Dr. Schlee's top picks!
FREE apps that can help.
Smartphones have become so central in our daily lives. There are apps for just about any need you may have. Self help apps for mental health issues are increasingly available. Below are some examples of apps I suggest to clients to apply the skills covered in session in their daily lives. It's like having a portable coach helping you face challenging situations and take charge of your life.
Struggling with anxiety? There are things you can do to stop anxiety and fear from controlling your life. MindShift is an app designed to help you change how you think about anxiety. Rather than trying to avoid anxiety, you can make an important shift and face it. While MindShift was designed for young adults, the techniques and concepts it offers can be useful at any age.
Need a little more calm in your life? Calm can help you meditate, sleep, relax, focus and much more. This app offers meditation options that can improve your mood and your life. Includes:
- The 7 Days of Calm - learn the basics of mindfulness meditation in the free introductory program
- many guided meditation sessions of various lengths - for whenever you need a break from your day
- beautiful, immersive nature scenes - choose the perfect background sounds and scene to help you relax
- lots of premium guided meditations for focus, creativity, energy, confidence, sleep and much more
Happify uses science and technology to help you build happiness as a skill. The app turns research into simple, interactive activities you can use in daily life. In a stressful world, it offers personalized, evidence-based tools to improve your mood and take more control of your emotional well-being.
The PTSD Coach app can help you learn about and manage symptoms that often occur after trauma. The facts and self-help skills are all based on research. Together with professional medical treatment, PTSD Coach provides you with resources you can trust. If you don't have PTSD, there are techniques offered in the "Manage Symptoms" choices that you may still find helpful for insomnia, anger, hopelessness & sadness.
Mental health experts maintain that diaphragmatic breathing is a cornerstone of stress relief. Breathe2Relax is a portable stress management tool. It guides you through the process with clear videos that help you practice and master the technique. Put in your AirPods and inhale/exhale your way through a dental appointment or turbulent flight. (The app can be used in airplane mode.) Breathing exercises have been documented to decrease the body's 'fight-or-flight' (stress) response, and help with mood stabilization, anger control, and anxiety management.
Coloring is a simple, effective way to reduce anxiety. It promotes calm and relaxation while engaging areas of the brain involved in motor skills, the senses, and creativity. By focusing on the activity, your attention shifts away from worries. It can also stimulate imagination and evoke the ease of childhood—helping create a natural sense of well-being.
Want more free self-help app suggestions? Here are some other sources & reviews:
Huffington Post (2013) - 10 Apps To Relax Your Body And Mind
AppPicker (2015) - The best self help apps for iPad
Behavioral Health Innovation (2015) - A listing of therapy or self-help related Apps found in the Apple and Android App stores