250+ Sites with Free Therapy Worksheets

Mind Remake Project’s comprehensive guide for free therapy worksheets, featuring a large collection of websites offering valuable resources at no cost.

Bookmark this page! Welcome to the updated edition of Mind Remake Project’s comprehensive guide for free therapy worksheets, featuring a large collection of websites offering valuable resources at no cost for both mental health professionals and consumers.

Explore a vast assortment of free therapy worksheets, download informative mental health factsheets, and delve into supplementary and bonus materials from reputable publishers like Guilford Press and Oxford Publishing. For a deeper understanding of clinical practices, access guidelines from trusted organizations such as SAMHSA and the American Psychiatric Association.


The previous version of this post, 200+ Sites with Free Therapy Worksheets, is still available for reference, but it has been archived, as many of the featured webpages no longer exist or the once free resources are now for a fee.

The majority of sites included in this guide were carefully selected based on the following criteria:

  • Ease of Use: Sites with minimal ads and intuitive navigation were prioritized.
  • Quantity: Sites offering a substantial volume of free resources were favored.
  • Quality: Sites providing high-quality and informative materials were chosen.
  • Accessibility: Sites that did not require registration or email sign-up to access free resources were preferred.

Before downloading any resource from the sites below, please read and adhere to the site or organization’s copyrights or limitations. For example, some of the materials may only be available for personal use.

I firmly believe that mental health resources should be accessible to everyone, regardless of financial constraints. However, if you are able to, please consider making a donation to the sites or organizations that generously provide free valuable materials (when applicable).

I am not benefiting financially or otherwise from the links in this post, and I am not affiliated with the companies or organizations whose links are included in this post. Also, I am not endorsing any products or services. I am simply sharing these links because I believe they may be useful to my readers; Mind Remake Project’s mission is to provide free mental health resources.


Sites with Free Therapy Worksheets

Here’s a list of sites with free therapy worksheets, guides, and other tools for mental health professionals and consumers:

Sites with Free Therapy Worksheets & Handouts

Acorns to Oaktrees | Eating Disorder Worksheets/Eating Disorder Forms A small collection of handouts for eating disorders and body image.

ACT With Compassion ACT-based worksheets, handouts, exercises, and more for working with self-criticism and shame, as well as resources based on compassion-focused therapy, radically open DBT, and emotion-focused therapy.

ADHD ReWired | Therapy Worksheets Thought records, behavior charts, and other tools for ADHD management.

Alzheimer’s Association | Downloadable Resources for Patients & Caregivers Handouts on Alzheimer’s and dementia. Some resources are also available in Spanish.

Andrews University | The Relaxation Room Several self-care and stress management handouts for college students.

Anger Management Resource | Anger Management Worksheets A few free therapy worksheets, handouts, and articles for anger management.

Anger Resources | Anger Management Tools, Seminars, & Self-Tests Assessments, articles, worksheets, and more on anger topics.

Anxiety Canada Worksheets, guides, handouts, factsheets, and more for anxiety.

Australian Academic Press (AAP) | AAP Downloads Several free downloads, including a CBT worksheet packet.

Beck Institute | CBT Worksheet Packet A 74-page worksheet packet from the Beck Institute.

Belmont Wellness | Psychoeducation Handouts and free therapy worksheets from mental health author and motivational speaker Judy Belmont.

Berkeley University Health Services | Handouts Student handouts on mental health topics.

Between Sessions Hundreds of free therapy worksheets and workbooks derived from evidence-based therapies, designed by experienced professionals.

Black Dog Institute | Resources Mental health resources and support tools for anxiety, depression, and more that are research-informed and recommended by professionals.

Brené Brown | Resources “A collection of tools that’ll take you deeper into our work—and help you make it your own.”

Brescia at Western University | Resource Toolbox Downloadable tools for students on wellness topics.

CAMHS | Young People Downloads on various mental health topics for parents, children, and adolescents.

Campus Mind Works at University of Michigan | Tools & Checklists Worksheets, tools, and handouts for students on wellness topics.

Carepatron | Templates Free templates with the creation of a (free) account, from Carepatron, a practice management company.

Carolina Integrative Psychotherapy | Forms & Worksheets for Clients & Group Participants DBT worksheets for individuals, couples, and families.

Carol Lozier, LCSW | Dialectical Behavior Therapy Printables: Worksheets & Handouts A small collection of DBT worksheets and handouts.

CBT Psychology for Personal Development | CBT Worksheets Several free CBT worksheets and forms. This site also offers OCD worksheets for children and 2 relaxation handouts.

CCI | Self-Help Resources for Mental Health Problems A wealth of evidence-based online resources to support practitioners or for self-help.

Center for Prolonged Grief | Resources Several printable guides and other resources for grievers.

Center for Sexual Assault & Traumatic Stress | Therapist Resources Client handouts, assessments, info sheets, toolkits, training resources, links, and more from UW Medicine Harborview Medical Center.

Change to Chill | Worksheets/Handouts Free therapy worksheets, coloring pages, audio files, mindfulness exercises, and more from Change to Chill, a free mental wellbeing resource site for teens and young adults.

Choose Help | In-Depth Articles About Mental Health & Addiction A selection of print-friendly articles on addiction and recovery topics.

Christina Bell, Registered Psychologist | Downloads Free downloadable toolkits on boundaries, sleep, relationships, and more.

Client Worksheets from Treatment for Stimulant Use Disorders (Treatment Improvement Protocols Services) 44 free therapy worksheets on addiction and recovery from SAMHSA/NIH.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Los Angeles | Free Online CBT Workbook A free online 8-module workbook from Albert Bonfil, PsyD, and Suraji Wagage, Ph.D., JD, for learning CBT.

Connect Core Concepts in Health | Wellness Worksheets Health and wellness worksheets for students.

Coping.us Printable tools for coping from James J. Messina, Ph.D., and Constance Messina, Ph.D.

Corner Canyon Counseling | Patient Education for Mental Health Articles, assessments, assignments, and information on a wide range of mental health topics.

Counselling Tutor Guides on counseling theories and techniques.

Counselors Associated | Free PDFs A small collection of PDF downloads for stress reduction, self-improvement, and more.

Courage to Nourish | Eating Disorder Recovery Resources Free tools for disordered eating and body image; email signup required.

Crisis & Trauma Resource Institute | Resources Printable handouts, articles, stress reduction exercises, assessments, workshops, and more.

David Baldwin’s Trauma Information Pages | Disaster Mental Health Handouts 14 disaster handouts for adults, children, and families.

DBT Peer Connections | DBT Handouts & Worksheets DBT resources from Rachel Gill.

DBT Self-Help | Diary Cards Free downloadable diary cards from DBT Self-Help, the largest free Dialectical Behavioral Therapy resource dedicated to making DBT accessible to all.

DBT® Skills Training Manual, 2nd Edition The entire collection of DBT handouts from Mindsplain.

DBT® Skills Training Handouts & Worksheets, 2nd Edition The entire collection of DBT worksheets from DBT Campus.

Dearborn County CASA | 8 Dimensions of Wellness 4 free wellness downloads.

Destiny’s Odyssey | Self Discovery – Self Awareness Free resources for self-discovery and personal growth.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) | Skills, Worksheets, & Videos Free DBT worksheets and more for learning the core skills of mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Training with Adolescents-Workbook A 131-page PDF workbook from Mindful Mind & Body.

Dialectical Behavioral Skills Training | DBT Work Sheets Index Free DBT worksheets.

DNA-V Resources ACT-based meditations and worksheets.

Doorways to Self-Esteem | Self-Esteem Activities A modest collection of handouts/activities for building self-esteem.

Dr. Daniel Fox | Worksheets Free therapy worksheets for emotion regulation, anger, and more from Daniel J. Fox.

Dr. Grant Blashki | CBT Worksheets A small collection of downloadable therapy worksheets along with links to CBT videos.

Dr. John Barletta | Articles Handouts and more on a variety of topics such as wellness, relationships, and self-compassion.

Dr. John Forsyth | Free Resources 2 free worksheet packets for anxiety.

Dr. Jonathan S. Abramowitz | Free Stuff for Consumers & Professionals Several CBT forms and handouts for OCD and anxiety disorders.

Early Psychosis Intervention | Downloads A toolkit for individuals dealing with psychosis.

EchoHawk Counseling Christian-friendly worksheets and materials on a variety of mental health topics.

Emotional Affair Journey Free therapy worksheets, articles, guides, and more for emotional affair recovery.

Emotionally Focused Therapy TRI EFT Alliant | Forms for Couples A list of forms to use in EFT couples counseling.

Eppler-Wolff Counseling Center | Handouts Worksheets and handouts to help students cope with the transition from high school to college and to have a better college experience overall.

