Mindfulness means noticing and paying attention to what is going on in the present moment, without passing judgment on it. Mindfulness has been shown to be effective for reducing stress, improving emotional balance, increasing self-awareness, helping with anxiety and depression, and coping more effectively with chronic pain.
Mindfulness Coach 2.0 was developed to help Veterans, Service members, and others learn how to practice mindfulness. The app provides a gradual, self-guided training program designed to help you understand and adopt a simple mindfulness practice. Mindfulness Coach also offers a library of information about mindfulness (for example “What is Mindfulness?”, “How to Anchor Your Attention”), 12 audio-guided mindfulness exercises and a growing catalog of additional exercises available for free download, goal-setting and tracking, a mindfulness mastery assessment to help you track your progress over time, customizable reminders, and access to other support and crisis resources. Mindfulness Coach is free, doesn’t take or share any of your personal information, and doesn’t require add-on purchases.
Mindfulness Coach was created by VA’s National Center for PTSD.
I have been practicing meditation and mindfulness since the early 90’s, in fact I have an undergraduate degree in contemplative psychology and am currently in a graduate program for Mindfulness based Transpersonal Counseling. I just want you to have context when I say that this app is incredible! The practices are well chosen and well paced. This app is accessible and works for beginners and experienced mediators.
The app has a variety of meditation techniques. The guidance is judgement-free and to the point. One can meditate with eyes open following the text instructions (if hard-of-hearing, for example.) The most importantly – it’s free, and, in my opinion, no worse than some subscription apps.
I like that there are readings to help understand mindfulness. And it goes in levels so you can add more concepts as you go. You can choose how long to meditate and keep adding time. And you can set goals and reminders, and track progress. Haven’t had any problems with it. The voice that leads the meditation is nice, other app voices have put me on edge, so this is a relief. I notice now, when my thinking is getting chaotic and I need to bring it back and breathe
Most apps make you go through a bunch of very specific to a particular concern guided meditation, with no ability to customize, And usually end up having to pay for anything more than just a couple free ones they have. This app is very straightforward, you can adjust the time, the voice is guiding but not overly woo woo and only an intro/outro. It’s mindfulness not a meditation, and they emphasize the practice aspect of it. Very real and approachable.
This is great for a non-profit app. It needs some sorting/filtering features. I downloaded on of the iRest folders and it just mingles them in with the pre-installed ones. The iRest practices are meant to be done in order. Not sure how I’m going to do that. Again, it’s a non profit app so I could think of plenty of features that could be cool but probably not necessary. Likely not a huge budget or staff.
I didn’t expect much from a government-funded app, but it works very well, has a good visual style and overall good user experience (a few typos in text). It allows both learning & practicing mindfulness, setting/tracking goals, periodically assessing progress, and setting up reminders. There’s “gamification” in the use of badges and a tree that grows as you level up. Very simple and easy to use and I’m glad to see this out there for free. Created for veterans/PTSD but fantastic for anyone!
Simple, clean, and no frustrating moment when you need to upgrade. Great for beginners or someone trying to get back to mindfulness. I love the practice log so if you have a bad time you can see your growth and progress. I love the goals feature. The faqs are clear and simple. And I love the additional resources. This is truly a free app and has 12 daily practices to choose from. The only reason I’m not giving a 5 is that it doesn’t have a sleep practice. Picky, I know.
This app is rated higher than any other mindfulness meditation app (including those given Google’s “Editor’s Choice”). It’s 100% free, without ads, and has both a structured meditation plan and an independent system for personal practice. You have access to all the resources available in the structured plan, which has a charming visual to follow along as you level up. You can take a professional mindfulness assessment, create goals, track your growth, etc.
Great app however, soundscapes randomly turns on. Imagine being in a conference and crickets start to chirp… If that’s not enough, there’s NO widget or play/pause bar to shut it off… The first few times to shut off the noise I had to shut off my phone until I was somewhere appropriate (parking lot) to figure it out… I ‘stumbled upon’ a quick fix; find a different soundscape, select it, then you get a pause/stop option. Even when in soundscapes, the most recent isn’t first or highlighted.
Very helpful, but has a separate save function. If you don’t save at least once a week, you chance losing all your progress. Not your mental progress, just on the app. 🙂 There are many mindfulness exercises to choose from, along with practices and educational materials to read. The voice for the exercises is soothing & mellow. I’ve used this app for 5 years & highly recommend. The book “Chop Wood, Carry Water” is also great, esp for those who hate sitting still. It’s mindfulness on the move!
