You:Flourish is a Safe Space For LGBTQ Individuals

You:Flourish, the first wellness and behavioral health smartphone application for the LGBTQ community, will be launching nationwide in spring 2023. The app is designed to support LGBTQ wellbeing through a directory of vetted, identity-affirming behavioral health providers, a peer support community, and wellness content created by and for LGBTQ individuals. 

Envision:You, a nonprofit organization focused on improving LGBTQ mental health, developed and refined the concept for You:Flourish after hearing from members of the community who were struggling to access digital resources during the pandemic. These challenges only exacerbated existing behavioral health disparities faced by LGBTQ people. Over 50% of the 20 million LGBTQ Americans experience a mental health and substance use disorder, with rates of anxiety and depression three times that of straight counterparts. 

“Loneliness, depression, and suicide are pervasive among the LGBTQ community,” says Steven Haden, interim CEO and Chief Strategy Officer of You:Flourish. “Connection through community combats the consequences of isolation. We are creating an affirming place where the LGBTQ+ community can turn to for healing and wellness through a supportive network of peers and through reliable information from expert-vetted resources. From anywhere and at any moment, those who are trying to make healthier lifestyle choices or an individual who feels alone in the world can access You:Flourish.”

Modeled on a behavior change framework, You:Flourish has been designed by public health, wellness, and behavioral health professionals to provide meaningful, LGBTQ-affirming support. The platform allows users to create a community of peers with shared intersectional identities, establish wellness goals, track daily habits, and earn rewards for engagement. In addition to a library of resources and interactive content, You:Flourish will offer a nationwide directory of vetted mental health professionals who are trained to provide culturally relevant and identity-affirming behavioral health interventions.

The You:Flourish app has been under development for the past seven months by AppIt Ventures, an award-winning, woman-owned custom software development company in Denver. The app will be ready for beta testing later this fall, with a public launch slated for March of next year. If you are interested in learning more about testing opportunities, please reach out via you-flourish.com. 

You:Flourish has raised over $300,000 in seed funding, and you, too can help contribute to the app’s progress through their equity crowdfund campaign on WeFunder. For as little as $100, anyone can be an investor in You:Flourish’s goal to provide hope, help, and healing that saves and improves LGBTQ lives.