Want to find the right apps to support your brain health? Visit One Mind PsyberGuide to find unbiased, expert reviews of apps and digital health resources from experts.
Apps for Stress Management
Curated in partnership with The American Institute of Stress
Happify
Happify aims to improve overall well-being and happiness by encouraging users to spend a few minutes every day completing activities based on positive psychology, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and mindfulness.
Sanvello
Sanvello uses cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help with anxiety, depression, or stress. You can track your progress over time, get personalized activities and exercises, and set yourself challenges in areas you’d like to work on (e.g. social skills, building confidence). On the community message board, you can also chat with other users.
SuperBetter
A video-game style app in which users create a secret identity and progress through the game by completing quests. Quests consist of self-care activities, for example, drinking water or reaching out to an old friend.
Headspace
Headspace is an app that aims to bring the principles of mindfulness meditation to users’ lives, and hopes to improve concentration and mood, reduce anxiety, and increase productivity. Users can complete a 10-session free trial before deciding to purchase a subscription that provides access to a wide variety of sessions and programs. The Headspace library includes single meditations, session packs, meditations for children, and animated meditations.
ReachOut Breathe
The goal of ReachOut Breathe is to help users slow down and control their breathing, which can help with recovery from symptoms of stress. The app includes a feature to detect the user’s heart rate in real time through the device camera.
Woebot
Woebot is an AI-powered chatbot that guides users through managing distressing thoughts and feelings with principles of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). The app invites users to communicate with Woebot througha text-messaging interface.
Apps for Those Living with OCD
GGOC: OCD Relief
GGOC helps users reduce intrusive thoughts by increasing awareness of them, and encouraging users to challenge them. The app operates like a game with different levels that challenges users to practice skills to increase positive self talk, self esteem, coping skills, and more.
nOCD
nOCD provides users with mindfulness strategies and exposure exercises to manage OCD symptoms. The app contains immediate guidance to use during an OCD episode, weekly tests to assess severity of OCD, as well as information, symptom tracking options, and resources for additional support.
Apps for Veterans and Active-Duty Service Members
PTSD Coach
PTSD Coach is an app developed for service members (active or retired) who may be experiencing symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Created jointly by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense, PTSD Coach offers multiple features for addressing reactions to trauma. It provides educational information about PTSD, a checklist to help with diagnosis, skills for managing symptoms, and resources for obtaining support.
Virtual Hope Box
Virtual Hope Box is a multi-media coping skill app designed for individuals struggling with depression, particularly military service members. The four main features of Virtual Hope Box include sections for distraction, inspiration, relaxation, and coping skill options.
Positive Activity Jackpot
Positive Activity Jackpot is most suitable for adults struggling with depression to teach them skills and help them engage in pleasant activities. The app determines personal preference of activities through analysis of the user’s subjective ratings, allowing for future suggestions to be more applicable for everyone.
Tactical Breather
Tactical Breather teaches users mindfulness and breathing exercises for stress management. It is ideal for those living with symptoms of depression or mood disorders (especially military personnel). Tactical Breather uses mostly verbal instruction with guided teachings on the importance of breathing for physiological stability and how best to engage in simple exercises to prevent shallow inhalations or exhalations.
Dream EZ
Dream EZ is an app designed to help users cope with nightmares, a common symptom of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The app uses principles from Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT), which is a cognitive-behavioral based therapy for nightmare reduction, and aims to change nightmares into less disturbing dreams and reduce the frequency and intensity of nightmares. Although the app can be used alone, it is intended for use in conjunction with a therapist.
Apps for Survivors of Trauma
PTSD Coach
PTSD Coach is an app developed for service members (active or retired) who may be experiencing symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Created jointly by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense, PTSD Coach offers multiple features for addressing reactions to trauma. It provides educational information about PTSD, a checklist to help with diagnosis, skills for managing symptoms, and resources for obtaining support.
Calm
Calm is an app for mindful meditation. The free trial version offers one meditation session per day, from 2 to 30 minutes in length, and focused music tracks set to scenic photos. Purchase of a subscription provides users with unlimited access to focused meditation programs, sleep stories, and customization options. Additional features include daily reminders to meditate and tracking of user meditation statistics.
Dream EZ
Dream EZ is an app designed to help users cope with nightmares, a common symptom of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The app uses principles from Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT), which is a cognitive-behavioral based therapy for nightmare reduction, and aims to change nightmares into less disturbing dreams and reduce the frequency and intensity of nightmares. Although the app can be used alone, it is intended for use in conjunction with a therapist.
Apps for Student Life and Youth
ReachOut Breathe
The goal of ReachOut Breathe is to help users slow down and control their breathing, which can help with recovery from symptoms of stress. The app includes a feature to detect the user’s heart rate in real time through the device camera.
Mend
Mend is ideal for those experiencing anxiety and depression due to a break up with a significant other. The app utilizes mindfulness approaches as well as symptom tracking of mood and depression related behaviors in the form of a digital journal. Short guided audio exercises are provided daily for the user, incorporating behavioral strategies to implement to boost mood, alleviate anxiety/depression, and maintain wellness through periods of grief.
Insight Timer
Insight Timer is a meditation app with over 6,000 available meditations which can be filtered based on various criteria, e.g. meditation type and topic, popularity, age, etc. While the app can be used without creating an account, users can create an account to connect with friends, track progress and bookmark meditations.
Headspace
Headspace is an app that aims to bring the principles of mindfulness meditation to users’ lives, and hopes to improve concentration and mood, reduce anxiety, and increase productivity. Users can complete a 10-session free trial before deciding to purchase a subscription that provides access to a wide variety of sessions and programs. The Headspace library includes single meditations, session packs, meditations for children, and animated meditations.