Essential Life Skills | Self-Help Worksheets A collection of free downloadable tools and worksheets on topics related to wellness, balance, and resilience.

Excel at Life | Free Audios Index Free audios with transcripts to energize, motivate, relax, and more.

Faith G. Harper | Worksheets & Printables A modest collection of worksheets and handouts on emotions/sensations, positive psychology, solution-focused problem-solving, and more.

F.A.S.T. Lab at Stanford Medicine | Printable Versions of CPT/CBT Worksheets English and Spanish worksheets from the Fidelity, Adaptation, Sustainability, and Training Lab at The National Center for PTSD.

Gentle Stress Relief | Stress Relief Resources That Work Stress relief resources covering a number of different perspectives. (Click here for anger management tools from Gentle Stress Relief.)

Get.gg – Getselfhelp.co.uk CBT self-help and therapy resources.

Good Knowledge | Good Medicine Questionnaires, information leaflets, PowerPoints, and other handouts on personal development and mental health from Dr. James Hawkins.

GoYourOwnWay | Document Downloads Handouts and tools for Veterans on various topics such as addiction, fear, spirituality, and more.

Hamilton’s Funeral Home | Printable Grief & Loss Resources A fairly extensive collection of printable handouts on grief and loss.

HappierTHERAPY | Mental Health Worksheets Hundreds of free therapy worksheets with a unique feature: Every downloadable worksheet includes a how-to guide for clinical use. DISCLAIMER: A drawback to using HappierTHERAPY is that the majority of the worksheets contain typos and formatting errors. While this site doesn’t meet quality criteria for selection, the worksheets can be easily edited using a program like Foxit PDF Editor.

Harm Reduction for Alcohol (HAMS)| Worksheets A small collection of worksheets from the HAMS book on how to change drinking habits.

Healing Private Wounds | Resources Faith-based handouts on healing from sexual abuse.

Health Powered Kids | Health Lessons & Lesson Plans for Kids Lesson plans on health and wellness topics; many of the lesson plans include printable worksheets for children.

Health Vista | Health Education Resources Free workbooks, worksheets, and handouts on a wide range of health topics including mental health issues such as addiction, mood disorders, anxiety, trauma, and more.

Healthy Minds | Worksheets Free mental health worksheets for children.

Here to Help | Wellness Modules 11 wellness modules that can be explored interactively or printed as PDFs.

Hoffman Institute Tools Downloadable tools to assist in discovering patterns, finding compassion and forgiveness, and creating a more empowered, fulfilled life.

Hope Couples Counseling | Couples Worksheets Faith-based worksheets, handouts, and more for couples therapy.

Hospice & Palliative Care | Bereavement Handouts A small collection of handouts on grief topics.

HowTherapyWorks A few free resources for clients/consumers on the therapeutic process from Jeffery Smith, MD.

How We Love | Freebies Several free downloads on love and relationships.

Ineffable Living | Free Mental Health Worksheets-Printable PDF Library Hundreds of worksheets and journal prompts on topics such as codependency, trauma, abuse, self-love, relationships, and more. For a small fee, download all worksheet bundles and gain access to the “VIP Library.”

Inner Health Studio | Easy Relaxation Techniques Free relaxation scripts, audio and video downloads, mental health worksheets, and self-help techniques for coping with stress more effectively.

Integrity Counseling Handouts Client handouts on addiction and recovery topics.

International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) | Brochures, Fact Sheets, & Handouts Handouts and guides from IOCDF with the most up-to-date information on OCD and related disorders.

Invisible Lioness | 8 Helpful “Letting Go of Resentment” Worksheets Links to PDF downloads for coping with resentments and letting go.

Irene Greene, MSED: Greene Growth & Training | Self-Care & Wellness Resources Free self-care and wellness downloads.

James Drew Psychotherapy | Forms A small collection of free therapy worksheets and handouts on feelings, communication, values, goals, and more.

Joanna Anastasia | Worksheets for Building Body Confidence & Self-Acceptance Free therapy worksheets for developing a body positive attitude.

Journey to Recovery | Mental Health Worksheets 350+ therapy tools designed by a psychologist, including worksheets, journals, and lesson plans. While not entirely free, a subscription is only $10/month or $100/year.

Keeping Life Real Worksheet collections on various topics, many that were originally published by Between Sessions:

Living CBT | Free Self-Help A collection of 20+ CBT worksheets.

Living Life to the Full (LLTTF) | Resources A modest collection of handouts and worksheets from LLTTF; materials can be accessed through the courses. Books and additional resources can be purchased from the shop.

LoveToKnow | Free Anger Worksheets 7 downloadable anger management worksheets.

Mental Health CE Course Articles Course content handouts on a variety of mental health topics.

Mental Health Worksheets This site is similar to HappierTHERAPY in that it offers a large quantity of free worksheets, but of low quality. (HappierTHERAPY and Mental Health Worksheets are both PressPublish sites.)

Mindfulness Exercises Hundreds of free downloadable mindfulness scripts with video and/or audio guidance.

Mind My Peelings | Worksheets & Infographics Several free resources for anxiety, depression, and mental health.

Mind Remake Project | Free Worksheets & Handouts Free therapy worksheets, workbooks, handouts, card decks, and more from this site.

MindWell Click through the different modules to access the handouts and free therapy worksheets. Professional tools and resources are also available.

MN Trauma Project | Downloadable Resources to Use in Therapy A short list of trauma worksheets.

Montreal Psychologist | Self-Help Toolkits Articles and handouts on worry, depression, assertiveness, and more.

Morning Light Counseling | Counseling Library Dozens of free printable PDF handouts on a variety of counseling topics.

Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) | Library Motivational interviewing worksheets and handouts from MINT.

Multicultural Psychology | Downloadable Worksheets & Documents Evidence-informed worksheets, exercises, and guidelines for use in prevention, intervention, and educational/training contexts.

My Crossing Paths | Book Handouts Free therapy worksheets and handouts for trauma, addiction, and more.

MyGriefAssist | Factsheets A collection of 43 printable handouts written by experts in the field on grief topics.

My Group Guide | Free Therapy Worksheets, Group Activities, & More Select group materials can be downloaded for free. For access to the full library (600+ resources), a subscription is $15.99/month.

Mylemarks | Free Downloads Nearly 50 free therapy worksheets for children.

Nancy L. Johnston | Downloads A small collection of downloads on codependency, enabling, and more.

National Institutes of Health (NIH) | Your Healthiest Self: Wellness Toolkits 5 wellness toolkits for environmental health, emotional wellbeing, physical health, relationships, and preventative wellness.

New Beginnings Family Counseling | Handouts Tools and handouts on communication, attachment styles, emotions, and more.

No Body’s Perfect | Worksheets Free therapy worksheets for use in the classroom or home environment, as well as worksheets for adult helpers working on their own body image and mental health.

Oklahoma TF-CBT Therapy Resources Printable trauma-focused handouts and assessments for therapists to use with children and adolescents.

Online CBT Resources Free therapy worksheets and questionnaires from Andrew Grimmer, a counselling psychologist and accredited cognitive behavioural psychotherapist in the UK.

Oregon State University Learning Corner | All Worksheets Handouts and worksheets for college students on time management, wellness, organization skills, and more.

Pasadena Marriage Counseling | Free Marriage Counseling Resources A small collection of free therapy worksheets for couples.

Paul David, Ph.D. | Articles by Dr. Paul David Articles on addiction, relationships, loss, and more.

Peacefully | Worksheets to Help Those Coping with Grief A collection of handouts and worksheets on grief topics.

Peggy L. Ferguson, Ph.D. | Addiction Recovery Worksheets A modest collection of free therapy worksheets and handouts for addiction and recovery.

Personal Development Insights | Personal Development Worksheets Free worksheets for personal growth.

PlantLoveGrow | Free Tools Free downloads and resources to assist parents, teachers, and health professionals.

PositivePsychology.com Free positive psychology worksheets, assessments, and more; browse blog posts to find and access the tools. Worksheet packets can also be purchased for $17.

Present Centered Therapy | Self-Help Library Handouts on topics including communication, relationships, anxiety, ADHD, anger, depression, and more.

Psychological Self-Help: A Free Online Psychological Self-Help Book Not worksheets, but free book chapters for download on self-help topics. (The book can be downloaded in its entirety as well.)

PsychPoint | Mental Health Worksheets Handouts and free therapy worksheets designed by mental health professionals for clinical use. The standard worksheets can be downloaded for free after a 60-second waiting period (for each worksheet). Alternatively, a subscription is $99 for instant downloads and enables access to the full library. (Note: Only licensed clinicians in the United States can sign up.)

Radical Forgiveness | Free Tools A modest collection of free therapy worksheets on forgiveness.

A Recovery Story | Worksheets A small collection of addiction and recovery worksheets.

