My 7 Favorite Free Apps to Improve Mental Health
Discover 7 free mental health apps to boost well-being, manage anxiety, and build positive habits with therapist Emma McAdam in this Therapy in a Nutshell video.
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Smartphones often get a bad rap when it comes to mental health, but they can also be powerful tools for emotional well-being when used intentionally. In this guide, we explore some of the best apps for mental health—many of which are free or already on your phone—that can help with stress, anxiety, self-care, and habit-building.
A habit tracker app can support small, meaningful changes, whether it’s gratitude practice, exercise, or mindful breathing. Reminders or Google Calendar tasks reduce mental load by keeping track of everything from taking medications to checking in with loved ones. Notes and Keep apps help with brain dumps, journaling, and tracking emotions in the moment.
For structured reflection, Day One is an excellent journaling app, reinforcing positive memories and personal growth. Mindfulness apps like Lotus Bud or Mindfulness Bell offer gentle nudges to pause, breathe, and check in with yourself. Cycle tracking apps help identify hormone-related mood shifts.
For deeper support, the Therapy in a Nutshell app offers free mental health courses. And don’t forget to minimize distractions—turn off notifications, delete addictive apps, and curate your phone to support, not sabotage, your mental health.
00:00 Intro
00:31 Habit Tracker
01:24 Reminders or Google Calendar Tasks
02:11 Notes or Keep
02:56 Day One
04:05 Lotus Bud on iOS or Mindfulness Bell on Android
04:58 Cycle Tracker for iOS
05:22 Therapy in a Nutshell App
Check out the transcript below:
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FREE Mental Health Resources: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/free-resources
Check out my podcast, Therapy in a Nutshell: https://tinpodcast.podbean.com/
Therapy in a Nutshell and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health.
In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life’s direction.
And deeper than all of that, the Gospel of Jesus Christ orients my personal worldview and sense of security, peace, hope, and love https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/believe
If you are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ or 988 or your local emergency services.
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