This app is very helpful. It’s non-judgemental, easy, thorough, and has good information. It definitely helps one to develop self-awareness, and compassion for others too. I highly recommend reading the articles a little at a time, and trying out the simple mindfulness exercises. I didn’t open the app for months, but was able to jump right back into practicing.
I’ve been meditating for a couple of years, not always consistently, but recently I’ve been much more serious about it. I’ve tried a number of apps, including the main ones (eg Headspace, Calm, Insight Timer). This app is the best I’ve tried if you are interested in mindfulness style meditation. It’s thoroughly grounded in research. It’s very easy to use and very, very well-designed in terms of providing immediate and longer-term guidance. The main app I’ve used previously is outstanding, but it is a huge hodgepodge of mindfulness, affirmations, chanting, prayer, guided imagery, sleep music, etc. Great for figuring out what style best suits you. But distracting when it comes to following an effective regimen. If you want to get serious about transforming your mindfulness and making real, tangible progress, this is the best app, free or paid. I congratulate the team of scientists behind it. If only the rest of the VA’s products and services were so stellar!!!
Mindfulness Coach is a great app – it combines straightforward teaching with a very usable interface and simple styling. While it has a variety of different meditions, there aren’t too many like other meditation apps, so if I want to try something new I’m not overwhelmed by choices. And as a person on a tight budget the price is ideal.
Almost perfect. Only changes I’d make are fix whatever prevents some audios from playing when WiFi is unavailable. And second give audio notice of how long each session will last in case I do not see the information on screen. Sometimes there are long periods of silence and I open my eyes wondering if the meditation ended. Nope. Still going. Close eyes again and continue. The silence is deafening when realize I did not look before I started to see how long to stay mindful. Perfect otherwise
I have done one sitting practice. But I have looked through the menus and there’s a lot here. There’s no music or background noise which I I don’t really like but think is good. I’m not supposed to focus on music. Complaint: seems like the app stops if my device goes to sleep.
Very well put together, easy to use, helpful information to guide you along in your practice. Probably among the best there is. I also like the pleasant sound of the small bell 3 times like it should be. I’m a musician with sensitive picky ears, and this bell is a relaxing tone! Thank you for developing this!
Fantastic! It is flexible in it’s use. Depending on my needs, I am able to choose to follow the set learning program or choose a specific meditation. The log keeps track of progress and events. Goals remind me of my target. And the education section is extensive, informative while being easy to read.
This is a great app. I love that it’s actual mindfulness (directing awareness) rather than meditation (clearing your mind) because the former is what I’m looking for. I do see two bugs: sometimes the bell at the end of the exercise doesn’t chime, and I’ll get “you did this 3 days in a row!” messages even when I skipped a day.
Good range of resources on what mindfulness is and how to do it, including dozens of guided practice sessions (you can choose to download extra, entirely free, from within the app). You can choose to track you practice sessions, dates plus your commentary/thoughts. You can also set reminders if you want to check in daily, weekly, etc.
Beautiful app, with great instruction. It really helps with knowing deeper mindfulness. I have practiced meditation and mindfulness for over 10 years. Perhaps adding the option of music during the meditation might be the only improvement I would make… and possibly lengthen the log area just about 20-30 more characters for logging ideas. Thanks again for providing the app.
Absolutely amazing free app. Provided by the US government no less. Exercises are good and very customizable. One complaint is not enough room for journaling. Uses a variety of exercises as well as good measure of objective progress and goal setting. The only mindful meditation app I would consider using.
Great app. I like how it tracks my progress, and I could see the little plant grow the more exercises that I do. I think it’s one of the better mindfulness apps out there, and I tend to trust the validity of it because it is used for PTSD patients and the VA. My only complaint is that I wish it had more variance in short meditations.
This app single-handedly helped me to prioritize my time to practice mindful mediation, which was a difficult habit to start. This app is an excellent introduction to mindfulness in general and it has changed my mindset for the better. I highly recommend this app to anyone, even if you’ve never served in the armed forces. It can be helpful to anyone seeking a positive change in their mindset for everyday life.
Looks like this could be great. Says there are 14 levels of training. Cool. But after i’m not sure how long, i’m still stuck at level 1. It should take a bit of practice to move on, and i would have unistalled if lessons had moved too fast. But after this long, with the app showing no indication of what is needed to progress to level 2, i’m beginning to wonder if it will ever move on. Does it require payment to go past level 1? If so, it should be stated clearly. Please don’t waste my time.
