the story behind mesmer starts somewhere unexpected.
Not wellness. Not therapy. Counter-terrorism.
It started with how teenagers get targeted online.
Alicia Cowan spent years studying how teenagers are manipulated online, watching how bad actors target their stress, uncertainty and identity. Then she watched it happen in her own home.
As a mother, she saw her own teens navigate what every parent recognises: the anxiety loops, the stress around school, friendships, and the constant pressure to fit in. The self-esteem spirals, endless comparisons, and the body dysmorphia nobody talks about. All of it amplified by the phone in their hand.
But nothing she found worked in the moment it actually hits. 3am spiralling. Left out of the group chat again. The bus home after the worst day.
So she built Mesmer. The same CBT techniques therapists use, in a teenager's pocket.
Five-minute exercises that work in the moment, learning what helps your teen every time they use it.
Built on real expertise.
Not vibes-based wellness. Mesmer is built where behavioural science, therapy and clinical oversight meet.
Counter-terrorism background
Years of research into what teenagers are up against online, turned into practical tools that protect them.
The therapeutic backbone
CBT and NLP techniques, built around the anxiety, the spirals, and the pressure your teen is actually dealing with.
Clinical guidance
Guided by psychotherapist Justine De Leon, LCSW, with 20+ years of experience working with adolescents.
You've read the why.
Here's the how.
Join the waitlist for Mesmer to be on your teen's phone the day it launches.