Rec Therapy Today | Activity eBooks Downloadable workbooks on self-esteem, social skills, emotions, gratitude, and more.

The Relationship Institute | Resources & Information Articles, handouts, and assessments for marriage and relationships.

Self-Esteem Experts | Recommended Self-Esteem Worksheets A small collection of free therapy worksheets for building self-esteem.

Simple Practice | Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Worksheets Email signup is required to access the worksheet bundle.

Sleep & Depression Laboratory | Resources Worksheets and tools for sleep, worry, and depression from Dr. Colleen E. Carney.

SMART Recovery | SMART Recovery Toolbox Sensible tools based on developing cognitive thinking skills to support addiction recovery.

Social Workers Toolbox A collection of free therapy worksheets and other resources for children and adults.

Social Work Tech | Tools Therapist-developed tools to use in clinical practice.

Step UP! Resource Library Worksheets and handouts for students on prosocial behavior and bystander intervention.

Taking the Escalator | Therapy Tools A large collection of tools and resources for addiction and recovery groups and for trauma.

TalkPlus | Downloads Free therapy worksheets and documents as well as self-help guides and information booklets.

Teens Finding Hope | Worksheets & Information to Download Spanish and English worksheets for teens on mental health topics.

Telehealth Therapy Resources A collection of free therapy worksheets and resources for telehealth clinicians on anger, anxiety, goals, grief, trauma, and more.

Texas Health & Human Services | Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Resources A modest collection of CBT worksheets, guides, and training materials. Many of the resources are also available in Spanish.

TheraNest | Therapy Tools & Resources for Mental Health Providers Email signup is required to access the free templates.

Therapist Aid Hundreds of free evidence-based therapy worksheets and other tools for mental health professionals.

THERAPlatform Free therapy worksheets, tools, e-books, videos, and handouts for mental health workers of all kinds.

ThinkCBT | Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Resources CBT resources, tools, and worksheets that can be downloaded and used free of charge by clinicians and members of the public.

Tim’s Resource Notebook A small collection of handouts on various topics such as relationships, emotions, and values.

TPT (teacherspayteachers.com) | Teaching Resources & Lesson Plans Worksheets, games, lesson plans, and more on a variety of topics. To access free resources, click the “free” box to filter and search.

Trauma Research & Treatment | Trauma Toolkit A small collection of handouts for trauma.

University at Buffalo School of Social Work | Self-Care Starter Kit℠ Handouts and more on self-care topics.

University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Center | Integrated Health & Mental Health Care Tools Downloadable resources for health and wellness from UIC Center.

University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Center | Self-Directed Recovery Workbooks, booklets, assessments, and more for self-determination and self-directed recovery.

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs The VA offers a variety of different resources for Veterans, including free therapy worksheets, educational handouts, assessment tools, workbooks, manuals, and more. Several pages featuring free materials are linked to below:

Utah Education Network | Prevention Dimensions: Lesson Plans Downloadable lesson plans and handouts on self-esteem, conflict resolutions, stress, and more for children from kindergarten to sixth grade.

Veronica Walsh’s CBT Blog | Free Downloadable Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Worksheets/Handouts Print/use these free therapy worksheets only with the blog author’s permission.

Winona State University | Resilience Toolkit Reflections, exercises, videos, and other materials for developing the ability to bounce back in the face of stressful situations and inevitable setbacks.

Wellbeing Services | Worksheets 72 free therapy worksheets from Wellbeing Services of South Glasgow.

The Wellness Society | Therapy Resources & Coaching Tools A modest collection of free wellness tools. Alternatively, the entire Mental Wellbeing Toolkit can be purchased for $37.

Wisconsin Hawthorn Project | Handouts & Worksheets Handouts and free therapy worksheets for trauma in English and Spanish.

Yale School of Medicine | Spiritual Self-Schema Development Worksheets Free therapy worksheets to help individuals discover their spiritual path.

Your Life Your Voice from Boys Town | Tips & Tools Articles and PDF printables on a variety of mental health topics for teens and young adults.

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Sites with Free Supplementary Materials

Please note that the materials linked to below are intended for use with the book (for book purchasers). They are not standalone tools or substitutes for the book.

ACT Mindfully | Psychology Tools & Free Resources A variety of free therapy worksheets and other resources to use with Russ Harris’ self-help books: The Happiness Trap, The Confidence Gap, The Reality Slap, and ACT With Love, as well as his textbooks: ACT Made Simple, Getting Unstuck In ACT, and ACT Questions and Answers.

Don’t Feed the Monkey Mind | Jennifer Shannon, LMFT Click on any of the book tabs for free therapy worksheets and audio files.

Guilford | Psychology, Psychiatry, & Social Work To access supplementary materials on Guilford’s site, click on any publication. Some publications offer practical tools for download, sample chapters, and/or companion websites with free materials.

New Harbinger Publications, Inc. To access the tools on this site, create a free account. (Please note that not all publications come with supplementary materials, especially the older publications.)

Overcoming Mental Health Problems-Self-Help Guides The “Overcoming” books are available for purchase on Amazon or the publisher’s site; many come with free supplementary materials for download.

Oxford Clinical Psychology | Oxford Academic In general, this is not an open access site, but some of the book chapters, forms, and appendix materials are available for free.

PESI Publishing PESI supplementary materials are available only for book purchasers in the worksheet download center. Codes or website addresses are frequently found on the back page of a publication or in the introductory chapter.

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Sites with Free Factsheets & Information Guides

AllinaHealth | Patient Education Guides A modest collection of factsheets and guides on health topics, including mental health and addiction.

Cleveland Clinic Health Library Health information and treatment guides that can be printed to PDF and saved.

Cornell Health | Fact Sheet Library A large collection of factsheets on various health topics.

HelpGuide.org All of the articles can be downloaded as PDFs and printed.

Mental Health Foundation | UK Free publications, guides, and reports.

Mind | A-Z Mental Health Topics A variety of topics, but only select guides are available in PDF format for easy download.

NHS Foundation Trust | Self-Help Leaflets These downloadable self-help leaflets are each between 25-40 pages, making them a more comprehensive resource than a typical factsheet. Topics include abuse, anger, sleeping problems, anxiety disorders, self-harm, and more.

NHS Inform | Self-Help Guides Self-help booklets on depression, anxiety, grief, PTSD, and more.

NIMH | Fact Sheets Mental health factsheets from the National Institute of Mental Health.

Nutrition.gov | Printable Materials & Handouts Resources for healthy eating.

Osher Center for Integrative Health | Clinician & Patient Education Wellness modules and handouts on self-care and professional care.

Patient | Mental Health | Depression, Anxiety, & Sleep Disorders A comprehensive directory of evidence-based clinical information.

PsychU | Resource Library Factsheets and free therapy worksheets on psychology topics.

University of Utah Health | OCIH Educational Materials Patient handouts on health topics in English and Spanish.

Verywell Mind All of Verywell Mind’s articles are print-friendly. They can also be saved as PDFs.

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Clinical Practice Guidelines

The following guidelines can be found on American Psychological Association’s website:


This set of practice guidelines is from the American Psychiatric Association:


Lastly, SAMHSA publishes free practice guides (in additional to workbooks, manuals, pamphlets, etc.) which can be downloaded directly or ordered.

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Do you support Mind Remake Project’s mission to provide free mental health resources? If so, consider sharing a link to a free resource in a comment or email me directly to recommend a site.


40 Science-Backed Apps for Mental Health

A list of 40 of the best apps for mental health and wellness, backed by science and clinical research.

This a list of 40 of the best apps for mental health and wellness. These top-rated apps are clinically proven to reduce symptoms and/or improve wellbeing.

For more evidence-based apps, visit One Mind PsyberGuide, a non-profit organization that evaluates mental health apps and then rates them based on credibility, user experience, transparency, and professional reviews.

Another resource for finding science-backed apps is the Mobile Health Index & Navigation Database (Mind Apps) from the Division of Digital Psychiatry.


BEST APPS FOR MENTAL HEALTH: FREE APPS

Addiction & Recovery

I Am Sober*

Apple Rating: 4.9

Start by entering your sobriety date and then calculate how much you typically spend on your habit per day. You’re prompted to enter why you want to stay sober. Next, make a pledge to yourself and start tracking sober days. This app tracks not only sober time, but money saved by abstaining.

From the App Store: “Along with tracking your sober days, it helps you build new habits and provides ongoing motivation by connecting you to a wide network of people all striving for the same goal: staying sober one day at a time.”

*Premium subscriptions available for a fee.


Sober Grid*

Apple Rating: 4.9

A mobile sober community for connecting with others in recovery. Customize your experience based on your personal goals by answering questions such as “Are you in recovery?” and “Are you currently using/drinking, but want to stop?” or “Are you unsure if you even have a problem?” Connect with friends via your contact list, search for people nearby, track your sobriety date, and chat or post comments.

