7 Best Apps To Cultivate Calm, Clarity, And Inner Peace
Over the last few years, the space of mental health care has seen a noticeable rise in prevalence. And for good reason. The world looks a lot different from the one we knew prior to 2020, and with the increased awareness around mental health issues, along with growing access to tools that help us manage our stress, anxiety, and depression, it’s no wonder that we’ve been able to find new ways to keep our minds at ease.
Still, not everyone has the means to afford bi-weekly sessions while others simply need an introduction to therapy that they can ease into and manage for themselves. It takes time to get comfortable with the idea of spilling out all our deepest traumas and mental hurdles. And now, thanks to new and emerging telehealth and online therapy options, finding moments throughout the day to pause, reflect, and reclaim a sense of mindfulness has never been easier.
According to research, mental health apps have the potential to serve as an effective complement to traditional therapy and assist in addressing individual wellness needs. Additionally, mental health apps have been shown to help monitor and manage a person’s moods and symptoms.
Finding the right apps that speak to your needs and support you along your mental health journey is a great way to prioritize your well-being, even if it’s just for a few minutes a day. From guided meditations to habit trackers, we’ve put together a wide range of mental health apps that cater to your unique needs to clear your mind and calm your thoughts.
1.BlackFULLness
BlackFULLness is a unique mental health app created by Sonia Russell and David Walker. This groundbreaking app is dedicated to promoting mindfulness practices that support stress reduction and healing justice, while also fostering a sense of community and connection among African-American users. With BlackFULLness, users can establish and maintain their own mindfulness practices, connect directly with health experts, and elevate their practice to new heights.
2.Headspace
Headspace has been coveted as the best introductory app for those getting into mindfulness and medication. The app strives to incorporate mindfulness meditation into your life in order to improve concentration, elevate moods, reduced anxiety, and increased productivity. The Headspace’s library is full of resources that include single meditations, session packs, and even animated meditations that cater to all levels of experience and needs.
3.Ayana Therapy
This digital platform puts our mental health needs to the front by pairing users with licensed therapists with shared cultural traits, identities, and experiences. To ensure the best matches for starting their mental health journey, new users can take culturally informed questionnaires to ensure that they feel safe and seen.
4.Healthy Minds Program App
Healthy Minds Program App blends the insights of neuroscience, contemplative traditions, and skill-based learning to create accessible resources that promote well-being for all. With a focus on four key pillars of a healthy mind, awareness, connection, insight, and purpose, this app has you covered whether you're seeking calm in the midst of chaos, clarity in uncertain times, or mindfulness for sleep.
5.Liberate App
Experience meditation designed with you in mind. With its focus on promoting daily meditation habits, this digital wellness studio offers a range of meditations and discussions that are tailored specifically to the Black experience. Its "meditation for us, by us" approach provides a unique and supportive environment that can help you achieve a better mental state and foster a deeper sense of connection and belonging.
6.Bearable
The Bearable app goes beyond tracking your symptoms and allows you to engage in wellness journaling, set medication reminders, and keep track of your food intake. Bearable’s approach to mental health apps helps you to see what triggers may be impacting your mind so you can gain a holistic perspective on your physical and mental well-being.
7.Slumber
Getting a good night's rest is essential for our overall well-being, but sometimes falling asleep can feel like an uphill battle when you have distractions all around. The Slumber app helps you to power down your mind and create a healthy evening that encourages calm and relaxation. Slumber offers a variety of techniques that promote relaxation and encourage ease into your sleep such as ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response), mindfulness, breath control, gratitude habituation, guided imagery and visualizations and more so you never run out of ways to doze off.
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Featured image by Tony Anderson/Getty Images
Originally published on March 22, 2023
Aley Arion is a writer and digital storyteller from the South, currently living in sunny Los Angeles. Her site, yagirlaley.com, serves as a digital diary to document personal essays, cultural commentary, and her insights into the Black Millennial experience. Follow her at @yagirlaley on all platforms!
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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I think we all can agree that social media really is a double-edged sword. What I mean by that is there is just as much bad that can come out of it as good. At the end of the day, it really is about 1) having your own mind, 2) finding balance when it comes to how much time you spend online, and 3) doing your own research instead of taking random people’s opinions as the gospel (i.e., facts).
Gee, I wish more folks did all of this when it comes to if a man needs to have a large penis to sexually satisfy a woman (he does not) and if a woman who has had multiple sex partners will ultimately end up with a vagina that is too large for smaller penises to please her (a lie).
Science totally has my back on debunking both of those things (more on that in a bit). Know what else does? A particular type of sex method that is becoming more popular by the day. One that just might convince you to, as they used to say back in the day, focus less on the “size of the wave” and ride out the “motion of the ocean” instead.
It’s called shallowing. Here’s what it’s all about.
What Is Shallowing?
GiphyIf there’s one thing that I wish folks would say more thoroughly when it comes to women and orgasms, it’s that when it comes to75 percent of women not being able to orgasm from only intercourse, the accurate statement is they struggle with achieving a vaginal orgasm without the assistance of some type of clitoral stimulation. Yeah, we’ve really got to remember that very few things in this life are a complete monolith — orgasms included (check out “U-Spot Orgasm, Fantasy Orgasm & 6 Other Orgasms You Should Try Tonight”).
