A smart grounding object which serves as a physical reminder of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and helps those with depression put it into practice.
Made of mahogany, leather.
June 2015
-
One of the most effective treatments for depression is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): a talking therapy based on the idea that emotions, situations, thoughts, and behavior are interconnected, and that taking them apart can help stop negative thought cycles.
From speaking with a wide range of patients, psychologists, CBT experts, and therapists, I quickly learned that CBT is often considered too theoretical -
people going through the therapy often struggle to implement it into their daily lives and automatic thought processes. With the continued input of patients and experts, and through a variety of iterations developed through user testing, GROUND was born.
GROUND is an evolved grounding object which helps users implement CBT in real life by forcing them to acknowledge and address negative thoughts. The object has three haptic inputs which allow it to interact with the user: twirling, squeezing, and clicking. The user determines a negative thought that each interaction is representative of - i.e. a negative thought about oneself, a situation, the future. Each interaction is logged, and if carried on for a longer period of time, the object vibrates back in acknowledgment, offering the comfort and reassurance that someone or something is 'listening'.
GROUND gives the user control: a tool for them to help themselves. It also facilitates patient-therapist interaction by facilitating progress
tracking and offering tangible examples to be brought up during therapy.
-