The research and the person behind Pausa.

Who built this

From personal loops to product

Pausa was co-founded by Victoria Colombato, who spent years working through her own anxiety, overthinking, and self-sabotage before turning what she learned into two books on nervous-system regulation and the subconscious patterns that keep people stuck long after the moment of panic has passed, Calming the Chaos and Mastering Your Mind.

The thesis behind the journal

That work is the closer thesis to what Pausa does: understanding isn't the same as change, and change doesn't come from willpower alone, it comes from seeing the pattern clearly enough to stop running it on autopilot.

The research behind the approach

Goal contrast and reflective support

Pausa's approach also draws on established research and thinking beyond Vicky's own work: WOOP goal-contrast studies from the NYU Motivation Lab, and the Dartmouth Therabot AI-chatbot trial (NEJM AI, March 2025).

Identity, environment, and the nervous system

Ideas from books like Atomic Habits (James Clear) on how identity and environment shape behavior, and The Body Keeps the Score (Bessel van der Kolk) on how the nervous system holds onto old patterns. Full research write-up: the research behind Pausa.

A note on care

When an app is not enough

This doesn't replace the support of a professional therapist. If you're going through a difficult time, please reach out to a professional, a family member, or a friend.