From clinical experience to therapeutic evidence.
Our development is guided by clinical experience, scientific inquiry and systematic research. Our research arc is geared towards establishing and explicating the evidence, safety and clinical application for Kindful to become a credible adjunct to human therapeutic care.
Establish the core first.
Our first research question is not whether Kindful treats a particular disorder. It is whether Kindful reliably supports the capacities beneath wellbeing: self-regulation, mindful awareness, self-compassion, and the ability to step back from difficult thoughts and respond wisely.
Only once that core is established will we adapt Kindful for specific clinical settings, using the same measures so that results can be compared across studies.
Where we are.
Pilot 1
February to March 2026A small group of participants from a six-week mindfulness programme used an early, text-only version of Kindful for two weeks, followed by a focus group. The analysis was qualitative.
Early-access pilots
2026Small, uncontrolled pilots with partner organisations, looking at uptake, engagement, usability and perceived value. These pilots support product development and make no claims about clinical effect.
Phase 1 clinical trial
South AfricaRandomised, waitlist-controlled, fully remote
About 200 to 300 adults in primary care
Four weeks of use
Feasibility, acceptability and safe implementation
Engagement, usability, mindfulness processes and early changes in wellbeing
A South African site principal investigator
Controlled trial
The refined core platform compared against an appropriate comparator.
Clinical settings
Studies of Kindful adapted for defined populations, beginning with areas such as rehabilitation medicine, alongside existing clinical care.
What we saw, and what we learned.
Early, qualitative observations from a small group already engaged with mindfulness. They do not show clinical effect.
What participants described
- Contact with the body as an accessible way in
- Feeling more grounded, with less churning and softer breathing
- Pausing that sometimes restored a sense of choice and compassion
- Short practices they could carry into the rest of the day
Built on peer-reviewed work.
Kindful draws on decades of clinical mindfulness teaching and research in South Africa and internationally.
[Authors] · 2025
A rationale and framework for sharing mindfulness in trauma-dense communities in South Africa. South African Family Practice.
Whitesman & Mash · 2025
[Title]. [Journal].
[Authors] · [Year]
[Selected further publications]