Description
This is a free preview (*just one chapter*) of Betwixt — a choose-your-own-adventure app that helps you find clarity, courage and self-insight.
HOW?
We’ve taken some of the most effective tools for self-reflection and built them into an immersive experience inspired by Myst and Lord of the Rings.
WHAT?
Betwixt is an epic, magical journey of self-discovery. You begin as a “seeker” in a dreamlike world that responds to your emotions and makes real what you think. Your mission is to escape, but to do that, you must connect with yourself.
WHY?
Mental wellness shouldn’t be a chore. So we made it epic.
Betwixt is a fantastical escape where reality and imagination collide.
Turn the voice in your head into a powerful ally.
Co-create the dream world.
Be the hero and the author of your own brave new story.
A FANTASY ESCAPE WITH REAL-LIFE IMPACT
Betwixt uses powerful wellness tools and processes from positive psychology, cognitive theory, affective science, expressive writing, and a range of therapy styles.
The project involved external consultation with Dr Sachin Shah and Dr Stephen Kaar, as well as the Games for Emotional and Mental Health Lab in the Netherlands, along with researchers and experts from universities in the U.K. and U.S.
“Betwixt manages to harness the insights of the best mental-health scholarship and practice to create a fantastical space of interactive storytelling, a space which scholars have shown enhances users’ reflective capacities and their sense of agency – a necessity for mental-health wellbeing in the twenty-first century.”
Dr Emily Spiers
Senior Lecturer in Creative Futures at Lancaster University
"I've been impressed with Betwixt. It's captivating, lovely to use, and represents a new direction in mental health care. I'm excited to see it evolve, and can't wait to get my hands on the next version."
Ben Marshall
Strategy Advisor, National Health Service England
"Betwixt is exploring exciting new possibilities in the combination of interactive narrative, and mobile therapeutic content."
Dr Charlie Hargood
Principal Academic in Games Technology, Bournemouth University
FROM OUR USERS
"I cried through the first two (acts), because I felt like I was connecting so much to this, like I was being heard and understood even with such minimal input."
"I do honestly adore this game, its approach is nothing like I've ever seen."
"Addictive in a good way. It's been only a day really, but I feel more in control. I feel I have more discipline and it's easier to motivate myself."
THE TEAM
Elitsa Dermendzhiyska - entrepreneur and science writer
Hazel Gale - bestselling author and cognitive hypnotherapist with over 10 years of experience
Natalia Theodoridou - World Fantasy Award-winning author and Nebula-nominated game designer
Marina Matijaca - ex-Google product and UX designer
Katalina Dimirova - Software engineer
Nikolay Babev - Software engineer
DISCLAIMER
Betwixt may cause you to confront some emotionally sensitive areas of your life, but it is not a replacement for medical or therapeutic treatment, and it is not a crisis service. If you feel in need of urgent help from a trained professional while playing, you can click “SOS” at the top of the page to find external links and numbers for services in your area.