*Professional consultation and recovery coaching available for a fee.


Stay Quit Coach

Designed for Veterans, Stay Quit Coach is designed to help Veterans and others quit smoking for good.

From the App Store: “Stay Quit Coach is based on an integrated care manual for Veterans with PTSD who smoke cigarettes. It offers information, a breathing exercise, coping plans based on the “Ask, Advise, Replace, Mentally Cope” (AARM) model, motivational messages, medication reminders, money-saved calculator, and resources to stay quit. The app is can be used on its own, but for maximum benefit use Stay Quit Coach with the help of a counselor or health care provider.”


VetChange

Apple Rating: 4.8

Also designed for Veterans, VetChange is a mobile app that can help users with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) build skills to reduce problem drinking. The app offers proven self-help tools to help not only Veterans and active services members, but anyone with PTSD who wants to manage their drinking.

Stress, Depression, & Anxiety

Daylio*

Apple Rating: 4.8

Daylio is a self-care bullet journal app for tracking your mood and monitoring your goals.

From the App Store: “Daylio is a very versatile app, and you can turn it in whatever you need to track: A fitness goal pal, a mental health coach, a food log, a gratitude diary, or a mood tracker. Exercise, meditate, eat, and be grateful. Take care of your mental, emotional, and physical health. Good self-care is key to improved mood and reduced anxiety.”

*Premium version available for a fee.


#SelfLove

Apple Rating: 4.7

An app from GGTude for building confidence and developing self-esteem. The daily science-backed exercises also help with depression, anxiety, trauma, and more.


Happify: for Stress & Worry*

Apple Rating: 4.5

Scientifically-proven methods for breaking old patterns and creating new, healthier habits. Find your happiness score. Use tools, activities, and games to gradually improve your mental health and increase happiness.

*Premium version available for $14.99/mo.


MindShift CBT

Apple Rating: 4.3

From the App Store: “MindShift CBT is a free self-help anxiety relief app, that helps you reduce worry, stress, and panic by following evidence-based strategies. Using CBT tools, you can challenge negativity, learn more about anxiety, develop more effective ways of thinking, be mindful, and relax.

Learn about the different CBT strategies, including writing thought journals, challenging yourself with belief experiments, building fear ladders, and doing comfort zone challenges. Listen to calming audio to reframe your thoughts, practice mindfulness, and stay grounded. Participate in the MindShift CBT Community Forum: share stories, learn about others’ experiences, and provide peer advice in a safe environment. All the exercises are presented in small chunks with plenty of supporting information to help you naturally integrate these strategies with the rest of your life.”


Self-Help App for the Mind (SAM)

Apple Rating: 4.6

An app to help monitor and manage mental health with self-help techniques to help with anxiety, depression, loneliness and coping. SAM is informed by clinical best practice and academic research.


SuperBetter

Apple Rating: 4.7

From the App Store: “SuperBetter builds resilience – the ability to stay strong, motivated and optimistic even in the face of life’s challenges. Playing SuperBetter unlocks heroic potential to overcome tough situations and achieve goals that matter most.

SuperBetter is validated in published studies to build resilience, improve mental health, and support recovery.

In randomized controlled and clinical trials conducted at University of Pennsylvania and The Ohio State University, playing SuperBetter was associated with improvements in resilience, mental health, and social emotional skills. Published meta-analyses show its effectiveness for reducing anxiety and depression.”


Virtual Hope Box (VHB)

Apple Rating: 4.0

An app designed for use by patients and their behavioral health providers as an accessory to treatment. The VHB contains simple tools to help patients with coping, relaxation, distraction, and positive thinking. Patients and providers can collaborate to personalize the VHB content based on the patient’s specific needs and treatment goals.


Woebot: Your Self-Care Expert

Apple Rating: 4.7

Chat with Woebot and learn CBT and DBT skills to combat depression and anxiety. Woebot helps you to monitor your mood and develop self-awareness.

From the App Store: “Woebot was built on a foundation of clinical evidence, and studies show that it works. In a clinical trial involving 400 participants, Woebot users showed a 32% reduction in depression and a 38% reduction in anxiety after just four weeks.”


Wysa: Mental Health Support*

Apple Rating: 4.9

Wysa is an emotionally intelligent chatbot that uses AI to react to the emotions you express. Unlock techniques that help you cope with challenges.

From the App Store: “Talking to Wysa is empathetic, helpful, and will never judge. Your identity will remain anonymous and your conversations are privacy protected.”

*Coaching subscriptions available for $99.99/mo.

PTSD

CPT Coach

Apple Rating: 4.0

Designed for Veterans with PTSD, this is a companion app for individuals participating in cognitive processing therapy (CPT) with a licensed mental health professional. The app contains support materials for a complete course of CPT to help patients manage their treatment, including between session assignments, mobile versions of CPT worksheets, readings, and PTSD symptom monitoring.


PE Coach

Apple Rating: 2.6

PE Coach is designed to be used during prolonged exposure therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with a licensed mental health professional. The app provides therapist-assigned exercises and allows users to track and record progress. In addition, the app provides techniques such as controlled breathing to help decrease distress.


PTSD Coach

Apple Rating: 4.7

Designed for Veterans and individuals with PTSD, this app provides education about PTSD, information about professional care, a self-assessment for PTSD, opportunities to find support, and tools for managing stress such as relaxation skills and positive self-talk.


STAIR Coach

Apple Rating: 5.0

This app offers a self-help course based on Skills Training in Affective & Interpersonal Regulation (STAIR), an evidence-based psychotherapy that uses cognitive and behavioral techniques to help with managing emotions and relationships. It can be helpful for individuals with PTSD.

Insomnia

CBT-i Coach

Apple Rating: 3.4

Developed for Veterans, this is a companion app for people who are engaged in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia with a health provider, or who have experienced symptoms of insomnia and would like to improve their sleep habits. The app offers information and tips for developing positive sleep routines and improving sleep environments to help alleviate symptoms of insomnia.


Insomnia Coach

Apple Rating: 3.9

Designed for Veterans, service members, and individuals with insomnia, this app offers weekly guided training plans, a sleep coach that provides feedback, an interactive sleep diary, and 17 additional tools for improving sleep.

From the App Store: “This app is based on scientific research about how people can change their behaviors and thoughts to improve their sleep. Insomnia Coach is designed to be used daily for 5 weeks by following the Training Plan. After that, you can continue using the app to track your sleep and maintain good sleep habits.”

Meditation & Mindfulness

iBreathe

Apple Rating: 4.9

From the App Store: “iBreathe is a simple yet powerful app to guide you through deep breathing exercises and breathwork. Whether you are struggling with stress, anxiety, insomnia, or are trying to meditate and relax, iBreathe provides an easy-to-use beautifully designed user interface.”


Mindfulness Coach

Apple Rating: 4.8

Developed for Veterans and services members, this app provides a gradual, self-guided training program for understanding and adopting mindfulness practice. Mindfulness Coach also offers a library of information about mindfulness, 12 audio-guided exercises, and a catalog of additional exercises available for download.

Additional Free Apps for Mental Health

ACT Coach

Apple Rating: 4.2

ACT Coach was developed for Veterans, service members, and individuals who are participating in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with a therapist. The app offers exercises, tools, information, and tracking logs.


AIMS for Anger Management

Apple Rating: 3.5

Designed for Veterans and military service members, but can be used by anyone with anger problems. The AIMS app is based on the Anger and Irritability Management Skills online self-help course (http://www.veterantraining.va.gov/aims/) and provides education about anger, opportunities for finding support, the ability to create an anger management plan, anger tracking, and tools to help manage angry reactions. 


Gottman Card Decks

Apple Rating: 4.8

This app offers helpful questions, statements, and ideas for improving your relationship with 14 card decks and over 1,000 flashcards.

From the App Store: “As the world’s most trusted relationship company, our mission is to improve people’s lives through products and programs that educate, inspire, and heal. Our approach to relationships is based on more than four decades of ongoing research by Drs. John and Julie Gottman. We serve couples and parents directly while providing world-class training to the professionals who support them, and we are committed to making our services accessible to everyone.”


RR: Eating Disorder Management

Apple Rating: 4.9

An app for managing recovery from eating disorders including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. This app is also intended for individuals with general eating, weight, and shape concerns.


BEST APPS FOR MENTAL HEALTH: PAID & SUBSCRIPTION APPS

Addiction & Recovery

Sober Buddy: Addiction Recovery ($11.99/mo)

Apple Rating: 4.9

This app connects individuals in recovery with a sober community, offers daily meetings, tracks progress, and more.

Stress, Depression, & Anxiety

Beating the Blues (£69.95)

Evidence-based online CBT program for depression and anxiety. The course includes 8 modules and is self-guided.


