25 Mental Health Apps to Help You Through Stressful Times

Created by the National Center for Telehealth and Technology, this app will take you through deep belly breathing exercises. It also teaches you about how stress We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back.

Pair the app with your Apple HealthKit or Apple Watch to incorporate your heart rate reading and get an even better picture of how your breath affects your health.

Listen to meditations ranging from two to 60 minutes and spanning topics like better iOS and Android.

Meditate anytime, anywhere, with this simple, user-friendly app that makes a mindfulness practice Best Compression Socks walking, with a friend, taking a work break, going to sleep, waking up, or when you’re just feeling stressed. You can then choose from a mix of meditations, lasting from three to 40 minutes.

subscription is $3/month iOS The app also has multi-day programs if youre hoping to maintain a regular meditation practice Android.

Listen to meditations ranging from two to 60 minutes and spanning topics like better sleep, improved performance, mindful eating, or forgiveness.

Miss being in nature? The app also has “scenes” with pretty images of outdoor landscapes, set to the sounds you’d hear in that location. Across the app—from the sleep stories to programs—you’ll hear famous voices, including actors such as Laura Dern and Matthew McConaughey, and writer Elizabeth Gilbert.

While thinking about whatever is bothering you, you tap different points on the body to calm the iOS and Android.

Pregnant women and new parents, there’s a resource out there specifically designed to bring you peace during a stressful time. Expectful has specific meditations to get you through your pregnancy, plus postpartum, motherhood, and labor sessions, too. Even if you’re not expecting yet, the app also features meditations for those preparing for pregnancy.

Shoes & Gear iOS and Android; subscription is $3/month.

A series of questions about your life, your satisfaction with it, and whether you’re experiencing stress will bring you to suggested “tracks,” or series, meant to help you form a more positive mindset.

Another standout feature: You can opt in (or out) of the online community that’s there to cheer you on as you progress through your goal and offer words of encouragement. And you can do the same for other members.

While thinking about whatever is bothering you, you tap different points on the body to calm the iOS and Android.

Courtesy of Crisis Text Line music to put you to sleep, or a guided session to help you destress during the day, you’ll find it all on Headspace. The app also has multi-day programs if you’re hoping to maintain a regular meditation practice.

Crisis Text Line iOS and Android.

With more than 40,000 guided meditations and music tracks—and more added every day—you’ll never get bored listening to this one. Choose from different courses, focuses (stress, self-love, relationships, and more), and even 30 different languages. You can also meditate on your own, setting a timer, a starting and ending bell sound of your choice, as well as a background sound to carry you through your session.

Listen to meditations ranging from two to 60 minutes and spanning topics like better iOS and Android.

Choose from more than 2,000 meditations on Simple Habit, based on goals such as improved focus, building resiliency, or sleeping better. Or search by time if that better fits your style. In addition to adult-focused sessions, the app also has kid-friendly meditations. Listen in at home or while you’re walking around town—you can easily download the meditations to your phone, so you don’t need Wifi or data.

Download the basic package for free and the premium package for $12/month on iOS and Android.

Give A Gift mindfulness app made easy. Just choose a program (think: mindful eating, concentration, sport, or sleep) and it’ll set you up with 10-minute meditations, complete with reminders if you want to keep up your mindful moments. You can also listen to body scans, which help to bring your attention to how your body is feeling. One thing we love: the Australian-based app features accents from down under.

Listen to meditations ranging from two to 60 minutes and spanning topics like better iOS and Android.

Tapping, also known as emotional freedom technique (EFT), combines acupressure and psychology to help ease anxiety. While thinking about whatever is bothering you, you tap different points on the body to calm the nervous system and ease tension. That’s exactly what you’ll do when you download and use this app, adding a new element to your typical meditation practice.

Download the basic package for free and the premium package for $12/month on iOS and Android.

Gain some insight into what activities heighten or knock down your mood. You can keep it super simply by stating your mood and picking the activities you’ve been doing or use the app to go more in depth, jotting down your thoughts in the virtual journal. You also can see stats—such as your average monthly mood and what activities you usually record with each temperament—to help you recognize patterns in your emotions.

Download the basic package for free and the premium package for $3/month on iOS and Android.

Rate your mood on a color scale (gray equaling “couldn’t be worse” to red equaling “really great”) with iMoodJournal. Add hashtags for things that have influenced your happiness, say a workout or your friends—or those that have added to your sadness, such as job stress or a fight with your S.O. You can attach a selfie to see how your mood affects your appearance, too. The app will also give you mood summaries and it’ll keep a history of everything.

Courtesy of My Well Being iOS.

Consider this a little diary for all your thoughts and emotions, in which you check off a list of the feelings that fit the day’s mood. The app also features prompts to help you identify your common thought “traps,” like overgeneralizing, pretending you know what others are thinking, or blaming yourself too much. It then encourages you to identify what thought made your mind turn negative, and how you can reframe that thought.

Download the basic package for free on iOS.

Always wanted to start journaling on the regular? This app makes it easier than ever. Write as much as you want, about whatever you want, and whenever you want, and it’ll sync with all your Apple devices so you can jot down notes wherever is most convenient. The app will also offer insights into the emotions you choose and the common themes of your writing.

Download the basic package for free and the premium package for $12/month on iOS.

This online counseling platform basically puts a therapist at your fingertips. You’ll get matched to a licensed mental health professional based on your preferences, as well as the issues you’re facing. And depending on the type of you choose, you can chat with your therapist via texts (meaning, not in real-time, but by leaving messages for your therapist to respond to later), schedule live chats, talk on the phone, or opt for video chatting.

Prices vary from $70 to $100/week. Check their website for more info. Shoes & Gear iOS and Android.

For those feeling lonely, sad, or super anxious and don’t know where to turn, Crisis Text Line is there for you to send a message whenever you need someone to talk to. Trained crisis counselors will respond day or night to help you relax and find peace and positivity.

A Part of Hearst Digital Media.

Download the basic package for free and the premium package for $3/month on anxiety, MindShift uses cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help you relax more and worry less. It offers interactive tools that help you deal with worries when you need a quick fix. This may include breathing techniques, ways to shift your thinking, and small steps to help you cope with the stressor. You can also keep a virtual mood journal and listen to meditations all within the app.

While thinking about whatever is bothering you, you tap different points on the body to calm the iOS and Android.

Finding a therapist—particularly one who meets your needs and one you like and trust—can take some time. But MyWellbeing aims to make that journey a little more straightforward and less frustrating.

This site will ask a series of questions, such as the type of therapy you want, location, your availability, how much you can spend, your preferred therapy style (like action-oriented, reflective, or integrative), and what you want to focus on, such as relationships, fertility, parenting, identity, work stress, and many more.

After you complete the questionnaire, you’ll match with three therapists who will contact you for a free phone consult, so you can test whether they seem like the right fit for an in-person session.

Go to their website to get matched with a therapist for free; prices per therapy session vary.

If you’re having suicidal thoughts, call this hotline. It’s open 24/7 and offers free and totally confidential support for anyone who is seriously suffering. When apps or therapy just don’t seem like enough, this is your resource in times of immediate need.

Call or text 988 to connect with someone who can help.

For those looking for a transformation or some in-depth self-exploration, this platform provides the tools. You get 30-minute sessions with your therapist, plus a side of some homework, like chapters to read (or videos to watch) and worksheets to fill out. Your therapist will give feedback on the worksheets, and you have the option to message them whenever you want (though they will only respond right away during your 30-minute scheduled date).

Running for Mental Health yoga The Best Fitness Trackers for Runners.

Prices vary, starting at $40/week. Check their website for more info.