25 hand-drawn characters created by Portsmouth woman to help people understand their emotions
A Portsmouth woman has created an emotional wellness brand from her home in Paulsgrove, hand-drawing 25 characters each based on a different emotion to help people understand how they feel.
Charlotte Stephens, founder of Moodz, designed and illustrated every character herself before building a free mood tracking app with her fiancé, Frankie. Users pick the character that matches their mood, add a factor like sleep, work, or social life, and over time the app reveals patterns in their emotional wellbeing.
Since launching earlier this year, the app has been independently assessed and approved for the Mind UK app library and is listed on NHS digital health websites across the country. It was designed to feel approachable rather than clinical, making it accessible for people of all ages, particularly young people who may not engage with traditional mental health tools.
Charlotte said: "I wanted to create something that makes checking in with your emotions feel normal and even enjoyable. A lot of people struggle to express how they feel and I thought if they could connect with a character instead of just ticking a box, it would make a real difference. All the data stays on the user's device too, we don't see any of it."
The brand has caught the attention of several local organisations. NHS CAMHS in Portsmouth have expressed interest in recommending the app to young patients, and Charlotte recently appeared on Portsmouth's Express FM to talk about Moodz and emotional wellness. She also sits on the Paulsgrove Pride in Place Neighbourhood Board.
Charlotte added: "Everything started when a mental health leaflet came through my door in Paulsgrove. I reached out to the Mental Health Hub, they connected me with HIVE, and from there the doors just kept opening. The support from the community has been incredible."
The Moodz app is free to download on the App Store and Google Play. More information is available at www.moodz.xyz.