This month we are excited to feature a new mental health app from Black Dog Institute: ClearlyMe! ClearlyMe is designed to support teens experiencing depression, psychological distress, or otherwise going through a tough time.

“We know early intervention is key to protecting mental health- that’s why we’ve co-designed this app with teens to break down barriers and put evidence-based care in the hands of those who need it the most.”

– BDI Associate Professor Bridianne O’Dea

Black Dog Institute is a global leader in mental health research and the only Medical Research Institute in Australia to investigate mental health from childhood through the later stages of life. The institute’s unique translational approach enables them to rapidly translate world-class scientific findings into evidence-based programs, services, and products that improve the lives of people with mental illness. The Institute is proud to be a trusted partner of government, clinicians, First Nations leaders, industry, workplaces, schools and philanthropists across the country.

ClearlyMe is a free mental health app for teens aged 12 to 17, to help them better manage their mental health and improve wellbeing. It provides bite-sized, self-directed therapeutic activities based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to target common symptoms of depression including low mood, negative thinking, difficulties relaxing and maintaining motivation.

ClearlyMe aims to help users:

• Think and feel better when they’re going through a tough time.
• Be the best version of themselves and get the most out of school and life.
• Get to know themselves through their thoughts, feelings and actions.
• Feel less alone and know help is available, if they need it.

The app was designed in collaboration with teens to ensure all activities are relevant, engaging and appeal to the unique needs of young people. ClearlyMe’s activities and collections can be completed in any order, at any time or place so young people can access the support they need when they need it.

The ClearlyMe app includes:

• A total of 37 evidence-based activities that provide CBT based coping strategies and tools to overcome negative thinking, low mood, difficulties relaxing and maintaining motivation.
• A visual ‘Mood Check’ to monitor and track emotional states or mood.
• ‘Mind Hacks’ offering quick relief strategies for help in the moment.
• Short video stories from teens on what helped them to feel better.
• A ‘Get Help’ button providing quick access to referrals for crisis support.

ClearlyMe was designed to support young people aged 12 to 17 who are going through a tough time. This includes teens experiencing depressive symptoms, feeling stressed, worried, anxious, overwhelmed, or other forms of psychological distress.

ClearlyMe can help users to:

• Access evidence-based therapy at any time, from any place.
• Reduce symptoms of depression and psychological distress, and improve health related quality of life.
• Access a confidential, safe and secure platform for mental health support, monitored by Black Dog Institute’s Quality Assurance team.

While designed primarily to be used by young people as a self-directed resource, ClearlyMe has been built with Health Professionals and their practice in mind. The coping strategies and activities can easily be integrated into a treatment plan as easy and engaging homework activities or complement in-person therapy goals. They can be used as an entry point to treatment, between sessions or as a therapy adjunct.

You can also visit the ClearlyMe Mental Health Professional page to freely download a technical information factsheet to help you get started.

ClearlyMe is free to access with no catches or hidden charges.

ClearlyMe is free to download on smartphone devices from the Apple App Store and Google Play.

You can also visit the Black Dog Institute website to learn more about the app.

Three rounds of co-design workshops with young people, carers, and mental health professionals were conducted and facilitated by researchers and user experience experts in the development of ClearlyMe. These workshops aimed to ensure the clinical relevance, caregiver acceptability and youth appeal of ClearlyMe.

In 2023, Black Dog Institute evaluated ClearlyMe in a large clinical randomised control trial (RCT) with 569 adolescents aged 12 to 17 years who were experiencing depressive symptoms. ClearlyMe was found to be superior to the control condition for improving depressive symptoms and health-related quality of life.

Learn more about the research behind ClearlyMe here.