Ozark Center releases child resiliency app - KOAM TV 7

Vicky Mieseler is proud and excited to launch the Ozark Center's new app: SuperME.

“I knew I wanted to create a game to help children cope with difficult situations, but that's as far as I knew. Then I started thinking ‘oh maybe I'll do a superhero theme and it sort of just took off from there,” Mieseler said.

In the app, children create their family and home set-up, then set out to meet neighbors which include positive role models like a police officer and a doctor.

“This helps them with belonging and a sense of community and recognizing that there are people outside of their family that can help them with difficult times,” Mieseler said.

Families are customizable to suit the child’s real-life family constellation. They may select grandparents as those who raise them, or even a same-sex couple. Children can play games within the app, or complete real-life tasks to earn points.

“If they will do the exercise the doctor is recommending, in real life, they can check that they accomplished that and earn points for all of those real life activities that happened," Mieseler said.

Mieseler acknowledges that children go through disappointments and difficult situations, but not all bad experiences require therapy.

“We’re really hoping that parents, adults, teachers will get involved with children and play this game, instead of just rushing through to finish the game. We're hoping they will maybe take an hour a week, and sit and talk about it, process the things that are going on in their lives,” Mieseler said.

Later this month, Mieseler will present the app at the National Child Traumatic Stress All-Network Conference in Washington, D.C.

“And then it all ends with creating change and becoming your true “super me”, which is the ultimate goal for every child,” Mieseler said.

The app is only available on the Apple App Store currently, but users can look forward to a future Android version as well as in other languages.