In the ever-busy lives we lead today, it can be easy to get burned out, anxious and feel like you simply don’t have the capacity to navigate it all. How can you make time to care for your mental health with everything else you have going on? Many people look for simple ways to support their wellbeing, which is where mental health apps can start to help.

Stress and burnout don’t always show up in obvious ways, which can make it hard to know when support might be helpful. Burnout may present as being short-tempered or irritable with friends, frequent headaches, changes in sleep or appetite, difficulty concentrating, memory changes or a general sense of emotional exhaustion. These shifts in normal functioning are often dismissed or normalized until things reach a breaking point.

While mental health apps aren’t magical fixes, they can be a quick and practical tool to have in your mental health toolkit. Discover how mental health apps can help, plus our staff’s top mental health app recommendations to meet different needs. 

Why (and When) to Try a Mental Health App

It’s okay if you’re feeling skeptical about mental health apps. How helpful can an app really be? Apps are not a substitute for real-life, professional care from an expert who can address your needs directly. But mental health apps can be a great way to bridge the gap. Mental health apps can help by providing:

• On-the-go support
• Mood and habit trackers
• Calming, guided meditations
• Wellness education
• Other means of support in between therapy sessions

With 71% of psychiatric patients expressing an interest in using apps to supplement clinical care, you might be wondering if these apps can work for you. When should you try a mental health app? Mental health apps can be a valuable part of a holistic approach to care. For example, if you’re working with a professional therapist on ways to minimize anxiety and worry before bed, an app can guide you in mindfulness exercises in the evening. Mental health apps can also be valuable for people waiting for care, helping bridge the gap until a professional can be visited.

But mental health apps are not a substitute for professional treatment in times of mental health crisis and emergency. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room immediately. 

If you’re unsure where to go locally, one of these mental health hotlines can help with assistance and immediate support: 

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988, or chat online
• Crisis Text Line: Text “HOME” to 741741, chat online or through WhatsApp
• NAMI Teen & Young Adult Helpline: Text “Friend” to 62640, call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or email helpline@nami.org.  
• Trevor Project Crisis Support Services for LGBTQ+ Young People: Call 866-488-7386, text 678678 or chat online  

What Coping Really Means

Mental health apps can be especially appealing for teens and youth who may feel unsure about starting therapy or talking openly about their emotions. For some youth, apps provide a private, low-pressure way to build coping skills, track moods or practice calming techniques.

Before exploring specific app recommendations, it is helpful to understand what coping actually means. Coping refers to the strategies people use to manage stress, regulate difficult emotions and navigate challenges as they arise. These strategies don’t eliminate problems or make stress disappear entirely, but they can help reduce intensity, increase awareness and make difficult moments feel more manageable.

Coping tools are about support, not solutions. Mental health apps often function as structured ways to practice coping skills, whether through guided breathing, mindfulness, habit-building or emotional check-ins. For children and teens, coping skills often need to be taught, practiced and supported by adults, and mental health apps can offer age-appropriate ways to build those skills over time.

Staff-Favorite Apps: Our Top Picks

Around 20,000 mental health apps are available today! Where should you start? To bring you a refined list of the best mental health apps across varying needs, we surveyed Camber Mental Health staff to get their recommendations and dive into what actually makes these apps helpful. 

To get a wide range of perspectives, we asked more than just therapists! We surveyed nurses, case managers, behavioral health therapists, admin and leadership to find out what tools are being used the most and why. Here are their top picks:

1. Calm

62% of our surveyed staff said they personally use and recommend the Calm app! Calm offers relaxation tools to help soothe the mind and wind down for bed. Many users directly credit this app for helping them address sleep issues and dealing with having a “busy brain,” while others say the guided meditations help them cope with anxiety.

Free Trial: 7 days

Subscriptions: $79.99 annual or $499.99 lifetime

Platforms: iOS and Android

Learn more and download Calm here.

2. Headspace

Headspace ranked second among Camber staff for mental health apps, thanks to its guided meditations and daily check-in tools. By guiding users through body scans and mindfulness exercises, Headspace makes it easy to start a simple daily meditation practice and offers virtual therapy integrated into the app. 

One of the coolest Headspace features for iOS is the integration with Apple Watch to give you a literal “panic button” when you’re feeling overwhelmed and immediately get guided meditation support!

Free Trial: 14 days

Subscriptions: $69.99 annual or $12.99 monthly (currently on sale for 50% off the first year!)

Platforms: iOS and Android

Learn more and download Headspace here.

3. Breathwrk

Breathwrk takes a more holistic, performance-oriented approach to mental wellness, with classes and breathing exercises to help you slow down and improve focus and stamina. This app is perfect for anyone looking for a quick, easy meditation practice that helps you start breathing more easily in just 5 minutes a day.

Free Trial: 7 days

Subscriptions:* $49 annual or $9 monthly

Platforms: iOS, Android, web

*If you’re a Peloton All-Access, Guide, or App+ member, Breathwrk is free.

Learn more and download Breathwrk here.

4. Finch

Finch is a fun approach to daily self-care that motivates you to take care of yourself so you can care for your digital pet! Starting with a little “baby bird,” you earn energy for your “pet” by doing tasks in your customized self-care plan. Finch has a free version with full functionality that just limits the goals and shop options.

Free Trial: 7-day free trial for Finch Pro

Subscriptions: $69.99 annually, but you can often get a 50% off offer when you first sign up

Platforms: iOS and Android

Learn more and download Finch here.

“I started using Finch less than a week ago. It’s not only fun, but also offers opportunities to nurture, reflect and even has an “Emotional First Aid Kit” section. My emotional check-in average has moved on a 5-point scale from 2 to 4 in just 6 days.” – Lynn Magenheimer, Hospital Compliance Analyst at Children’s Mercy + Camber Mental Health

Other Mental Health Apps to Try

No single app will feel perfectly right for everyone, and it’s important to take the time to explore and find one that’s right for you and your needs. Here are a few other options you might want to try:

• For Guided Meditation: Balance

• For Positive Affirmations: I Am

• For Virtual Therapy: Talkspace

• For Journaling: Daylio

• For Mood/Symptom Tracking: Bearable

Tips for Making Apps Work for You

Mental health apps often have built-in guidance to help you get the most out of the experience, but here are a few other practical suggestions to make succeeding with a new app more likely:

• Try one app at a time. Trying several all at once can feel overwhelming and defeat the purpose. Focus on a single app for at least a week to see if it’s working. 

• Don’t be afraid to uninstall. If a particular app doesn’t feel right for you, that’s okay! Even if you’ve financially committed, it’s okay to stop and try something new.

• Turn on notifications for better accountability and daily check-ins.

• Set realistic goals. Start with a simple, specific goal, like using the app for five minutes a day to support your meditation or wind down before bed. You don’t have to accomplish everything within the app at once. It can also help to name why you’re using the app in the first place, such as “I’m using this app to help clear my mind before bedtime”. 

• Be okay with change. Your needs and what you want to get out of a mental health app may change over time, and that’s okay! Give yourself permission to take breaks or move on to a different app if you feel like the one you’ve been loyal to is no longer serving you.

• Remember: This is just one tool. Whatever app you try, remember that it’s one part of a whole and not a replacement for therapy, community and proper healthy habits.

Mental Health Support is Personal

The search for mental health support, whether through apps or therapy, is personal and unique to each person. We would love to hear feedback on what apps or support systems have been the most helpful for you! Please share your favorite apps with us @cambermentalhealth and tell us how they have benefitted you.

If you’re looking for professional mental health support for yourself or a loved one, learn more about Camber’s treatment options here.