While they should not replace professional treatment, mental health apps can offer several benefits.
The following tools have been curated by experts from the Catherine T. Harvey Center for Clinical Services at CHC.
Online Mental Health Resources
High-quality digital resources can play a part in improving and maintaining mental and emotional health. Some are meant to be used independently, and others can be a valuable complement to professional care.
Mental health apps can provide:
- A convenient way to access mental health resources and support anytime and anywhere.
- Self-help tools and techniques that can empower individuals to better understand and manage their mental health.
- Community features where users can connect with others who may be experiencing similar challenges.
- Tools that allow users to monitor their progress over time, identify patterns, and gain insights.
The follow apps were hand-picked by CHC experts.
Digital Tools for Parents
Manatee
- App
- Free + paid options; no subscription necessary.
- English & Spanish
- Free psychoeducational content for parents + self-care tools for kids Wide range of topics (e.g., suicidality, anxiety, family conflicts)
- Parents can set up their own home reinforcement system with the app Paid options include parent coaching, family therapy and individual therapy (ages 4-18)
GoZen!
- $197/year
- Unlimited access to interviews with 125 world-renowned experts on grit, motivation, resilience, courage, sleep, screentime and more.
Brightline
- App
- Free; optional paid parent coaching
- Access to library of resources (articles, video, audio) for parents of kids ages 2-17 on a variety of topics (e.g., anxiety, school, mindfulness, family communication, self-esteem, tough transitions, depression, sleep, screentime, ADHD, speech + language, social-emotional skills, autism, racial & ethnic identity, gender identity, sexual identity, sex/dating)
Triple P
- $84.95 for the entire course; access modules 24/7, go at your own pace. English & Spanish
- Triple P stands for Positive Parenting Program, but it does not tell you how to be a parent. It is more like a toolbox of ideas. You choose the strategies you need. You choose the way you want to use them.
- Triple P Online is for parents of toddlers to tweens (0-12 years), and Teen Triple P Online is for parents of pre-teens and teens (10-16 years).
Digital Tools for Kids
GoZen!
- $197/year
- Kids and teens ages 6-15 learn essential social-emotional skills including stress management, anger transformation, growth mindset, and more. Includes 8 research-based programs, 240+ animations, and hundreds of interactive resources that help kids regulate their emotions and learn the skills of mindfulness, resilience, and happiness.
Breathe, Think, Do with Sesame
- App
- Free
- Designed for parents and caregivers to use with young children ages 2-5 Learn how to calm down and solve every day challenges using research- based techniques, silly animations and playful interactions.
- Help a Sesame Street monster friend take deep breaths, think of strategies and try them out.
- English and Spanish
- Parent section is full of free resources such as tips and strategies and personalization options.
Smiling Mind
- App
- Free
- Hundreds of free meditations tailored for ages 3+ to help practice mindfulness, stay present, combat stress, improve performance, sleep, attention, relationships and wellbeing.
Digital Tools for Teens and Young Adults
BeMe
- Free
- Mobile app developed with teens that supports the mental health of ages 13+.
- Feel-good, teen-centric content, mood-boosting activities and coaching to help build coping and resilience skills.
- Safe space, customized to meet individual teens’ needs and interests. Coaching, therapy and crisis services directly in the app as-needed.
Neolth
- App is free but some paid services. ($9.99/month or $99/year)
- Helps teens and young adults manage stress and pressure by increasing access to care and empowering them to develop resiliency skills. Co-developed with 300+ students.
- Optimizes treatment matching by using neuroscience to determine the most effective behavioral technique for each individual.
- After a brief personalization survey, you’re matched with guided mental health content tailored to your needs.
TellMi
- Free
- Safe, anonymous, evidence-based app where you can talk about anything from anxiety to autism, dating to depression, self-harm to self-esteem.
- Moderators check everything to keep teens safe and in-house counselors are always on hand for extra support.
Clear Fear
- Free
- Teen mental health app using evidence-based CBT treatment for anxiety. Learn to reduce the physical responses to threat through breathing, relaxation, mindfulness, changing thoughts and behaviors and releasing emotions.
CalmHarm
- Free
- Award-winning app developed to reduce self-harm in teens using evidence- based principles from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).
- Immediate activities and techniques to help break the cycle of self-harm explore underlying trigger factors; helps build a ‘safety net’ of helpful thoughts, behaviors, and supportive people; and the ability to journal and self-reflect.
Insight Timer and Insight Meditation Timer
- Free, optional fee-based workshops
- Guided meditations and mindfulness exercises or a timer to meditate independently.
Calm
- $69.99/year
- Unique, evidence-based audio content that tackles mental health challenges like stress, anxiety, insomnia and depression.
- Includes 250+ Sleep Stories plus music, meditation and nature sounds.
Download a PDF of this handout.
A screening can help you determine if you or someone you care about should contact a mental health professional. Care Coordinators can arrange a free 30-minute Care Consultation so you can explore options with an expert. Call or email us at 650.688.3625 or careteam@chconline.org to set up an initial Consultation appointment.
