Useful Apps
Smiling minds – a daily mindfulness and meditation guide that is 100% evidence based. Free programmes for children and adults.
SAM – a free app that assists people to monitor anxious thoughts, track behaviour over time and use guided self-help exercises to discourage stress.
Happify – provides an array of engaging games, activity suggestions and gratitude prompts. Happify positive mood training program is psychologist approved. Its website links to bonus videos.
Mindshift – provides a stress management tool to help people re-think what is stressing them out through a variety of on-screen prompts. The app encourages new ways to take charge of anxiety and tune into body signals.
Breathe2Relax – created by the National Centre for Telehealth and Technology the app teaches people how to do diaphragmatic breathing. It includes educational videos on the stress response, logs to record stress levels and customisable guided breathing sessions.
CalmKeeper (NZ) – designed by clinical psychologists, this app is designed to assist with managing anxiety and panic attacks by providing immediate access to tools to help a person cope. There is a fee for this service.
Headspace – includes guided meditations, animations, articles and videos.
www.melonhealth.com – an app with a health journal, resources, and self-awareness tools to help manage emotional wellbeing. Also has an online community to connect with and support others, and watch daily webinars about health and wellbeing.
NZ Based Apps
Āio Māori meditation - Āio is a meditation app based on Māori teachings. The free version of the app comprises 6 basic videos.
- Takutaku (learnt first and performed at the start and end of every session) 3 mins
- Paerangi (sensory system engagement, performed in every session) 5 mins
- Taurite (session focusing on stillness or balance) 17 mins
- Tuku (session focusing on release) 17 mins
- Hakiotanga (session focusing on reset or new beginnings) 19mins
- Irohanga (session focusing on contemplation and manifestation) 19 mins
Aroha Chatbot - Aroha is a chatbot designed to help young people cope with stress during the COVID-19 pandemic by providing positive ways of coping. To appeal to a younger audience (13–24 years), the chatbot works on Facebook Messenger
Aunty Dee - A free online tool that can be accessed on smartphones, tablets and desktop computers. The tool aims to help people work through a problem or problems. By encouraging users to think about, reflect and explore their problems in a structured way, users can proactively find solutions to their problems and then act. Although anyone can use the tool, it is aimed at Pasifika and Māori young people aged 14–25 years. The website also has a library of tips and tricks for some common problems such as trouble sleeping or problems with relationships, friends, health and school.
Groov - Provides information, activities and videos about mental and emotional wellbeing. It incorporates a mix of scientifically sound information, personal story videos, and practical advice on practices that can help build resilience and cope with stress. It is not designed to be treatment for significant mental health problems, but to prevent them and help support self-care and wellness.
oVRcome - Most useful for people who have a phobia or fear and want to overcome it. Currently the app offers 7 programmes, these are targeted for fear of needles, flying, heights, public speaking, dogs, spiders and social anxiety.
Sparx - A computer program that helps young people with mild to moderate depression, anxiety or stress. It is based on a type of ‘talking therapy’ called cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
- At the start of SPARX you meet the Guide, who explains what SPARX is and how it could help you.
- You then customise your avatar and journey to the 7 provinces to complete quests that restore the world's balance and defeat the pesky negative thoughts, called Gnats.
- Along the way, you will meet different characters, solve puzzles and complete mini games.
- As you complete each quest, the Guide will explain how you can use your new skills to feel better, solve problems and enjoy life in the real world. Each level takes about half an hour.
Staying on track - An online course that provides a range of tools to help you cope with worries and challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. It consists of one illustrated lesson, supported by a lesson summary and helpful resources.
The content teaches you how to manage worry, stay active, manage sleep problems, stay connected with yourself and others, problem-solve and more. Before you start, you are asked a series of questions to gauge how you are feeling.
The course can be done with the support of a health professional or you can do it on your own (self-guided).
Thinkladder - This NZ-developed app offers self-help based on cognitive behavioural therapy techniques. Users choose a theme they want to explore such as ‘perfectionism’ and ‘comparing myself to others’ and scroll through a list of associated symptoms and unhelpful beliefs. They can read or listen to short insights that challenge those beliefs. The app allows users to share an insight with others and set up reminders to read it at a certain time of the day.