If you’re struggling to maintain good mental health, you’re not alone. But although help for mental wellness is universally needed, not everybody benefits from readily accessible healthcare. People in historically underrepresented communities, such as BIPOC and LGBTQIA+, are particularly underserved by healthcare providers.
Thankfully, a new generation of apps has emerged to change the landscape and make mental well-being more inclusive and accessible. Take a look at some of the best apps on the market.
Why Are Mental Well-Being Apps Needed for Underrepresented Groups?
The statistics for mental illness in underrepresented communities show that much progress needs to be made. For example, according to Mental Health America, people who identify as belonging to two or more races are most likely to report experiencing a mental illness within the past year than any other racial or ethnic group. Yet research in Counseling Today has shown that people in BIPOC communities are less likely to have access to mental health services and more likely to receive low or poor-quality care.
While there are numerous apps to help improve your mental health and some great apps to help you manage anxiety and depression, you might find them too general to truly assist your specific needs. A better solution may lie within one of the apps here, designed by and for members of underrepresented communities. These include apps for BIPOC, BIWOC, women, LGBTQIA+, people with autism, and people with disabilities.
Apps for BIPOC Needs
1. Reju
Reju is a meditation and self-care app with an inclusive community element. Started by three Black men—Aaron Warwick, Dante Wade, and Greg Wilson—in response to the rapid growth in mental health challenges in marginalized communities, it is subtitled Inspirational Living because that is the state the developers want users to achieve.
Reju aims to provide motivational content to reduce stress and improve mental health. It includes so many tools into a free package that it will take a long time to unpack everything on offer. Read the daily Reju of the Day and watch video guides on topics including Inner Peace and Discovering Happiness. Then, take on challenges like the Social Media Detox program or Random Act of Kindness.
Perhaps the best feature is the welcoming Reju community, where you can forge connections and get support from your peers on issues they’re facing, too. Subscribe to Reju Higher for unlimited access to all content.
Download: Reju for iOS | Android (Free, subscription available)
2. Spoke
Spoke is a meditation app designed to appeal to anyone who finds that more traditional forms of meditation simply don’t suit. Spoke combines music and voice for a fresh approach to meditation. It combines binaural and hip-hop beats, nature sounds, ambient music, and carefully constructed guided lyricism.
A series of musicians and rap artists have worked with therapists and neuroscientists to create a series of tracks designed to help you reach a state of deep mindfulness. Themes include relationships, careers, family, love and loss, and addiction. With over seven hours of free audio, you’ll find plenty of options to help you face your challenges.
Download: SPOKE for iOS (Free)
3. Liberate.cx
Liberate is a daily meditation app created by Julio Rivera specifically for the Black community. It contains mindfulness resources, including talks addressing topics such as race, anxiety, and self-worth.
The guidance on Liberate comes from more than 40 expert teachers drawn from diverse cultures. The extensive meditation content contains many categories you won’t find on any other meditation app. For example, there's a section called Ancestors that aims to help you connect with and honor the resilience and vitality of BIPOC forebears. Other selections include Micro Aggressions, Inner Child, and Pride for the LGBTQIA+ community.
Download: Liberate.cx for iOS (Free, subscription available)
Apps for BIWOC Needs
4. Exhale
Exhale is an emotional well-being app designed by Katara McCarty, a bi-racial woman, to provide well-being resources specifically for the BIWOC community.
Exhale is an excellent source of meditations, breathing exercises, self-affirmations, and guided imagining sessions for women, enabling you to find refuge and healing. It allows you to literally “exhale” and rid yourself of any negativity you may be carrying. Exhale is one of several excellent emotional support self-care apps for women.
Download: Exhale for iOS | Android (Free, subscription available)
Apps for Women's Mental Health
5. Clementine
Hypnotherapy app Clementine is designed for women to gain confidence, sleep better, and reduce anxiety. Of course, there are numerous great hypnotherapy apps that can guide you into a peaceful state, and the practice is suitable for both men and women.
However, the female-led approach in Clementine and the inclusion of sections such as the one on menopause guidance make this app an excellent place for women to get help. If you’re new to hypnotherapy, a series of mini-courses will help you understand how it can enhance your well-being.
Download: Clementine for iOS | Android (Subscription required, free trial available)
Apps for LGBTQIA+ Needs
6. Voda
Research in Psychology and Sexuality shows that the mental health of LGBTQIA+ individuals continues to be proportionately poorer than that of their heterosexual counterparts. Voda is a mental wellness app specifically for the LGBTQIA+ community, bringing welcome self-guided therapy based on mindfulness and CBT principles.
The app offers meditations, affirmations, mood check-in journaling tools, and extended therapy programs. These cover topics like Overcoming Internalized Stigma and Coping With Anxiety.
LGBTQIA+ psychotherapists have designed everything in Voda, and it shows. Great care has been taken over the topics offered, with significant support for trans and non-binary users. You can even suggest further topics for Voda to cover from within the app itself.
Download: Voda for iOS | Android (Free, subscription available)
Apps for People With Autism to Self-Manage Anxiety
7. Molehill Mountain
It is common for people with autism to experience anxiety regularly. According to UK-based research and campaigning charity Autistica, more than 7 in 10 people with autism have a mental health condition. Autistica has worked with King’s College London experts to produce Molehill Mountain, an app to help people with autism self-manage their anxiety.
Molehill Mountain easily lets you track your moods and worries, which are plotted on a chart. That way, you can identify the situations which trigger anxiety and learn tips to help you manage it.
Download: Molehill Mountain for iOS | Android (Free)
Apps for People With Disabilities
8. Balance - Disability & Comfort
While many powerful self-affirmation tools help boost your motivation and improve your mental health, they are primarily aimed at the widest possible audience. If you’re dealing with a disability, however, some of the more general affirmation statements may not seem appropriate for your needs. Balance – Disability & Comfort may be the answer.
The app serves up self-affirmations in 19 different categories, including Resilience and Courage. Best of all, you create your own goals and can give the nod or thumbs down to each saying. Soon, you’ll build up a bank of statements that can help through the days on which you need an extra boost. The app is free, but you can upgrade to a premium subscription to gain full access to all features.
Download: Balance – Disability & Comfort for iOS (Free, subscription available)
Apps for Finding Your Community
9. Wisdo: Mental Health & Support
Wisdo is an award-winning support community app with a global network of members. It allows you to connect with people worldwide experiencing similar life circumstances and challenges.
Build your Wisdo profile by sharing as much information about yourself as you feel comfortable with. Then join one or more of Wisdo’s support networks. Along with support from your peers and trained counselors, there are mentoring sessions and Zoom events.
If you are coping with discrimination, have worries about your family, are living with chronic pain, or need help with substance addiction, there is support for you here. If none of the other apps on this list apply to your specific circumstances, Wisdo may have the perfect solution to help with your mental health.
Download: Wisdo for iOS | Android (Free, subscription available)
Find the Best Source of Support for Your Mental Wellness
If you’re struggling with your mental health and feeling alone, remember there is always support out there. Seek help from a medical professional if you need it, and try one of these apps to find solutions that suit you. Even if you’re feeling well, these self-care tools can help boost your well-being by reminding you to take time each day to focus on the positive elements in your life.