BetterHelp

Founded in 2013, BetterHelp found itself being extensively utilized throughout in 2020 after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The app provides the opportunity to speak to a licensed counselor or therapist about personal concerns through their devices. The app allows its users to talk with their licensed professional in a method they feel most comfortable with. Whether through messaging, phone calls, or video chat, users can set up a meeting with their mental health professional at a time that best works with their schedule. In addition, the BetterHelp verification method guarantees a therapist or counselor who users can feel comfortable sharing their innermost thoughts with. In the case the pairing fails, however, users can change their professional to another who might be better qualified to fulfill their needs. BetterHelp has proven itself one of the top contenders for maintaining human connection while providing its users with treatment.

Headspace

Founded in 2010, Headspace is a userfriendly application hosting a platform with priority to meditation and self-care. With a plethora of sessions available to its users, the app offers a diverse method of relaxation techniques that will keep one on track with their meditation journey without the drag of constant repetition. Two of the most popular features amongst Headspace users are the meditation and sleep sessions. The app’s customizable meditation courses allow one to create personalized meditation playlists dedicated to every occasion at an ideal time. Sleep sits at the second most popular feature on the app, and with one in three adults reported to have difficulty sleeping, it comes as no surprise users find themselves gravitating to this feature. Headspace sleep offers users audio explorations of imaginary spaces with hints of white noise as an accompaniment. These long-standing sessions, ranging from thirty minutes to several hours, are intended to assist the user in getting to sleep while ambient sounds ensure they stay asleep for eight hours. Headspace’s massive collection of meditations ensures users have a session suitable for any scenario.

Released in 2017, Woebot is an A.I. chat box that fulfills the role of a conversational companion through a messenger. Designed with young adults in mind, Woebot uses the demographic’s methods of expression through text and messenger to strengthen its user engagement. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy serves as the application’s base, which influences the types of content and exercises provided for app users that allow for a more personalized experience. When addressing mental health discussions, responses are arranged to provide the relevant subject matter through scientific studies, stories, or videos. This array of accessible information allows for a diversified treatment method, avoiding the monotonous drone reminiscent of that one professor whose lecture was scheduled far too early in the day. In addition to its therapeutic explanations, the app utilizes various methods to assess user moods. These surveys compile a user-focused mood report in a chart that attributes moods to a specific value. Woebot treatment methods have proven rather effective for many of its users.

Calm

A stress and relaxation application that launched in 2012, Calm offers a variety of meditations, music, soundscapes, and stories to its users in a tone that intends to help the mind decompress and relax. Calm’s creators were aware of the time constraints placed upon users, and have fine-tuned their massive library to work best with these unique schedules. With meditation sessions that range from 90-seconds to

30-minutes, there are many opportunities for one to take a step back for a moment of peace to help refresh the mind and body. Through consistent use and relaxation, app users have been shown to have reduced stress levels and much more restful sleep. Calm offers a moment of peace within the chaos while providing a much-needed boost to our overall mental health.