BetterHelp ($60-$90/wk)

Apple Rating: 4.8

A 100% online therapy service that matches you to a provider.

From the App Store: “Facing obstacles alone can be daunting – receiving support and guidance from a professional therapist has been shown to make huge, positive changes to help you overcome personal challenges. When you sign up we’ll match you to an available therapist who fits your objectives, preferences and the type of issues you’re dealing with. Different therapists have different approaches and areas of expertise so we’ll work with you to find the right person who can achieve the best results for you.

There are over 20,000 therapists on BetterHelp, each with at least 3 years and 1,000 hours of hands-on experience. They are licensed, trained, experienced, and accredited psychologists (Ph.D./PsyD), marriage and family therapists (MFT), clinical social workers (LCSW), licensed professional therapists (LPC), or similar credentials.

Together you’ll work towards making a positive change in your life, accomplishing your goals, and overcoming your problems.”


Headspace ($69.99/yr)

Apple Rating: 4.8

Science-backed meditation and mindfulness tools to reduce stress and anxiety. Access guided meditation, articles, and videos to help with mood, energy, and sleep.


Moodfit ($39.99/yr)

Apple Rating: 4.7

From the App Store: “Moodfit provides the most comprehensive set of tools for good mental health, and helps you understand what brings your mood up and down.”

  • WAYS TO USE MOOD FIT
    • As a mood journal to bring awareness to and better understand your mood.
    • To work on a set of personalized daily goals that are your daily mental health workout that include good practices like gratitude, breathwork and mindfulness.
    • To reinforce positive messages and create new habits that boost your mood.
    • To process distorted thinking that is causing emotional discomfort using CBT techniques.
    • To keep a gratitude journal that can change your brain to see more of the positive in life.
    • To do breathing exercises to quickly increase a sense of calm.
    • To learn and practice mindfulness meditation that can reduce stress.
    • To understand the relationship between your mood and lifestyle factors like sleep, exercise, nutrition and work.
    • To track any custom variables you want to understand how they affect your mood, e.g. your hydration, caffeine intake or interactions with particular people.
    • To track your mood-related medications and better understand what is working.
    • To take mental health assessments like PHQ-9 (depression) and GAD-7 (anxiety) and see how they change over time.
    • To receive educational content and inspiration about topics like rumination, procrastination, and motivation.

MoodKit ($4.99)

Apple Rating: 4.3

This app is an evidence-based tool for reducing symptoms of depression with CBT techniques and activities such as challenging irrational or self-defeating thoughts, tracking moods, and journaling (Moodnotes).


MoodMission ($7.99)

Apple Rating: 4.5

MoodMission is clinically-proven tool for coping with symptoms of depression and anxiety. Tell the app how you’re feeling to receive 5 evidence-based “Missions” to improve your mood and earn rewards.

From the App Store: “MoodMission is based in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which is an evidence-based psychological therapy for anxiety and depression. Anyone can use MoodMission, whether you just want a lift in your day or need a bit more help recovering from anxiety or depression.”


Personal Zen (Free with in-app purchases)

Backed by over 10 years of clinical research, Personal Zen’s core therapeutic mechanism of action is a game-based approach to Attention Bias Modification (ABM). To reduce symptoms of distress and anxiety, play this mobile game 4 times per week for at least 4 weeks.

Apple Rating: 4.3


Replika (Free with in-app purchases)

Apple Rating: 4.5

From the App Store: “Replika is for anyone who wants a friend with no judgment, drama, or social anxiety involved. You can form an actual emotional connection, share a laugh, or get real with an AI that’s so good it almost seems human.

Replika is an AI friend that is just as unique as you are. The more you chat, the more Replika develops its own personality and memories alongside you, the more it learns: teach Replika about the world and yourself, help it explore human relationships and grow into a machine so beautiful that a soul would want to live in it. You also get to decide if you want Replika to be your friend, romantic partner or mentor.

Replika can help you understand your thoughts and feelings, track your mood, learn coping skills, calm anxiety and work toward goals like positive thinking, stress management, socializing and finding love. Improve your mental well-being with Replika.”


Sanvello: Anxiety & Depression ($8.99/mo or $53.99/yr)

Apple Rating: 4.8

Sanvello is clinically proven to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.

From the App Store: “Whether you’re feeling anxious, lonely, overwhelmed, or just burned out, Sanvello will meet you where you’re at. Think of it as your feel-better toolkit, including therapy, coaching, coping techniques, meditations, and goal and mood tracking, designed by experts to help you feel better.”


Sinasprite ($14.99/mo or $119.99/yr)

Apple Rating: 4.0

An app for managing anxiety, depression, PTSD, or substance abuse. Play for 3 minutes a day, 3 days a week, and experience clinical improvement within 6 weeks.

From the App Store: “Visit Socks for a few minutes a few times a week or whenever you need that immediate relief or non -judgmental support. Enabling self-reliance is simple and fun when working with Socks who will holistically guide you through exercises in managing your stress, dealing with challenges and practicing a variety of proven techniques. Empower yourself as you learn which of these skills will work for you.”


Talkspace

Apple Rating: 4.7

Similar to BetterHelp, with Talkspace, you undergo a brief assessment to get matched with a provider before starting online therapy. Talkspace also offers psychiatry services.

From the App Store: “The Talkspace provider network has thousands of licensed therapists across the 50 U.S. states who have been vetted and accredited according to NCQA standards. They have experience treating the most common mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, substance use, stress, relationships, PTSD, and more.

Talkspace has been shown to be as effective as face-to-face therapy. In one recent study, 81% of participants felt Talkspace is as effective or better than in-person therapy. In another, individuals who used Talkspace for only 2 months significantly improved symptoms of depression and anxiety.”


UpLift ($69.99/yr)

Apple Rating: 4.5

UpLift is a self-help app for depression and anxiety that was developed by expert psychologists and leaders from the field of mobile mental health. It utilizes CBT, an evidence-based practice.

From the App Store: “UpLift provides you with 11 interactive psychology sessions that are around 45 minutes long each week. In the sessions, you’ll be answering questions, doing self care exercises, and getting customized feedback and guidance to strengthen your well-being.”

Meditation & Mindfulness

Calm ($14.99/mo or $69.99/year)

Apple Rating: 4.8

Calm is a mindful meditation app with a free version that offers limited sessions, but you can purchase a subscription for unlimited access to guided meditations, sleep stories, breathwork exercises, music, and more.


Additional Paid & Subscription Apps for Mental Health

Bearable Symptom & Mood Tracker (Free with in-app purchases)

Apple Rating: 4.7

A health and mood tracker app backed by scientific review.

From the App Store: “Bearable was launched to help people to understand the impact of different treatments and medication on common health issues such as anxiety, depression, pain, and fatigue.

Bearable helps you discover what’s really making your health better and worse. Our simple, customizable health tracking tools empower you to understand the correlation between anything you do and the impact it has on your health.

By learning what affects your mood, symptoms, sleep, and energy, you can have more control over your health and wellness, more information for your doctor, and more tools to manage triggers, treatments, and flare-ups.”


DBT Diary Card and Skills Coach ($4.00)

Apple Rating: 4.4

Designed by a licensed clinical psychologist to help individuals receiving DBT treatment or to refresh previously learned skills.


Bonus: MyMentalHealth.org on the App Store is a new, free app that offers a 28-day addiction program, assessments for substance use and PTSD, and 365 days of recovery support. The app is completely confidential and self-directed. (Click here for more information.) Thanks to Shaun Garber for recommending this resource!


For a list of highly-rated meditation apps, see 12 Top Free Apps for Meditation.


What are your go-to apps for mental wellbeing? Post in a comment!


A Beginner’s Guide to Overcoming Perfectionism

Over 50 free resources for overcoming perfectionism including assessments, PDF workbooks, printable worksheets, videos, articles, and more.

This guide has 50+ free resources for overcoming perfectionism including assessments, worksheets/handouts, workbooks, guides, videos, articles, and more.


Do you hold yourself or others to unrealistic standards and find yourself defeated or frustrated when those standards aren’t met? Are you sensitive to criticism and have a fear of making mistakes? Do you have a tendency to procrastinate? Are you driven by fear or have an intense fear of failure? If so, you may be a perfectionist. And it may be hindering you instead of helping.

The Dictionary.com definition of perfectionism is “a personal standard, attitude, or philosophy that demands perfection and rejects anything less.” The American Psychological Association further defines perfectionism as it relates to mental health as “the tendency to demand of others or of oneself an extremely high or even flawless level of performance, in excess of what is required by the situation.”

Perfectionism can be unhealthy – harmful even – and is associated with depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders.


This beginner’s guide to overcoming perfectionism provides free resources for assessment, exploration, education, and motivation.


