Building Confidence Through Self-Discovery
Where does self-confidence come from? According to researchers, confidence is built from both external elements, like a positive family environment, and internal elements, like a strong sense of self. To develop a strong sense of self, tweens and teens need opportunities for self-discovery: learning about their unique character, beliefs, abilities, and feelings. By exploring themselves, […]
Why is Nurturing Self-Discovery so Important Right Now?
If you’ve been following us for a while, you probably already know that everything Lucero creates – from new features in the app to our social posts – is a collaboration between licensed clinical therapists and a team of youth advisors. Hands down, we believe that the best way to address the current youth mental […]
Using Spark as a Family
Here’s a little-known fun fact about Lucero: Long before we built an app, we created Quest Cards: a conversation card deck with questions that youth and families could use to spark conversations around the dinner table. With prompts like, “If your personality were a color, what would it be?” and “Tell a story about one […]
How Can I Nurture My Youth’s Self-Discovery Journey?
Self-discovery is the mission of every adolescent’s journey from childhood to adulthood. A strong identity helps tweens and teens develop self-awareness, self-regulation skills and confidence, and it guides them to make healthier choices and to grow into resilient adults. How can parents and caregivers make sure young people get the most out of their self-discovery […]
What’s the Science Behind Self-Discovery?
Imagine the average adolescent. What qualities come to mind? You might think about big emotions, sensitivity, defiance, impulsivity, and maybe, just maybe, a hint of self-absorption. While there’s no such thing as a “typical” teen, research tells us that these traits show up for a good reason: they’re part of the process of individuation, or […]
How an Emotion Wheel Pillow Inspired the Creation of Spark
“With tweens and teens, it’s pretty common to hear ‘I don’t know how to describe what I’m feeling,’” says Meagan Butler, LPC. “And often, multiple emotions are happening at the same time.” As a therapist, Butler found assistance in the form of a fluffy pillow featuring the Emotion Wheel, an emotional regulation tool that helps […]
We are excited to share the following press release!
LUCERO APP ADDRESSES YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS Majority of Lucero Phone App Users Report Mood Improvement [Austin, TX, June 2023] — In the midst of an unprecedented mental health crisis which was recently highlighted by the US Surgeon General, over 50 youth, therapists, game designers and developers collaborated to make the Lucero digital app. […]
Why Did We Include Connection With Our App Model?
Connection is a core component of adolescent mental health. Without supportive relationships, tweens and teens are far more likely to experience depression and anxiety and to be at risk for self-harm. Positive relationships with family, friends and others build tweens’ and teens’ self-esteem, increase their resilience, lower their risk of anxiety and depression, and even […]
Meet the Team: Madison, Youth Advisor
Meet Youth Advisor Madison, aka Maddie. You can find Maddie creating content for Lucero over on Instagram. She also helps our team of licensed therapists ensure that all the activities in the Lucero app are teen-tested and approved. Maddie brings drive, creativity and a playful spirit to the team, and we’re lucky to have her! […]
Meet the Team: Martha, Youth Advisor
You can find Martha, one of Lucero’s dynamic Youth Advisors, creating content for Lucero over on Instagram. She also reviews content created by our team of licensed therapists to make sure everything in the Lucero app is teen-tested and approved. Martha is compassionate, creative and authentic. We’re so lucky to have her on our team! […]