MoodMission
MoodMission is targeted at people experiencing symptoms of stress, anxiety, or depression. The app provides different activities, or “missions”, based on how the user is feeling. Users select how they feel at a particular time, and 5 missions are provided, with objectives and an explanation of why this activity may help. Missions can be behavior-based (e.g. learn how to knit, crochet, or sew), physical-based (e.g. push ups), thought-based (e.g. decatastrophize), or emotion-based (e.g. breath and emotions meditation).
SuperBetter
A video-game style app in which users create a secret identity and progress through the game by completing quests. Quests consist of self-care activities, for example, drinking water or reaching out to an old friend.
iSleep Easy
iSleep Easy contains a range of guided meditations to help users fall asleep and sleep better. There are four opening meditations and four main meditations. Users can customize the background sound, voice volume and sound volume of each audio track. There are also two ‘special’ meditations; one designed to be used if one wakes up in the middle of the night, and the other which allows the user to combine a custom mix of nature sounds and music.
Virtual Hope Box
Virtual Hope Box is a multi-media coping skill app designed for individuals struggling with depression, particularly military service members. The four main features of Virtual Hope Box include sections for distraction, inspiration, relaxation, and coping skill options.
Catch It
Catch It is a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) based app aimed to help users deal with feelings of anxiety, depression, anger and confusion. Users record their mood and what ‘automatic thoughts’ they had at the time, and are encouraged to re-frame the situation and describe what a more thoughtful or helpful way to approach the situation.
Apps for Youth Experiencing Psychosis
Curated in partnership with Strong 365
MyLife Meditation
This app gives you short meditation exercises based on how you’re feeling when you “check in”. You can track your mood over time, which can help you see patterns and identify things that might help. Meditations are also available in Spanish. Upgrading to a paid version gives access to special exercises for youth of color, stress at college, pregnancy, and more.
Cove
This app gives you an easy way to build your own music to match how you’re feeling. Tap to add chords, melody, or percussion, and swipe to change instruments. The app is founded on the idea of expressive therapy: improving your emotional and mental health through self-expression.
Sanvello
Sanvello uses cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help with anxiety, depression, or stress. You can track your progress over time, get personalized activities and exercises, and set yourself challenges in areas you’d like to work on (e.g. social skills, building confidence). On the community message board, you can also chat with other users.
Apps for Spanish Speakers (Disponibles en Español)
Lumosity
Al registrarte con una cuenta de redes sociales o una dirección de correo electrónico, los usuarios están invitados a completar una evaluación de “Cerebros en forma” que evalúa la velocidad de respuesta, la atención y la memoria del usuario. Recibirás un juego de entrenamiento gratis por día.
Sanvello
Utiliza aspectos de la TCC para ayudar con la ansiedad, depresión y el estrés. Observa tu progreso a lo largo del tiempo, obtén actividades y ejercicios personalizados, y ponte metas (por ejemplo, aumentar la confianza y habilidades sociales). Usa el foro comunitario para chatear con otros usuarios.
Stop, Breathe & Think
Ofrece ejercicios de meditación cortos basados en cómo te sientes al hacer un “check-in”. Puedes hacer un seguimiento de tu estado de ánimo a lo largo del tiempo, lo cual puede ayudarte a identificar cosas que podrían ayudarte. La versión pagada da acceso a ejercicios especiales para jóvenes de color, estrés academico, embarazo y más.
Apps for the LGBTQ+ Community
they2ze
They2ze offers a curated set of local and nationwide resources for different needs, including financial, employment, and healthcare resources. It also contains a speed-dial list of Emergency Resources such as the Crisis Text Line and the Trevor Project. By signing up for an optional account, users are able to save favorites and create quickly accessible lists.
Pride Counseling
Pride Counseling is an online counseling platform intended for users who identify as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. With over a thousand counselors available, users can interact with a matched counselor weekly, through messaging, scheduled phone calls, video or live chat. Pride Counseling also offers need-based financial aid through a separate financial form.
Solace LGBT
Solace is an app aimed to support transgender individuals. Users can create a “road map” for their journey through transition and information and resources to support their journey. For example, users can learn how to accomplish goals like updating their legal ID, learn about their legal rights, and get advice for coming out to friends and family.
Apps for the Black Community
Liberate Meditation
Subscription-based* meditation app with content for BIPOC people created by 40+ BIPOC teachers of diverse backgrounds, perspectives, & experiences. Topics include: internalized racism, micro-aggressions, gratitude, ancestors, and a righteous response to BLM. * financial assistance available
The Safe Place
Provides awareness and education of mental health issues that affect the Black & African American community. Features include: Black mental health stats, self-care tips, coping with police brutality, how to talk with family members about mental health, and an open forum.
Shine
Shine is a meditation app with specialized content for communities of color and for communities who have traditionally been under- or inappropriately served. Theh app contains care plans, or “shine talks”, which contain audio tracks, inspirational images, and relevant resources and articles.
Apps for Kids
Curated in partnership with the Connected Learning Lab
Breathe, Think, Do with Sesame
Help your Sesame Street monster friend calm down and overcome everyday challenges by learning the Breathe, Think, Do strategy for problem solving.
Booster Buddy
Follow your Buddy through a series of daily quests to start and keep positive habits, learn new coping skills, and check in with emotions.
Positive Penguins
Four cute penguins bring you on an interactive journey to help you understand feelings and thoughts and build mindfulness and relaxation skills.