Assessment & Screening

How much of a perfectionist are you? Take a test!

Worksheets & Handouts for Overcoming Perfectionism

Use the worksheets below to learn more about perfectionism and to do some self-exploration.


For additional worksheets and handouts see 200+ Sites with Free Therapy Worksheets & Handouts.

Workbooks & Guides for Overcoming Perfectionism


For additional PDF workbooks, manuals, and guides see 500 Free Printable Workbooks & Manuals for Therapists.

Videos for Overcoming Perfectionism

Podcasts About Perfectionism

Articles & Research About Perfectionism

Increase your knowledge and find out what research tells us about perfectionism.

Quotes for Overcoming Perfectionism

“Perfectionism is the art of never being satisfied.”

Unknown

“Have no fear of perfection – you’ll never reach it.”

Salvador Dali

“Perfectionism is not the same thing as striving to do our best. Perfectionism is not about healthy achievement and growth; it’s a shield.”

-Brené Brown

“Have the courage to be imperfect.”

Alfred Adler

“Perfection is the enemy of progress.”

Winston Churchill

“If you look for perfection, you’ll never be content.”

— Leo Tolstoy


Additional Resources for Overcoming Perfectionism

Disclaimer: This section contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

20 Powerful TED Talks on Relationships & Communication

20 powerful TED Talks on relationships and communication for therapists and counseling students for client education (or for self-help).

20 powerful TED Talks on relationships, communication, and related topics for mental health professionals and counseling students to use as psychoeducational tools (or for self-help).

For more recommended TED Talks, see 10 Most Popular TEDx Talks (a playlist from the TED website), 3 Powerful TED Talks on Grief, 10 Powerful TED Talks on Emotions, 10 Powerful TED Talks on Resilience, Empathy, & Compassion, and 18 Best TED Talks for Addiction & Recovery.

For additional psychoeducational videos, see 50 Helpful YouTube Videos for Psychoeducation.


20 Powerful TED Talks on Relationships & Communication

1. Four Habits of ALL Successful Relationships | Dr. Andrea & Jonathan Taylor-Cummings (2019)

All relationships take work. Dr. Andrea & Jon Taylor-Cummings share their observations of the four fundamental habits of healthy relationships: BE CURIOUS, not critical; BE CAREFUL, not crushing; ASK, don’t assume; and CONNECT, before you correct.


2. Ten Ways to Have a Better Conversation | Celeste Headlee (2016)

Journalist, author, and public speaker Celeste Headlee reveals the ingredients of a great conversation: Honesty, brevity, clarity, and a healthy amount of listening. In this insightful talk, she shares 10 rules for having better conversations.


3. The Brain in Love | Helen Fisher (2008)

Helen Fisher – anthropologist, human behavior researcher, and self-help author – talks about romantic love in this video clip. She shares what neuroscience tells us about the brain in love.


Bonus video: The Science of Love with Dr. Helen Fisher


4. Do You Have Post Betrayal Syndrome? | Debi Silber (2020)

Dr. Debi Silber – psychologist and founder of the PBT (Post Betrayal Transformation) Institute – talks about being blindsided by betrayal. She explains how we heal (physically, mentally, and emotionally) from betrayal by turning trauma into transformation.

Take a free quiz to find out if you have post betrayal syndrome.


5. The Dreaded Drama Triangle | Lucy Barnes (2018)

There are three roles we take on in unhealthy relationships. Are you the victim, the rescuer, or the persecutor? Lucy Barnes talks about the dreaded drama triangle in this TED Talk.


6. How to Fix a Broken Heart | Guy Winch (2018)

Psychologist Guy Winch talks about heartbreak and the intense emotional pain it brings. To recover from a broken heart, we must be willing to let the relationship go; hope can be incredibly destructive when we’re heartbroken. In one of the most viewed TED Talks on relationships and breakups, Winch shares practical suggestions for moving on after a relationship ends.


7. How to Speak So That People Want to Listen | Julian Treasure (2014)

According to Julian Treasure, the seven deadly sins of speaking are gossip, judging, negativity, complaining, blaming, lying, and conflating fact with opinion. He talks about the four cornerstones of effective speech as well as tools for speaking so that people want to listen.


Bonus TED-Ed Video: How Miscommunication Happens and How to Avoid It


8. How to Spot a Liar | Pamela Meyer (2011)

We’re all liars, according to Pamela Meyer – and we’re lied to between 10 and 200 times on any given day. In one of the most highly viewed TED Talks on relationships and deception, Meyer talks about how to spot lies by recognizing the telltale signs of a liar.


9. How Your Brain Falls In Love | Dawn Maslar (2016)

Biologist Dawn Maslar explains the neuroscience of falling in love. Romantic love is associated with chemical and hormonal changes that differ for men and women.


10. Infidelity: To Stay or Go…? | Lucy Beresford (2018)

Psychotherapist and relationship expert Lucy Beresford argues against the assumption that ending a relationship after infidelity is the best course of action. She suggests that it’s more courageous to stay and rebuild. In this TED Talk, Beresford explains how a couple can repair their relationship and rebuild trust after a betrayal.


Bonus TED-Ed Video: A Brief History of Divorce

11. Is Casual Sex Bad for You? | Dr. Zhana Vrangalova (2015)

Renowned sex researcher and psychologist Zhana Vrangalova discusses casual sex, long portrayed as a societal sin. She explains how “hookup” sex satisfies some of our most basic human needs.


12. Is It Lust or Is It Love? | Terri Orbuch (2014)

Dr. Terri Orbuch (aka, The Love Doctor®) is a professor of sociology at Oakland University (Rochester, Michigan) and a research professor at the Institute for Social Research at University of Michigan. In this TED Talk she explains how to differentiate between lust and love by recognizing distinctive features.


13. Overcoming the Fear of Love | Trillion Small (2018)

Dr. Trillion Small, licensed marriage and family therapist, examines why we fear love and how to overcome this in order to have healthy relationships.


14. The Power of Vulnerability | Brené Brown (2011)

Brené Brown shares a deep insight from her research, one that sent her on a personal quest to know herself as well as to understand humanity.


15. Relationships Are Hard, but Why? | Stan Tatkin (2016)

Stan Tatkin – relationship expert, clinician, teacher, and researcher – explores why we fight in relationships from a neuroscience perspective.


16. Rethinking Infidelity… A Talk for Anyone Who Has Ever Loved | Esther Perel (2015)

Relationship therapist Esther Perel discusses adultery and infidelity in this TED Talk. She explains that monogamy has nothing to do with love and talks about the three ways infidelity hurts us differently today.


17. The Science of Love | John Gottman (2018)

Can science help find the magic of love? Relationship expert discusses the science of love and how to make love work.


18. Skills for Healthy Romantic Relationships | Joanne Davila (2015)

Psychologist and researcher Joanne Davila describes how you can create the things that lead to healthy relationships and reduce the things that lead to unhealthy ones using three evidence-based skills – insight, mutuality, and emotion regulation.


19. What a Sex Worker Can Teach Us About Human Connection | Nicole Emma (2018)

Nicole Emma explains that sex is how men feel loved and worthy. She shares what she learned about human connection through sex work. She also touches on the impact of harmful male messages in society.


20. Why Domestic Violence Victims Don’t Leave | Leslie Morgan Steiner (2013)

Leslie Morgan Steiner shares what it’s like to be in “crazy love” with an abusive partner. For years she stayed with a man who routinely abused her and threatened her life. In this TED Talk, Steiner explains why domestic violence victims don’t leave abusive relationships; she also corrects common misconceptions about intimate partner violence.


TED Talks on relationships

10 Powerful TED Talks on Emotions

10 powerful TED Talks on emotions and how to manage them (for clinical use for therapists or for self-help).

A list of 10 powerful TED Talks on emotions, including anger, sadness, fear, etc. (and how to effectively manage them!)

For more recommended TED Talks, see 10 Most Popular TEDx Talks (a playlist on the TED website), 10 Powerful TED Talks on Resilience, Empathy, & Compassion, and 18 Best TED Talks for Addiction & Recovery.

For additional psychoeducational videos, see 50 Helpful YouTube Videos for Psychoeducation.


10 Powerful TED Talks on Emotions

1. Anger Is Your Ally: A Mindful Approach to Anger | Juna Mustad (2019)

You wouldn’t let a young child drive a car, nor would you lock them in the trunk. Treat your anger in the same manner; don’t let it drive you, but don’t be a “stuffer.” Juna Mustad explains how neuroscience and mindfulness can help us to better understand and manage anger.


2. Don’t Neglect Your Emotions. Express Them – Constructively! | Artūrs Miksons (2019)

Medical doctor and psychotherapist Artūrs Miksons talks about how we learn to suppress or reject emotional responses that are deemed unacceptable by society. In reality, emotions should not be labeled as “good” or “bad”; they just are. A better way to manage difficult emotions is to not only recognize and accept them, but to speak them aloud and share with another.


