Lucero Speaks

A wellness app for tweens, adolescents, and their families.

The fact of the matter is — today’s youth are in crisis.

Research indicates that approximately half of all mental health conditions arise before the age of 14.1 However, only about 10% of the millions of adolescents who experience a mental health issue receive therapy.2 The concern is greater now, as adolescents are struggling to recover from the collective trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic.

ENSEMBLE THERAPY AIMS TO PROVIDE INCLUSIVE AND ACCESSIBLE THERAPEUTIC SUPPORT, AND WE WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR ALL KIDS. THAT’S WHY WE FULLY SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE FAMILIES TO EXPLORE THE LUCERO APP. 

Lucero takes evidence-based activities that are being successfully used by mental health therapists every week and places them in the pockets of youth and families. The goal of the Lucero app is to increase confidence, build emotional regulation skills, and provide support for children who are waiting to receive mental health services.

All Lucero content has been co-developed with and reviewed by certified clinical therapists – and many are from Ensemble Therapy! Dakota Becker, Ben Kinsey, Shawna West, Suzanne O’Brien all contributed to the app. Meagan Butler serves as Lucero’s Chief Care Model Officer, so she created content for the app and designed research models to study its effectiveness.

How does Lucero work?

Lucero is game-based and engaging. Lucero invites users to set goals for themselves, implement healthy habits in the pursuit of those goals, and reflect on their progress. The app encourages self-discovery and self-care. We collaborated with story writers from Disney and Mattel to make sure the content was fun! You can choose an avatar, spin the “Spark” self-care wheel, go on a “Journey” to learn new coping skills, and connect with your family members and friends in a safe environment!

Want to try it for your family?

FOOTNOTES:

  1. Sharma, M., Idele, P., Manzini, A., Aladro, CP., Ipince, A., Olsson, G., Banati, P., Anthony, D. Life in Lockdown: Child and adolescent mental health and well-being in the time of COVID-19, UNICEF Office of Research — Innocenti, Florence, 2021.

  2. Zablotsky, B., Terlizzi EP., Mental Health Treatment Among Children Aged 5–17 Years: United States, 2019, NCHS Data Brief, no 381. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2020.