In fact, it was while I was reading up on pairing — a word that is used for when clitoral stimulation transpires during penetration — that I decided to do some deep-diving into shallowing (because it was mentioned inone of the articles that I read).And what is it? Shallowing is when a penis, finger, tongue, or sex toy of some sort is used in order to ever so slightly penetrate the vaginal opening of a woman.
And why is shallowing not just a current sex trend but something that every woman on this planet should try? It’s because of what I’ve said, more than once, on this platform: it focuses on the most sensitive part of a woman’s vagina, which isthe first two inches of her vaginal opening.
When the emphasis is placed there, not only does it increase your chances of experiencing “the big O,” but it can also build up anticipation, which can intensify your orgasms too — yes, shallowing can also be seen as a form of edging.
Another thing that’s cool about shallowing is — and it really and truly can’t be said enough — something that makes vaginal and blended orgasms easier to achieve for some women really has little to do with the size of a man’s package or even his technique; it’s straight up anatomy. Yep, the closer that a woman’s clitoris is to her vaginal opening, the easier it is for a penis to stimulate both. So, science makes it possible for vaginal orgasms to be easier for some women than others.
At the same time, shallowing can make it possible for more women who want to see what a vaginal orgasm actually feels like (because it’s easier for the head of the penis to stimulate the opening of the vagina while the shaft can rub up against your clitoris; based on the position that you are in, of course — the missionary with some pillows propped under the lower part of your back is ideal for this).
Now that you see what shallowing actually is, do you get why I said that penis size doesn’t matter when it comes to doing it — and getting the kind of orgasms that you want? Contrary to popular belief, your vagina is only around four inches. In fact, some health experts say that it ranges between 2-4”. Anything larger, your body literally has to stretch out to accommodate; this includes penises and babies. So, if your vagina is “making room” for more than four inches, why in the world do you think you need a 10-inch man? Yeah…exactly. It really is time to get over the silliness. The average penis continues to be 5.5”. Makes sense when you take it all in (no pun intended).
Aight, so now that you know what shallowing is all about, let me try and hard sell you on why it’s a sex technique that you should try as soon as tonight (if you possibly can).
1. It takes the pressure off of you and your partner.
I’ve been working with couples for almost 20 years at this point. This means that the topic of sex comes up quite a bit. And if there’s one thing that continues to be an issue is inconsistent orgasms (check out “Why Do Orgasms So Often Seem Like A ‘Hit-Or-Miss’ Experience For Women?”).
Listen, no matter how many articles you read or sex positions you try, if you’re anxious, stressed out, or overthinking, it’s gonna get in the way of you experiencing high peaks of pleasure on a consistent basis. Since shallowing is something that can easily be done even in foreplay (via fingering and/ororal sex) if you get that first “release” off, that makes it easier to just sit back and enjoy the ones that (hopefully) are to follow.
2. It teaches you more about your vagina.
A part of the reason why I keep repeating certain facts about vaginas in these articles is that it’s amazing how little certain things are discussed en masse — like the size of the vaginal tube. And since shallowing helps you to stimulate the nerve endings at the entrance of your va-jay-jay along with your G-spot (which is housed a little ways from your opening), shallowing is a great way to explore that area of your body as you figure out what truly works for you and…what doesn’t.
3. It’s the perfect merging of foreplay and intercourse.
When you really stop to think about it, shallowing is like the bridge between foreplay and intercourse because you can use so many different things to do it. So, if you want to experiment with a new sex toy or you want a bit more time to “warm up the engine” before full-on penetration begins, shallowing is one of the most sexually arousing compromises there is.
4. It can help to increase your partner’s stamina.
A few years back, I penned an article for the site entitled, “We’ve Got Some All-Natural Ways To Increase Stamina & Sensitivity.” Listen, even though I onceread a GQ article that said that over 60 percent of the people they polled were fine with intercourse lasting no longer than 5-10 minutes — that poll doesn’t speak for all of us, chile.
So, if you would like your man to build up to going longer, shallowing can help to make that happen. Since he’s barely putting beyond the tip in, he can learn how to be in you for longer periods of time without being, well, in you.
5. It helps you to appreciate whatever “package” he has.
Again — and it really can’t be said enough — if shallowing is all about exploring the mere entrance of your vagina, you don’t need a man with BDE (check out “BDE: Please Let The 'It Needs To Be Huge' Myth Go”) or honestly, even anything close to it.
I mean, even though, reportedly, the size that the average woman says gives her the most orgasms is eight inches — I bet those women have never really tried shallowing before. 10”, 8”, or the average 5.5” can certainly get the job done. And well.
6. It feels A-MAZ-ING.
Okay,so now that you know about shallowing, I promise that if you put the word into your favorite search engine, you’re either gonna see articles on golfing (LOL) or sex, especially as of late. That’s because more couples are trying it out and getting mind-blowing results from it. So, if you’re looking for something new to try, give shallowing a shot.
Hey, anything that’s designed to stimulate your most intense vaginal nerve endings has got to be something for the record books. I mean, how could it not be? Lawd.
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Featured image by Juan Moyano/Getty Images