3. Emotional Mastery: The Gifted Wisdom of Unpleasant Feelings | Dr. Joan Rosenberg (2016)

Psychologist Joan Rosenberg explains how poor management of unpleasant feelings blocks us from feeling capable in life and achieving success. She reveals a simple formula (1 choice, 8 feelings, 90 seconds) for navigating these challenging feelings in one of the most popular TED Talks on emotions.


4. Emotions Monsters and the Way We Treat Them | Melissa Gallagher (2020)

Melissa Gallagher – trauma survivor, parent, and mental health advocate – explains that we need to recognize and connect with our “emotions monsters” in order to heal from suffering. Hiding from our pain only makes it worse.


5. Feelings: Handle Them Before They Handle You | Mandy Saligari (2017)

Recovering addict and addictions therapist Mandy Saligari explains that we must handle our emotions or they will handle us. She discusses emotional coping mechanisms for managing feelings and the role of healthy boundaries.


6. The Mood-Boosting Power of Crying | Kathy Mendias (2020)

In this video clip, Kathy Mendias explores the science behind the mood-boosting power of tears (which the average human produces 15-30 gallons of per year!) She explains how crying can improve both physical and mental wellbeing.

Did you know that the chemical composition of emotional tears differs from that of the tears that form in response to an irritant? Click here for a 4-minute bonus video that explains the chemistry of tears and why we cry.


7. The Power of Women’s Anger | Soraya Chemaly (2019)

Author Soraya Chemaly talks about how girls and women across the world are taught that anger, “the moral property of boys and men,” is better left unvoiced. In reality, anger is a powerful signal that warns us of threat, insult, indignity, and harm; feminine rage is justified, healthy, and a potential catalyst for change.


8. Want to Be Happy? Be Grateful | David Steindl-Rast (2013)

Monk and interfaith scholar David Steindl-Rast talks about how gratefulness is the secret to true happiness. He encourages everyone to “live gratefully” by not taking life for granted. Every moment is a gift and we have a new opportunity in every moment.


9. Why You Should Define Your Fears Instead of Your Goals | Tim Ferriss (2017)

In this TED Talks, Tim Ferriss – entrepreneur, investor, author, podcaster, and lifestyle guru – talks about overcoming self-paralysis through “fear-setting.” By envisioning our fears and then focusing on what we have control over (define, prevent, impair), we are better equipped to face them.


10. You Aren’t at the Mercy of Your Emotions – Your Brain Creates Them | Lisa Feldman Barrett (2018)

Neuroscientist and psychology professor Lisa Feldman Barrett has mapped facial expressions, scanned brains, and analyzed hundreds of physiology studies for the past 25 years to better understand human emotions. Through exhaustive research she discovered how emotions are created in the brain. As one of the top-viewed TED Talks on emotions, this video shows that we have more control over our emotions than we think we do.


TED Talks on emotions

10 Powerful TED Talks on Resilience, Empathy, & Compassion

10 powerful TED Talks on resiliency, empathy, and self-compassion for clinical use for therapists and counseling students or for self-help.

Powerful TED Talks on resilience, empathy, compassion, and related topics for clinical/educational use or for self-help.

For more recommended TED Talks, see 10 Most Popular TEDx Talks (a playlist on the TED website), 3 Powerful TED Talks on Grief, and 18 Best TED Talks for Addiction & Recovery.

For additional psychoeducational videos, see 50 Helpful YouTube Videos for Psychoeducation.


Powerful TED Talks on Resilience, Empathy, & Compassion

1. Compassion and the True Meaning of Empathy | Joan Halifax (2011)

In this inspiring TED Talk, Joan Halifax shares about what she’s learned about compassion and true empathy. She has a deep insight into the nature of compassion, gained through her work with people in the end stages of their lives.


2. Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance | Angela Lee Duckworth (2013)

In this popular TED Talk, psychologist Angela Lee Duckworth explains how grit and determination, not IQ, are the biggest predictors of success.


3. How Do You Define Yourself? | Lizzie Velasquez (2014)

Lizzie Velasquez, once labeled the world’s ugliest woman, explores the ways in which we define ourselves. As one of the most powerful TED Talks on true beauty, this video empowers viewers to challenge society’s definitions of beauty, happiness, and success – and to decide for themselves how they’ll allow themselves to be defined.


4. How to Succeed in Every Moment Even When You’re Failing | Dr. Jill Stoddard (2020)

Dr. Jill Stoddard – clinical psychologist and author – challenges the notion that goal achievement is a measure of success. She explores alternative ways of thinking about failures in life.


5. Listening to Shame | Brené Brown (2012)

Brené Brown – researcher, professor, and author – explores what can happen when people confront their shame head-on. In this TED Talk she explains how shame is an epidemic and how it plays a major role in “broken” behaviors in our lives.


6. The Magic of Not Giving a F*** | Sarah Knight (2017)

Bestselling author Sarah Knight outlines her method for “not giving a fuck,” thereby putting a stop to spending time she doesn’t have, doing things she doesn’t want to do. One of the most powerful TED Talks on self-determination, Sarah Knight’s speech will leave you rethinking your own priorities (and fucks to give – or not to give) in life.


7. The Price of Shame | Monica Lewinsky (2015)

Monica Lewinsky delivers a compelling talk on public shaming and the “culture of humiliation” that exists today. From a woman who lost her personal reputation on a global scale back in 1998 – and who was able to survive by taking back her narrative – this video clip is one of the most powerful TED Talks out there on countering public humiliation with empathy and compassion.


8. The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong | Amy Morin (2015)

What bad mental habits are holding you up? In this TED Talk, Amy Morin – psychotherapist and author – explains how to become “mentally strong” by challenging our negative beliefs and giving up unhealthy habits. This strategy builds resiliency and allows us to become unstuck in life, thus reaching our full potential.


9. The Space Between Self-Esteem and Self-Compassion | Kristin Neff (2013)

Kristin Neff – university professor and published author – explores the relationship between self-esteem and self-compassion in this video clip. She asks viewers to be kind to themselves as she discusses what research tells us about self-compassion.


10. The Three Secrets of Resilient People | Lucy Hone (2019)

In this TED Talk, Dr. Lucy Hone – resilience expert, acclaimed researcher, and published author – discusses three strategies for rising up from adversity in the face of suffering. She shares about her personal experience with painful loss – and how she was able to get through an unimaginable tragedy. As one of the most inspiring and powerful TED Talks on resiliency, this video clip provides viewers with not only insight, but hope.


powerful TED Talks

3 Powerful TED Talks on Grief

A list of 3 powerful TED Talks on grief for mental health clinicians or counseling students to use with clients or for self-help.

Three powerful, therapist-recommended TED Talks on grief for clinical use (as psychoeducation for grieving clients or in a treatment setting) or for self-help.

For more recommended TED Talks, see 10 Most Popular TEDx Talks (a playlist on the TED website) and 18 Best TED Talks for Addiction & Recovery. For additional psychoeducational videos, see 50 Helpful YouTube Videos for Psychoeducation.

For additional grief resources, see Grief & Loss: A Comprehensive Resource Guide and Free Grief Workbook (a 100-page PDF download).


TED Talks on Grief

1. Beyond Closure | Nancy Berns (2012)

Nancy Berns, a sociologist at Drake University, discusses grief and closure in this 18-minute TED Talk. She explains that closure is a fabricated concept, and that it is doing us more harm than good. This is one of the best TED Talks on grief and loss for counseling students, use with grieving clients, or for self-help.


2. Getting Cozy with Grief | Stacy Smith (2020)

Stacy Smith is a therapist, college professor, and the founder of Club Forget Me Not, a nonprofit that helps grieving children. In this 10-minute clip, she talks about death, grieving, and “being present in grief.”


3. We Don’t “Move On” from Grief. We Move Forward with It | Nora McInerny (2019)

Nora McInerny, writer and podcaster, talks about life and death in this 15-minute talk. She shares her personal experience with loss, and encourages viewers to rethink our approach to grief. This is one of the most powerful TED Talks on grief.


TED Talks on grief

50 Helpful YouTube Videos for Psychoeducation

A collection of 50+ short videos for psychoeducation on mental health topics for psychoeducational use with clients, students, or for self-help.

(Updated 2/13/24) A collection of 50+ short videos for psychoeducation on mental health topics for psychoeducational use with clients, students, or for self-help.

For additional video resources, see 18 Best TED Talks for Addiction & Recovery.



