Apps Worth Having In Your Mental Health Toolkit

Your phone can be a source of endless distractions, but it can also be a surprisingly useful tool for your mental health.

There are thousands of mental health, productivity, meditation, and wellness apps available, but finding one that is actually useful can be difficult. And while an app certainly isn’t a replacement for therapy, the right one can be a great way to practice skills between sessions, build healthy habits, stay organized, or simply give yourself a little extra support throughout the day.

As therapists, we know that mental health doesn’t only happen during a 50-minute therapy session. A lot of the work happens in between sessions, too.

With that in mind, here are a few of our favorite mental health-friendly apps that may be worth adding to your daily routine.

• A quick note: These apps are intended to complement—not replace—professional mental health care. What works well for one person may not work well for another, so choose tools that fit your individual needs.

By setting a focus timer, your bean gets to knit while you do your own real-life task – whether it be homework, chores, a work assignment, or even something as simple as reading. Once your timer is up, your bean will have made several pairs of socks for you, which you can trade in to decorate the bean’s home.

It’s a surprisingly effective little system because it turns focusing into something that feels less like “I have to force myself to do this” and more like “I’m helping my tiny bean friend accomplish something, too.”

The app features a Deep Focus mode, which blocks you from using any other app while your focus timer is on. That means no social media and no distractions until your task is complete. 

The best part is – this app is completely free! While there is a premium version of the app, you’re not missing out on any of the important features that makes this app so appealing.

Why we like it for ADHD

Focus Friend can be particularly appealing for people with ADHD because it provides several things that can make getting started easier: a clear timer, immediate feedback, novelty, and a small reward for completing the task.

The app also has a Deep Focus Mode, which can block distracting apps during your focus session. That means your social media apps can wait until your timer is finished.

It’s useful for:

• Homework
• Projects
• Household chores
• Studying
• Reading
• Getting started on overwhelming tasks
• Anyone who struggles with phone distractions.

Best for: ADHD, procrastination, studying, productivity, and anyone who needs a little extra motivation to get started.

Affirmations are a great way to change negative thought and behavior patterns. For example, instead of waiting until you’re already overwhelmed to remind yourself to be compassionate, you might see a reminder that says:

“I am allowed to take things one step at a time.”

It may sound simple, but sometimes simple is exactly what we need.

Can affirmations actually help?

Positive self-affirmations have been shown to increase people’s general well-being and make them happier, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

That doesn’t mean repeating a positive statement will magically eliminate anxiety, depression, or low self-esteem. Think of affirmations more as a practice for directing your attention toward helpful, compassionate, and personally meaningful thoughts.

Why we like it

The biggest advantage is that the app makes the practice easy to remember. You can:

• Choose different affirmation categories
• Schedule reminders throughout the day
• Add widgets to your phone
• Personalize the experience
• Use affirmations as small reminders to practice self-compassion

Best for: Self-compassion, positive self-talk, motivation, and building a daily reflection habit.

The prompts can be especially helpful if you’re the kind of person who wants to journal but spends 10 minutes staring at a blank page. You can also use templates to create different types of entries. For example, you might create a simple evening check-in:

• What went well today?
• What was difficult?
• What am I feeling?
• What do I need tomorrow?

That’s it. You don’t need to write three pages about your childhood. Sometimes a few honest sentences are enough.

Privacy is a big plus

Journaling can involve some pretty personal information, so privacy matters. Day One uses end-to-end encryption, and the company’s current Basic plan includes unlimited text entries and end-to-end encryption.

The app also offers reminders and streaks, which can be motivating for people who benefit from seeing their consistency build over time.

Best for: Journaling, emotional processing, self-reflection, and people who don’t know what to write about.

Insight Timer is a meditation app with more than 350,000 free guided meditations for you to follow. It is used by therapists across the country and is backed by the American Psychological Association and the American Counseling Association.

The platform also has resources specifically designed for mental health professionals. Insight Timer reports that more than 125,000 therapists share its resources with clients each month and describes its therapist resources as being offered in affiliation with the APA and ACA.

That makes it particularly interesting for therapists who want to give clients something practical to use between sessions.

What can you find on Insight Timer?

There is pretty much something for everyone:

• Guided meditation
• Breathing exercises
• Grounding exercises
• Body scans
• Yoga
• Sleep practices
• Somatic and nervous-system regulation practices
• Mindfulness exercises
• Relaxation exercises

Best for: Anxiety, stress management, sleep, mindfulness, grounding, and learning relaxation skills.

For example, you can create a note called “Things That Help Me When I’m Overwhelmed” and add things like:

• Take five slow breaths
• Drink some water
• Go outside for five minutes
• Text a friend
• Put on a comforting show
• Take my medication
• Eat something
• Take a shower
• Look at my coping skills

You can also use your Notes app for:

• Gratitude lists
• Thought records
• Journaling
• Therapy homework
• Questions to bring to your next therapy appointment
• Tracking things you want to discuss with your therapist

Sometimes the best mental health tool is the one you’ll actually use

So, Which Mental Health App Should You Try?

There isn’t one universal “best” mental health app. The best app is the one that fits your needs and that you’re actually willing to use.

If you’re struggling with focus or ADHD, try Focus Friend.

If you’re working on positive self-talk or self-compassion, try I am.

If you want to journal or process your thoughts, try Day One.

If you’re interested in meditation, grounding, or relaxation, try Insight Timer.

And if none of those sound appealing? Start with the Notes app already sitting on your phone.

One Last Reminder

Mental health apps can be great tools, but they’re still tools.

They can help you practice skills, build routines, reflect on your thoughts, or manage everyday stress. They aren’t designed to diagnose mental health conditions or replace individualized treatment from a qualified mental health professional.

If you’re struggling with persistent anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship difficulties, ADHD symptoms, or another mental health concern, talking with a therapist can give you something an app can’t: personalized support based on you.

Think of these apps as things you can keep in your mental-health toolbox—not as a replacement for the toolbox itself.