ABOUT US

The Problem

The burden of mental health problems is greater than any other single type of disease – greater than heart disease, cancer or diabetes. Over 60 million Americans suffer from mental health problems annually, and over half of us (150 million people) will experience one of these afflictions in our lifetime. Every year in the U.S., we spend almost $150 billion on emotional and psychological health. Worldwide costs are in the trillions.

Yet, this is just the tip of the iceberg – those who suffer from stress, anxiety, depression, and addiction don’t seek help most of the time because treatments are hard to access, expensive, and a huge time burden. Many more of us feel that we will be stigmatized if we express psychological distress.

Our Approach

To address this gap, the vision of Personal Zen is to drive a digital mental health revolution in which the best of science and technology are harnessed for wellbeing. Our first mobile app, also called Personal Zen, is one of a select few scientifically-validated apps for reducing stress and anxiety. With thousands of mental wellness apps on the market, <1% include evidence-based techniques. Personal Zen is based on 20 years of brain training and anxiety-reduction research. Personal Zen effectively boosts stress resilience and decreases anxiety when used only a few minutes a day, a few days a week. Read more about the research behind Personal Zen here.

Personal Zen was named # 3 Top 10 health app of 2014 by CNN Health, and has been featured in WSJ, Bloomberg TV, CBS, CNN, Lifehacker, and a host of other top news and health media outlets.

Who We Are

Dr. Tracy Dennis-Tiwary is the Founder of Personal Zen, and a Professor of Clinical and Health Psychology and Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience at Hunter College of the City University of New York. She is the Co-Director of the Hunter College Stress, Anxiety, and Resilience Research Center.

Tracy’s mission is to transform breakthrough science into engaging digital tools that elevate mental wellness and bridge the gap between mental health needs and solutions.

She is passionate about reclaiming the culture of digital technology to serve and amplify well-being and humanity. Visit her personal website to learn more about her work.

Press for Personal Zen