People experiencing high stress levels are often at risk of suicidal thoughts, but they don’t talk openly about suicide because of the social stigma. The Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention, Klinic, and the Winnipeg Suicide Prevention Network asked Tactica to create an app that could break through this barrier.
Challenge
Solution
The Calm in the Storm app makes the topic of suicide safe & accessible by embedding it within a stress management app. The easy to use web and mobile app, created in collaboration with mental health professionals, uses clinically proven stress management strategies including:
- guided audio meditations;
- tools for assessing perceived stress levels;
- the ability to track physical, behavioural, emotional and cognitive symptoms over time;
- a personalized hope box that lets you add your own calming pictures and phrases;
- a fully customizable stress safety plan; and
- a valuable information about stress.
These features make the Calm in the Storm an essential app for understanding and managing stress and its effects on body, mind and spirit.
Most importantly, the app is there for users in times of crisis. If the app detects high risk symptoms or stress levels it makes a suggestion for the user to contact a crisis centre. Using geolocation the app recommends the crisis centre phone number closest to the user’s current location in Canada.
Result
Calm in the Storm launched with great success receiving a flood of media attention and thousands of downloads. The app has been integrated into several frontline services in the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority including triage at the Health Sciences Centre. The app was honored by the Advertising Association of Winnipeg with a Best Website award in 2015.
In the first few months the app gained over twenty thousand users, and incredible user feedback started pouring in, including:
“Thank you, I can definitely feel a difference, I feel so much calmer and relaxed, and it helped me mentally too!
“This Calm app is amazing!! So easy to use on your mobile and it really works.”
“I’m only in grade 6 but this is great for me.”
Client Profile
Klinic
Klinic Community Health Centre is located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. We are a member of Manitoba Association of Community Health. We provide a full range of health related services from medical care to counseling to education. We promote health and quality of life for all. We help people make choices about their own health. We address the special needs of our neighborhoods and help communities organize on issues of concern. We look to our community for direction. We provide confidential services.
CASP/ACPS
The Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention (CASP) was incorporated in 1985 by a group of professionals who saw the need to provide information and resources to communities to reduce the suicide rate and minimize the harmful consequences of suicidal behaviour.