I really like this app so far! I have BPD and was searching for an app that could help me with DBT therapy, the therapy I never had literally. If I were to change anything about it I guess it would be more detail in the descriptions about mindfulness and possibly add something fun and educational at the same time, like a quiz on what mental illness am I or something like that. Other than that I like it so far!!! Possible different good future ratings in the near future from me.
This seems like an excellent app to use while transitioning to a new job soon, hopefully! It will help me deal with my psych problems, as well. This is a long series of meditation exercises, rated very highly, by most, apparently. This takes the place of my last meditation app, which required funds to use.
Excellent app!!! Just what I was looking for! I have tried other mindfulness apps, but this one is by far the best! Part of the appeal to me is its pure simplicity. I also love that you can go back to a level and view it again, to work on parts you find difficult. Thankyou to the creators!!! I have recommended your app to many others, and will continue to do so!
I’ve used Calm and Headspace and this app is better than either of those in terms of learning and practicing mindfulness. Plus it’s free! No subscriptions needed. There are white noise sounds, guides meditations, goal tracking, and a lot of learning resources. Really great and simple to use app.
As a psychotherapist, I find this app to be extremely helpful for helping my clients learn to practice mindfulness. They love watching their trees grow! I find it helpful personally to do a structured mindfulness activity once a day, either at the start of my work day to be better centered for my patients, or at the end of the day to help better clear my mind before going to sleep, or both!
If you’re looking for an app that: describes mindfulness and explains it, that teaches you how to be mindful, gives you different variations if mindful practises, helps you keep track of your sessions (and gives you a little space to note things), that is based on science and that is completely free. Well. Then you might just like this app. (I just want to be able to sync with other devices)
great app! it’s hard to believe it’s all free. • it gives enough background for a wide variety of mediation-related topics without boring you with too many details. (you can always Google if you want more.) • you can log your practice and set up reminders. • it has clear audio instructions for the most common kinds of mediation (sitting, walking, eating, body scan etc), which can be set to a length you want. a paid app would have video content, but there’s no lack of that on YouTube.
One of the few apps that seems to be developed with the ultimate goal of helping people, not making business. It is basic, but effective, well structured, and functional. I am suggesting it to all my (university) students and colleagues instead of others more known but also much more commercial. If you are not sure what to do, just download it and make a try 🙂 (Note: I am using my nickname for privacy)
I always thought meditation and mindfulness were boring and pointless till I had a total meltdown and wound up in hospital (that’s depression for you). I tried a few apps but they all required a large payment and email etc, this app doesn’t. The exercises are varied and calming and of varying lengths, the app is easy to use and it has been invaluable in my ongoing recovery. I’d recommend it to anyone
I’m a British Army veteran with long term, untreated, mental health issues. I’ve been using this app for 6 weeks now. It’s amazing how quickly my mind has begun to adjust and how my thoughts have clarified. I began determined to be disciplined with myself and complete the exercises and practices daily. I am introducing the teachings from the programme in to my daily life and see the world differently. I do find that the male voice in some of the practices is less soothing than the female voices.
Comprehensive app, excellent clear content and layout, very helpful. Would like to be able to access previous levels of training. Progress is not a straight line, sometimes it’s reassuring to go to a previous practice, or on very hard days it’s more achievable which gives confidence and maintains progress. Five stars when I can access previous levels as needed. ❤️
This free app is a gift to all of whom seek a more mindful appreciation of life. It is reliable – it sticks to exercises that have demonstrated effectiveness. The audio is clear and simple. The information on exercises is concise and relevant. Tools are included that enable tracking of exercises completed and to encourage the user to keep using the app for mindfulness practice.
Neat, clean, simple, and simply the best meditation app. No ads, no subscriptions – just mindfulness. Kudos to the great work! Note: used to be buggy when I tried a year or two ago. But now (as of summer 2020) it is totally bug-free and faultless.
The best self help app I have ever downloaded. I’ve been using this app for almost 2 years. It has lots of useful info and powerdul excercises. I have had improvement in my quality of life since using this app. I like that its not a temporary fix me app, the training is real. So you can expect life changes. The app is easy to understand and navigate with no ads. Thank you developers. You have a genuine intention to help people.
All in all great. Though a couple of things might work better: when setting a goal on stage 5 it isn’t saved, also not saved when setting a goal through the track progress option. Another thing that would be nice is if the app would silent your phone automatically when practicing.
Simple, step by step introduction to Mindfulness using multiple techniques such as meditation, present moment awareness, and breathe, all from a perspective of being kind to yourself and understanding that it doesn’t have to be perfect. The continued effort is enough. As quoted from of all things, the TV Show Shield, ‘The steps you take don’t have to be big, they just need to take you in the right direction’.