Calm
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The most-used meditation app in the editorial team. Sleep stories, daily Calm, Tamara Levitt's voice as benchmark.
Read brand profile →MENTAL WELLNESS
MENTAL WELLNESS
MENTAL WELLNESS
MENTAL WELLNESS
Mental wellness, edited honestly.
THE GLOW WELLNESS · MENTALTherapy apps, meditation, mood supplements, journaling, breathwork. Skip the manifestation. What actually moves the needle versus what shrinks the wallet.
AI quick answer
The quick answer.
The most evidence-backed mental wellness interventions in 2026 are cognitive behavioural therapy (in-person or app-based CBT-i / CBT-d), regular physical exercise and, where indicated, SSRI or SNRI medication. Meditation apps (Calm, Headspace) have moderate evidence for stress reduction. Online therapy platforms (BetterHelp, Lysn, Talkspace) work as well as in-person for mild-to-moderate cases.
Editorial: The Glow Wellness desk operates independently of the brands reviewed. See /disclosures/ for the conflicts register.
Top picks
Mental Wellness brands worth knowing.
Tools editors actually use to manage life.
Headspace
Annual Plan
The structured-course meditation app for beginners. Andy Puddicombe's voice still the gateway to the practice.
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Lysn
Telehealth Psychology AU
Australian telehealth psychology with Medicare-rebated sessions. The Aussie alternative to BetterHelp.
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How We Feel
Mood-tracking App
The mood-tracker that actually gets used. Built by a Yale clinical psychology team, zero ads, no upsell.
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Othership
Breathwork App
Guided breathwork sessions for stress, sleep, energy. The category leader for genuine breathwork practice.
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Moleskine
Classic Notebook
The pre-app journal that still outperforms most apps. The editor's morning-pages weapon of choice.
Read brand profile →Defining product
An app is not a therapist. But the right app is the gateway to one.
The strongest signal in mental wellness in 2026 is that apps are most useful as front doors to professional care — not replacements for it. Calm and Headspace help with stress regulation. CBT-i and SilverCloud have real evidence for insomnia and mild depression. But for anything ongoing, the data still points to talking to a person with a clinical qualification. In Australia, that means a GP referral for a Mental Health Care Plan (up to 10 Medicare-rebated psychology sessions per year). Start there.
Related rankings
More from the wellness desk.
The verdict
A good therapist is the most evidence-backed mental wellness intervention ever invented. Almost everything else is supplementary to that.
The Glow Wellness desk · Updated June 2026
FAQ
The six mental wellness questions editors get asked.
- What's the best meditation app in Australia?
- Calm and Headspace are the two most-used in the editorial team. Calm for sleep stories and ambient sessions; Headspace for structured beginner courses. Both have free seven-day trials — the better app is the one you actually open daily, not the one with the longer feature list.
- Best online therapy platform in Australia?
- Lysn is the Australian telehealth psychology platform with Medicare-rebated sessions (with a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP). BetterHelp is US-based and not Medicare-rebated but accepts Australian clients. For in-person, ask your GP for a referral to a local psychologist under a Mental Health Care Plan — that's 10 sessions a year at a fraction of full-cost.
- Are mood supplements regulated in Australia?
- Yes, by the TGA as "listed" complementary medicines. Ashwagandha, St John's Wort, magnesium glycinate and 5-HTP have moderate evidence for mild mood support. None replace medication for clinical depression or anxiety — talk to a GP if your mood has been low for more than two weeks.
- Best journaling app in Australia?
- Day One for long-form journalling with photos. Stoic for prompted reflection. Reflectly for mood-tracking. Or: a paper Moleskine notebook, which still outperforms most apps because there's no friction, no notification, and no algorithm trying to monetise your attention.
- Do breathwork apps actually work?
- Box breathing, 4-7-8 breathing and slow nasal breathing have measurable parasympathetic-nervous-system effects. Othership is the leading category app. A free YouTube guided session is functionally identical. The practice matters; the app is incidental.
- Where can you get help in Australia if you're in crisis?
- If you're in crisis or having thoughts of self-harm, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 (24/7), text 0477 13 11 14, or chat at lifeline.org.au. For under-25s: Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800. If life is in danger, call 000. We mention this because the rest of this page is about products. None of those products substitute for a human voice on the other end of a line.