mindfulness practitioners and helps them incorporate mindfulness techniques not just to
cope with stress, loneliness, and depression into their daily lives but to create a
consistent routine as a proactive measure to increase body and emotional awareness.
Diary studies have demonstrated that Mindful Circles successfully supports our
learners’ ability to feel safe, apply new mindfulness techniques, and build confidence in
the practice, all in the context of a community.