All of the apps were created for military connected professionals, service members, or their families- they can also be useful for you. These apps can assist with stress and anxiety and provide ways to cope and relax: areas of expertise the military is keenly aware are needed for service members and their families. Check out our latest finds: PTSD Family Coach (from US Department of Veterans Affairs) and Breathe, Think, Do with Sesame (from Sesame Workshop).
PTSD Family Coach is for families living with PTSD, helps the individual(s) affected in their relationships with other family members including children, and has lots of information specific to veteran and active duty military families. Breathe, Think, Do with Sesame is for younger children, and is designed to help children learn to take time to Breath and Think as they deal with challenging situations or solve problems.
We hope you’ll take a look at these other apps, particularly Parenting2Go, which helps military parents connect with their children and provides convenient tools to strengthen parenting skills, and The Big Moving Adventure which helps preschool children cope with military relocation.
All apps are completely free. “The information and self-care techniques in these resources were developed by psychologists and tested with users. The mobile apps follow DoD and federal guidelines for patient safety, security and accessibility”, according to the Defense Health Agency.
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PTSD Family Coach is for family members of those living with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The app provides extensive information about PTSD, how to take care of yourself, how to take care of your relationship with your loved one or with children, and how to help your loved one get the treatment they deserve. The app also provides a great deal of information that is specific to Veterans and active duty members of the military.
- Developed for the US Department of Veterans Affairs
- Available on the App Store for itunes and Google Play
Breathe, Think, Do with Sesame
Laugh and learn as you help a Sesame Street monster friend calm down and solve everyday challenges. This app helps your child learn Sesame’s Breathe, Think, Do strategy for problem solving.
- Developed by Sesame Workshop for Sesame Street for Military Families
- Available on the App Store for itunes, Google Play, and Amazon App Store
LifeArmor-Find info and self-management tools for 17 common psychological health issues common in the military community, including post-traumatic stress, anger, depression, relationship issues and sleep issues. Understand the causes and characteristics of common conditions, find techniques to help you manage challenges, take self-assessments to measure and track symptoms, and listen to military members share their struggles and lessons learned
- Developed for the Defense Health Agency
- Available on the App Store for itunes and Google Play
T2 Mood Tracker
You can monitor, track and reference your emotions over a period of time. Use your results as a self-help tool or share them with a therapist or health care provider.
- Developed for the Defense Health Agency
- Available on the App Store for itunes and Google Play
Virtual Hope Box – This app uses a successful therapy to help you gather items that give you hope. Work with your health care provider to load supportive content (photos, music, videos, messages from loved ones or inspirational quotes) on your mobile device.
- Developed for the Defense Health Agency
- Available on the App Store for itunes and Google Play
Breathe2Relax -this app teaches diaphragmatic breathing. This practice interrupts the body’s fight or-flight stress response and activates the body’s relaxation response, which can help with mood stabilization, anger control and anxiety management.
- Developed for the Defense Health Agency
- Available on the App Store for itunes and Google Play
Dream EZ – uses imagery rehearsal therapy principles to help change nightmares into less disturbing dreams. Record rewritten scripts of your nightmares to the dream log and get helpful tools to relax and reduce stress in the relaxation tools section.
- Developed for the Defense Health Agency
- Available on the App Store for itunes
PTSD Coach – offers information related to trauma, PTSD symptoms, and treatment and includes a self-assessment. Use it to identify personal sources of emotional support, and access phone numbers and links to treatment programs (includes links to crisis resources on the “Get Support” page). Although the app is a stand-alone educational tool, it is intended to use with psychological health treatment.
- Developed for the US Department of Veterans Affairs
- Available on the App Store for itunes and Google Play
Parenting2Go builds upon existing parenting skills to strengthen relationships with your children and help you reconnect with your family after separations. Learn to switch gears between work and home to be actively present for your kids, find tips for reconnecting with your family after a deployment and get support when you’re stressed by parenting demands.
- Developed for the Defense Health Agency
- Available on the App Store for itunes
The Big Moving Adventure – Moving is a big deal, especially for preschool children.
Your young child (ages 2–5) can create his own Muppet friend and help him or her through the moving process, including: Hearing the news, packing, saying goodbye, expressing feelings, traveling, exploring the new home, and making new friends. The Parents Section contains more detailed tips and suggestions on these same topics to help families who are in the process of relocating.
- Developed by Sesame Workshop for Sesame Street for Military Families
- Available on the App Store for itunes, Google Play, and Amazon App Store