Today@Sam Article
Alumnus Juddy Ferguson Creates Mental Health App
Oct. 27, 2021
SHSU Media Contact: Wes Hamilton
By Nicholas Polk
Juddy Ferguson graduated from Sam Houston State University in 2008 with a criminal justice degree and a kinesiology minor. During his college experience, he was part of the Sigma Chi fraternity.
He recently launched Ready Hero One, a mental health and wellness app available on Apple and Android devices. Ferguson originally designed the app to treat his ADHD/ADD. As a certified fitness trainer, he is also committed to helping other people improve their mental and overall health.
The app is comprised of seven basic levels helping people with calming breathing, office stretching, couch-friendly fitness, office yoga, mindfulness, relaxation techniques and approaches to experience a better night's sleep.
Why did you choose to attend SHSU?
I had two good friends of mine that were a grade ahead of me, and they said, "You have to come here." It is an amazing campus, and they were involved in Student Activities. I visited one weekend to tour, and I fell in love with the campus; and it was good too because I was able to be close to my family just forty-five minutes south in The Woodlands. I was part of the inline hockey club sport and loved playing for the team at the time. We eventually made it to the national championships twice.
What was your inspiration to develop your mental wellness app, Ready Hero One?
I suffered from anxiety in college, specifically test anxiety. I do have ADHD, so it was tough for me to focus my brain and not focus on the clock. I started to think about what I could enhance if I were to go back in time, into my college self. Probably meditation to reduce my heart rate and breath work to get me in that focused space. It would have helped me understand what I needed to focus on.
I wanted to give people an app to address things I have dealt with before. These things helped me, and I want to help others. Many people often ask me, "How are you so happy in these crazy times?" I explain how the things inside my app offer the holistic ways to heal yourself.
What is an important message you share with clients?
It is not one size fits all. I tailor it to what clients need in their experience. Someone may be going through a divorce or a breakup, or very high-stress job. They may have different ways of coping. For instance, sometimes it's hard for me to sit there five minutes with the meditation. Another form of meditation is to plug in, listen to some instrumental music and just take a walk around the block. It's not necessarily closing your eyes, but it's at least disconnecting you from whatever's going on. If you can follow the things that work best for you, you'll have better success and find out what works best on a stressful day, what works best on a low energy day.
What is your favorite SHSU memory?
By far, it was the moment that I pinned my brother into the fraternity. My father, who was also in the fraternity, was present for the ceremony. I started crying, because I feel honored that he decided to follow in my footsteps and to go Sam Houston State like me. I want to set that example for him to be someone to look up to. When that moment happened, it bonded me, my father, and my brother so much. I have Sam Houston State to thank for that moment.
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