Couples Coach vs Virtual Hope Box (new)

Couples Coach is designed for partners who want to improve their relationship and explore new ways to connect. The app takes users through five levels of expert-written education and engaging behavioral exercises informed by science. Popular exercises like Using I Messages and Active Listening are brought to life in a dynamic and interactive format. Couples Coach pairs up partners as they explore assessments and share results, learn about different approaches to common relationship issues and review available resources in their communities. It also includes comprehensive relationship information for couples living with PTSD. Although Couples Coach can help improve communication and satisfaction in your relationship, it isn’t a replacement for face-to-face couples counseling. The app features a couples counseling locator for finding a professional counselor along with several other local and national resources. Learn more about how to find a good couples therapist and take your relationship to the next level. This app is the first of its kind, and continued development is in progress. This first trial release presents a unique opportunity for users to try the beta version and share feedback to improve the app. Join our design team! To suggest enhancements and share issues encountered, please email mobilementalhealth@va.gov. Couples Coach was made by the mobile mental health team of the National Center for PTSD, Dissemination & Training Division.

The Virtual Hope Box (VHB) is a smartphone application designed for use by patients and their mental health providers as an accessory to treatment. The VHB contains simple tools to help patients with coping, relaxation, distraction, and positive thinking. Patients and providers can work together to personalize the VHB content on the patient's own smartphone according to the patient's specific needs. The patient can then use the VHB away from clinic, continuing to add or change content as needed. Patients can use the VHB to store a variety of rich multimedia content that they find personally supportive in times of need. For example, a patient can include family photos, videos and recorded messages from loved ones, inspirational quotes, music they find especially soothing, reminders of previous successes, positive life experiences and future aspirations, and affirmations of their worth in their VHB. A patient can also collaborate with their provider to create coping cards to use in response to personal problem areas they experience. Finally, the VHB provides the patient with positive activity planning, distraction tools, and interactive relaxation exercises including guided imagery, controlled breathing and muscle relaxation.