Whitu 7 Ways in 7 Days

Whitu 7 Ways in 7 Days app

  • An app for young adults and adults who feel overwhelmed or stressed in their current situation.
  • While the app may be useful for some adults the content and style of app is probably most relevant for young people of high school age.
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Whitu 7 Ways in 7 Days app By University of Auckland

Features

  • Teaches self-help skills.
  • Interactive touch screen.
  • Tracking.
  • Reminders.
  • Graphs and reporting.
Country of origin New Zealand
Clinical review 

4 star review


Read a clinical review below.
Security and privacy Does the app:
  • Collect medical information?
  • Require a login?
  • Have password protection?
  • Have a privacy policy?
  • Require internet access to use?

Read more about safety and security when using apps.

Brochures:
Tips to improve your privacy and security [PDF, 65 KB] Healthify He Puna Waiora, NZ
Staying safe online(external link) Netsafe, NZ
Cost Free
Advertisements This app contains no ads.
How to get the app

The Whitu app consists of a 7 day plan which has been clinically designed to help young people and adults who feel overwhelmed or stressed in their current situation. You can learn useful skills to identify and manage emotions as they arise, and techniques for improving your mental health. You can also learn to work through a process of setting goals and reviewing your progress. 

The 7 modules to support young people and adults to learn and practice evidence-based coping skills include:

  • identifying and rating emotions
  • relaxation
  • gratitude
  • mindfulness
  • staying connected
  • physical care
  • goal setting.

While the app may be useful for some adults the content and style of app is probably most relevant for young people of high school age. The app is specific to an Aotearoa New Zealand audience as it uses local voices and Māori language and symbols, and uses a more holistic approach to health and wellbeing. For a more detailed review, see reviews below. 


PROS CONS 

✔ Audio clips are well paced.

✔ Has text transcripts that follow the audio.

✔ Clear and concise explanation of each of the modules.

✔ Gives a great introduction of evidence-based psychological tools and treatments in short, easy to understand modules.

✔ Covers main psychotherapy techniques, eg, mindfulness, relaxation, kindness and gratitude.

✔ Creative way to show progress using a growing tree, so users can visualise their journey.

✔ Attractive graphics.

✘ If you exit out of a module, you have to restart the module. However it's easy to navigate through the audio tracks to manually resume your previous progress.

✘ Some references to the COVID-19 pandemic may be less relevant than they were in 2020/2021.

Clinical review

4 star review



Reviewer: David Bloore, Clinical Psychologist, Private Practice
Date of review: June 2024
Platform: Android
Version: 1.1.3
Comments: While this app was designed to help support users through the COVID-19 pandemic (and makes a number of references towards this) it's probably useful to think of it as an app that provides education around emotions, how to learn to respond to emotions in a healthy way and also outlines a number of useful techniques and strategies to improve one’s overall mental wellbeing. There are 7 different modules with the recommendation to complete 1 module each week, which allows the user to focus on 1 particular area at a times and develop skills by repeating exercises daily.
The app has some interactive features – notifications can be turned on to remind the user to practice and ‘badges’ are earned at the completion of each module, which can act as a reward and motivate further learning.
The audio is clear and the graphics are well designed and relevant for a New Zealand audience, but probably most relevant for a teen/young adult age group.
Safety concerns: None.
New Zealand relevance: Yes.

Consumer guide – how to choose a health app
Clinician's guide – how to choose a health app
Mental health and wellbeing apps (for teenagers and young people)
Mental health – youth topics
NZ Health App Library

References

  1. Thabrew H, Boggiss AL, Lim D, et al. Well-being app to support young people during the COVID-19 pandemic – randomised controlled trial (external link) BMJ Open, 2021 
  2. Serlachius A, Schache K, Boggiss A, et al. Coping skills mobile app to support the emotional well-being of young people during the COVID-19 pandemic – protocol for a mixed methods study(external link) JMIR Res Protoc 2020;9(10):e23716
  3. Serlachius A, Boggiss A, Lim D, et al. Pilot study of a well-being app to support New Zealand young people during the COVID-19 pandemic(external link) Internet Interv. 2021;26:100464

Disclaimer: The NZ Health App Library is a free consumer service to help you decide whether a health app would be suitable for you. Our review process is independent. We have no relationship with the app developers or companies and no responsibility for the service they provide. This means that if you have an issue with one of the apps we have reviewed, you will need to contact the app developer or company directly.

Factsheets – using health apps safely

How to choose a health app
Healthify He Puna Waiora, NZ

Privacy and security tips for using health apps
Healthify He Puna Waiora, NZ

Credits: Healthify editorial team. Healthify is brought to you by Health Navigator Charitable Trust.

Read more at: https://healthify.nz/apps/w/whitu-7-ways-in-7-days-app/
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