YouTube Videos for Psychoeducation

The Brain


Depression, Bipolar Disorder, & Anxiety


Emotions


Grief


Meditation & Mindfulness


Relationships & Communication



Self-Esteem & Self-Compassion


Stress


Substance Use & Addiction


Trauma & PTSD


videos for psychoeducation

18 Best TED Talks for Addiction & Recovery

18 of the best TED Talks for addiction and recovery by healthcare professionals, athletes, a Fortune 500 entrepreneur, a former Miss USA, and more.

The best TED Talks for addiction and recovery, along with other powerful YouTube videos to play for clients in a treatment setting – or for yourself or for anyone who desires to learn more about substance use.

The following best TED Talks for addiction are entertaining, insightful, and though-provoking.


18 Best TED Talks for Addiction & Recovery

1. The 12 Steps According to Russell Brand (2018)

A 10-minute clip of Russell Brand’s interpretation of the 12 Steps. Humorous and honest.

2. Addiction: A Story of Stigma, A Story of Hope | Scott McFadden (2020)

This 18-minute talk delivered by Scott McFadden is one of the best TED Talks for addiction as it addresses stigma and sends a message of hope.

Excerpt: Scott McFadden is a Licensed Addictions Counselor, who also identifies as a person in long term recovery from heroin and other drugs. He shares a harrowing story of incarceration and a long journey to recovery while explaining the dynamics of addiction and the labels, shame, and stigma which have become the greatest obstacles to turning around the opioid epidemic.

He shows us the need to talk to one another to overcome the secret places where shame resides. This is a story of vulnerability and hope!

5. Addiction Neuroscience 101 (2018)

Approximately 25 minutes, an overview of the neurobiology of addiction.

4. Chris Herren Speaking on His Addiction Recovery Story | PeaceLove (2015)

A 17-minute motivational speech delivered by Chris Herren.

Excerpt: Hear former professional basketball player and motivational speaker Chris Herren speaking about his recovery from drug addiction. Since August of 2008, Herren has been drug-free and alcohol-free, and has refocused his life to put his sobriety and family above all other things.

5. Disconnected Brains: How Isolation Fuels Opioid Addiction | Rachel Wurzman (2018)

This fascinating 19-minute video clip from Rachel Wurzman is one of the best TED Talks for addiction as a biopsychosocial disorder.

Excerpt: Addiction to opioids is now officially a national emergency. But why are addiction rates spiking and what can we do about it? Neuroscientist Rachel Wurzman shares new research about how the brain reacts to opioids, replacing the sense of community and belonging human beings are losing. We are beginning to understand that solving the opioid epidemic will require us to focus on social factors surrounding those addicted.

6. Do You Have More Heart Than Scars? | Zackary Paben (2017)

A 17-minute inspirational talk by Zackary Paben.

Excerpt: How can resilience and interdependence impact the arch of our personal narrative to transcend from victim to hero? Since 1991, Zack has been empowering adolescents and adults as a mental health/recovery professional in a variety of modalities, including wilderness and residential.

As he continues to face his own visible and invisible scars, he innately has to acknowledge the wounds of others and encourage them in their own healing process.

7. Everything You Think You Know About Addiction Is Wrong | Johann Hari (2015)

A 15-minute video from Johann Hari. This piece is somewhat controversial because it suggests that addiction is a social/environmental issue while failing to address the impact of trauma, genetics, brain chemistry, etc. This clip is an excellent tool for generating discussions and is one of the best TED Talks for addiction.

Excerpt: What really causes addiction — to everything from cocaine to smart-phones? And how can we overcome it? Johann Hari has seen our current methods fail firsthand, as he has watched loved ones struggle to manage their addictions. He started to wonder why we treat addicts the way we do — and if there might be a better way.

As he shares in this deeply personal talk, his questions took him around the world, and unearthed some surprising and hopeful ways of thinking about an age-old problem.

8. Great Leaders Do What Drug Addicts Do | Michael Brody-Waite (2018)

An 19-minute talk from Michael Brody-Waite, entrepreneur and addict in recovery.

Excerpt: This is my story from drug addiction and homelessness to founding and leading a company on the Inc 500 list. There are 3 principles that saved me from death and set me apart as a leader. They are small enough to fit in your pocket, yet big enough to change your life. The best part is that anyone can take these principles and immediately implement them after watching this talk.

9. The Harm Reduction Model of Drug Addiction Treatment | Mark Tyndall (2017)

This 17-minute video from Mark Tyndall about harm reduction and recovery is one of the best TED Talks for addiction treatment.

Excerpt: Why do we still think that drug use is a law-enforcement issue? Making drugs illegal does nothing to stop people from using them, says public health expert Mark Tyndall. So, what might work?

Tyndall shares community-based research that shows how harm-reduction strategies, like safe-injection sites, are working to address the drug overdose crisis.

10. How Childhood Trauma Affects Health Across a Lifetime | Nadine Burke Harris (2015)

16-minute talk by Dr. Nadine Burke Harris on the impact of trauma.

Excerpt: Childhood trauma isn’t something you just get over as you grow up. Pediatrician Nadine Burke Harris explains that the repeated stress of abuse, neglect and parents struggling with mental health or substance abuse issues has real, tangible effects on the development of the brain.

This unfolds across a lifetime, to the point where those who’ve experienced high levels of trauma are at triple the risk for heart disease and lung cancer.

11. Let’s Quit Abusing Drug Users (2015)

19-minute video clip about addiction and recovery reform from Dr. Carl Hart. He discusses drug use in the context of poverty, social injustice, and ignorance. An excellent video for generating discussion and one of the best TED Talks for addiction and policy reform.

Excerpt: Carl Hart, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology at Columbia University, offers a provocative, evidence-based view of addiction and discusses how it should impact drug policy.

12. The Merits of Harm Reduction | Melissa Byers (2019)

14-minute video clip from Melissa Byers about addiction, harm reduction, and recovery.

Excerpt: Melissa shares her family’s personal story of addiction and how harm reduction plays a much more significant role to recovery than people realize.

13. Nuggets (2015)

A 5-minute cartoon clip of a kiwi bird who tastes a golden “nugget.” This simple animation doesn’t require words to send a powerful message about addiction. Hauntingly accurate.

14. The Power of Addiction and The Addiction of Power | Gabor Maté (2012)

This 19-minute speech delivered by Gabor Maté is one of the best TED Talks for addiction.

Excerpt: Canadian physician Gabor Maté is a specialist in terminal illnesses, chemical dependents, and HIV positive patients. Dr. Maté is a renowned author of books and columnist known for his knowledge about attention deficit disorder, stress, chronic illness and parental relations.

15. Recover Out Loud | Tara Conner (2017)

One of the best TED Talks for addiction, this 10-minute video clip from former Miss USA, Tara Conner, is all about her personal experience with substance use.

Excerpt: Tara Conner, Miss USA 2006, shares her life-long struggle with addiction and what she has learned from 10 years of sobriety. Addicts are not bad people that need to get good, but sick people that need to get well.

In this challenging and at times humorous talk, she calls for a different response to the addiction crisis.

16. Revitalize | Living With Addiction | Amber Valletta (2015)

16-minute inspirational talk delivered by Amber Valletta.

Excerpt: Supermodel, actress, and fashion icon Amber Valletta opens up for the first time about her daily struggle of living with addiction.

17. Rewriting the Story of My Addiction | Jo Harvey Weatherford (2015)

10-minute video clip from Jo Harvey Weatherford about her personal recovery journey.

Excerpt: Jo Harvey Weatherford develops and implements drug and alcohol prevention programs on the campus of The University of Nevada. In this candid talk she discusses the importance of the stories we tell ourselves about our behavior, and how she rewrote her own story of addiction to alcohol.

18. The Stigma of Addiction | Tony Hoffman (2018)

This 15-minute video from Tony Hoffman is one of the best TED Talks for addiction. He shares about his substance use and stigma.

Excerpt: There is a stigma which many assign to drug addicts, even long after they have overcome their addiction. Tony discusses how his first time smoking marijuana led to his eventual drug addiction, homelessness, prison, and finally redemption.


For Families – The Island of Insanity: Navigating Through Loved Ones’ Addictions | Karen Perlmutter (2022)

A powerful 13-minute video for anyone who is traumatized by the addiction of a loved one.

Excerpt: With a master’s degree in clinical social work, Karen has seen first-hand that addiction is a tragedy with a profound effect on the family. She has ideas on how we can support families in combatting the devastating effects of this disease After earning her undergraduate degree through the University of South Carolina in 2003, Karen began working with teens and families through a therapeutic foster care agency. She pursued higher education in the field, earning her Master’s in Clinical Social Work at the University of North Carolina (Wilmington) in 2007, and continuing on to becoming a Licensed Independent Social Worker.

Karen has over a decade of experience working as a therapist with individuals, couples, and families. She specializes in the treatment of substance abuse and mental illness, and has developed a particular interest in supporting the holistic needs of families who are affected by these struggles.


best ted talks for addiction

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