Mindfulness Coach App

“Practice Mindfulness”

How often have you heard that? I read that piece of advice in magazines, saw it on social media and even heard it from my therapist. I was frustrated when she mentioned it to me, because I was under the impression that mindfulness involved complicated meditation techniques that my neurodivergent brain was not going to allow. When my therapist clarified that the practice of mindfulness simply involved breathing, I was skeptical and still lost. Breathing? I often forget to breathe deeply enough and find myself taking in a deep gasp of air. According to my therapist that was exactly the point. I needed to watch my breath to make sure that my body and mind were in the present moment, not worrying about the future or agonizing about the past. That is easier said than done.

I figured that an app would be my best bet at achieving this daily practice. I didn’t want to spend money on subscriptions considering my poor track record with habit forming. So, I looked for a free option and found Mindfulness Coach, an app developed by the US Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD. This app is a treasure trove of breathing exercises (starting at only 3 minutes long) and articles about mindfulness. The program keeps track of your progress and suggests meditations for you to get started. Then, it tracks your levels as you work your way through the app.

There are no paid subscriptions and the official features, according to the Mindfulness Coach website, include:

• Education about the benefits of mindfulness
• Mindfulness exercises to practice on your own or with guidance
• Strategies to help overcome challenges to mindfulness practice
• Log of mindfulness exercises to track your progress
• Reminders to support your mindfulness practice

I highly recommend this app for anyone dealing with PTSD, trauma, and anxiety, or anyone that may have difficulty regulating their thoughts and their body. It’s a great tool for mindfulness and one that won’t cost you anything extra unlike many of the self care apps that are currently popular. While it was created initially for veterans, the subject matter is very neutral and hasn’t been jarring for a civilian like myself. Check it out and recommend it to your friends that might need a bit of calming mindfulness in their lives.