Simply Serene is a new teen mental wellness app created by 16-year-old Anna Kafarski to combine meditation, journaling, and confidence-building techniques.
West Bloomfield, MI (PRUnderground) July 24th, 2026
At an age when most students are preparing for ACT exams, college applications, and their senior year of high school, 16-year-old Anna Kafarski, a student at Notre Dame Preparatory School (NDP), has spent the past year working on something rare for her age. She has developed Simply Serene, a mental wellness platform designed to equip teens with the right tools to cope with stress, anxiety, panic attacks, depression, and lack of confidence.
Anna’s inspiration came from her own experiences navigating school, sports, friendships, and everyday teenage life. She wanted to create practical tools that she and her peers could use every day, not just when they were in a crisis. That’s when Simply Serene was born.
Simply Serene combines guided breathing exercises, meditation, journaling, and confidence-building techniques into one easy-to-use program tailored for teens. One of its most unique features is inspired by the mental preparation used in Mixed Martial Arts.
While attending an MMA event, Anna met MMA champion and judge James Lee. He explained that fighters often have only a split second to overcome fear or self-doubt before they perform. That idea resonated with Anna.
“If athletes can train their minds to perform under pressure, students can learn to build that same resilient mindset,” she thought.
The following year, Anna tested different techniques with classmates, friends, adults, her tennis team and coach. Through trial and error, she refined the program into a system that helps young people reduce stress while building confidence and emotional resilience.
Believing in her idea, Anna invested her own savings to begin market research and coaching. She later partnered with entrepreneur and marketing consultant Orest Melnyk, who agreed to mentor her and help bring her vision to life.
The original plan was to build a simple demonstration over four to six months. Surprisingly, interest began coming from not just the local area but also from outside the United States. Professionals in academia and wellness from Poland, Germany, and Mexico expressed interest, requiring the project to expand much sooner than expected.
An investor recognized the potential of the project and helped accelerate development so Simply Serene could be introduced before the new school year.
Today, Simply Serene has grown from a student’s personal project into an international startup with an initial development investment approaching $100,000.
For Anna, Simply Serene is more than an app. It is a mission to give young people practical tools to improve their mental well-being and realize they are stronger than they think.
“I hope Simply Serene reminds students that they are never alone,” Anna says. “Sometimes the smallest daily habits can make the biggest difference.”
Those interested in following Anna’s journey or supporting the project can learn more at:
Anna welcomes support from students, parents, educators, mentors, and anyone who believes in improving youth mental health one student at a time.
About Simply Serene
Simply Serene is a mental wellness platform designed to equip teenagers with practical tools to manage stress, anxiety, panic attacks, depression, and self-doubt. Founded by high school student Anna Kafarski, the platform combines guided breathing exercises, meditation, journaling, and confidence-building techniques inspired by high-performance mental training. Simply Serene empowers young people to build daily emotional resilience and navigate everyday challenges with confidence.
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