Recommended Mindfulness App and Website Links
This is not a comprehensive list, but simply my current recommendations of available resources.
Free Meditation Mobile Apps
Insight timer has been around for many years, and as its name suggests, initially it was an online timer for people who meditated on their own. Since then, there are also many guided meditations and courses.
UCLA Mindful (in a variety of languages)
Although this app has fewer guided meditations than some of the other apps, it has excellent meditations to introduce and explore mindfulness. The creators of the app have done a wonderful service by having meditations available in multiple languages. If you click on the “En Español” button, the app will open a website with a variety of guided meditations in Spanish. If you choose the “Basic Meditations” button, you have the option of listening in 15 different languages or seeing the instructions in American Sign Language.
Contains several guided meditations and is run by the US Department of Veteran Affairs.
Paid Meditation Mobile Apps
Ten Percent Happier (free trial available)
An excellent app which has a wide variety of courses taught by an extensive array of teachers. I recommend that you start with the Core courses taught by Joseph Goldstein before exploring some of the other courses. The app also allows you to explore Dan Harris’s podcast without having to listen to the ads. Being a former Good Morning America anchorman, Dan is an expert interviewer, so he asks thoughtful questions and helps summarize what his guests have to say. His guests include many different mindfulness experts and psychologists.
This excellent app is from Sam Harris. As opposed to feeling like you’re separate from the rest of life, when people are mindful, they are fully connected and immersed in the present moment. The introductory course and many of the other meditations in this app, are about ten minutes long, full of guidance and largely focused on dissolving the illusion that you are separate from the rest of life. For every ten minute meditation in the introductory course, there is a five to ten minute audio talk. After the initial course is done, there is a new daily ten minute guided meditation. Additionally, there are multiple other talks and guided meditations on the app, including long interviews in which Sam Harris has fascinating conversations with a variety of mindfulness experts.
Headspace (free trial available)
The guided meditations on this app are primarily led by Andy Puddicombe. With the help of simple cartoon animations, Andy illustrates, in a straight-forward fashion, some of the main concepts and important principles of mindfulness.
Because of a significant student discount, I frequently recommend the Headspace Student Plan for students.
Mindfulness.com (7 day free trial)
This is a relatively new app that seems to have a variety of courses taught by several teachers. There are guided meditations, “mindful minutes”, and “listen and learn” longer lectures, and multiple courses, including “Foundations of MIndfulness”. There is a great course by Vidyamala Burch on “Managing Pain & Illness”. If you have chronic pain, I recommend you explore Vidyamala’s work on this app or on her website https://www.vidyamala-burch.com. Cory Muscara has short segments with useful strategies and Tara Brach is a well known psychologist and mindfulness teacher who has longer segments similar to her podcast.
An app by Jud Brewer on using mindfulness to help people quit smoking.
This is a fairly popular app, but I have not explored it in several years. When I first explored it, the app seemed more focused on providing relaxing guided meditations and less on mindfulness. Since then I hear that they have more information on mindfulness including very good material from Jay Shetty (who also has a Podcast “On Purpose”).
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Other Mindfulness Courses
University of Massachusetts MBSR
Jon Kabat-Zinn started MBSR at the University of Massachusetts. Now that they teach classes online, the courses are accessible to people living outside of Massachusetts. An online MBSR class (here or from another site) is more expensive than some other ways of deepening your mindfulness practice and takes more of a time commitment than most apps. However, you will get an in depth exploration of mindfulness and you’ll have a teacher to answer your personal questions during the eight-week course. For those who like to take in-person classes, Google “MBSR near me” or “MBSR in (wherever you live)” and check out the teacher’s website, credentials and cost of the course.
Palouse Mindfulness (free online MBSR course)
Dave Potter put together this free “course.” He gives you a lot of resources and videos to explore, so if your budget is tight, it’s worth checking out. You won’t have a private teacher guiding you, but if you’re motivated, you should be able to derive benefit. Also keep in mind that many MBSR teachers will have scholarships or sliding scales for those in financial need.
UCSD Mindfulness Courses (in San Diego Area)
UCLA Mindfulness Courses (in the Los Angeles Area)
Healthcare Provider Articles
Beyond Burnout: Addressing System Induced Distress
Reducing Frustration and Increasing Fulfillment: Mindfulness
Reducing Frustration and Increasing Fulfillment: Reframing
The Therapist
Other Links
Finding a therapist who specializes in anxiety treatment
The Center for Mindful Eating
The Center for Non-Violent Communication
Suicide prevention hotline
American College of Lifestyle Medicine
Rooted Santa Barbara County
Sansum Clinic