Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow Does the Healthy Minds Program Work?My Experience With Healthy MindsPros and ConsFinal Thoughts
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How Does the Healthy Minds Program Work?
My Experience With Healthy Minds
Pros and Cons
Final Thoughts
While I lead a relatively healthy lifestyle, there is one aspect that I have neglected over the years: mywell-being. A strongermind-body connectioncan grow a better sense of overall life satisfaction and happiness or well-being. Doing this can lead to a longer, healthier, and more fulfilling life.And of all the things I’ve worked on through the years, that has not been one of them. So how does one go about cultivating well-being?
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Dr. Davidson’s research suggests that, like the physical body,the brain can be changed and moldedthrough regular training exercises. As a result, he believes that the more people like me use the app’smindfulnessexercises, the easier it becomes to break out of automatic negative patterns formed through years of stress and emotions.
The Healthy Minds Program CurriculumThe program consists of a series of lessons and exercises following the four pillars Dr. Davidson claims are crucial to having a healthy mind:AwarenessConnectionInsightPurpose
The Healthy Minds Program Curriculum
The program consists of a series of lessons and exercises following the four pillars Dr. Davidson claims are crucial to having a healthy mind:AwarenessConnectionInsightPurpose
The program consists of a series of lessons and exercises following the four pillars Dr. Davidson claims are crucial to having a healthy mind:
The app is easy to sign up for and use. The program itself begins with a questionnaire aimed at getting to the root of where I stood on day one.
Healthy Minds Program
I was then asked to complete an additional and optional questionnaire about my stress levels intended to help scientists learn whether the app can aid with that as well. Once finished, my Healthy Minds course map was generated.
My Healthy Minds course map began with starting with a Foundation module, which introduced the Awareness, Connection, Insight, and Purpose pillars, with a mix of short lessons explaining the science behind each and their associated meditation exercises. The Foundation module was informative and did an excellent job setting the stage for the rest of the program. One element I loved in the Foundation module is that I could view a transcript of the lessons after completing them. As a visual learner, this allowed me to absorb the content even better.
After completing the introduction, I could access the modules for each of the pillars—and the next module was for Awareness. This built on what was introduced in the Foundation module and contained three chapters of lessons andmeditationexercises. The lessons range from four to seven minutes. However, I discovered that, unlike the Foundation, there were no transcripts available for the other pillar lessons, which was a little disappointing.
Active meditation meant I could participate while engaged in something else, like cleaning the kitchen or walking on the treadmill.
This opened up more opportunities during the day to train my brain. (Note: These meditations should not be attempted while driving a car or undertaking an activity that requires attention.)
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The Healthy Minds Program is not customizable, which may not appeal to some, but it worked for me. It is a program that intends those who participate to move through the pillars and associated lessons in a prescribed order, though the assessment at the beginning helped me know which pillars I might want to focus more on. However, this didn’t mean I had to do an exercise or lesson if I didn’t want to or didn’t have time.
I previewed the curriculum in each module and decided to jump into some that purported to help with focus. While I didn’t necessarily need the exercises and teachings that came before, I understood how they built upon each other. I am a linear person in general, so I decided to commit to going back and doing the program in the recommended order instead of jumping ahead.
I thought it was interesting how easy it is to flow from one lesson and meditation into another. At various times throughout the day, I would plunge ahead with the program, completing at least one lesson and related meditation. There is no need to rush, nor does the program require you to only complete one session per day. During the month I reviewed the app, I generally did a session (one lesson and one exercise) each morning and one in the evening. By the beginning of week three, I found it a nice way to start and end each day and looked forward to it.
Doing it this way still only got me through a fraction of the program in the month. But it did give me enough content to solidify my positive opinion about it.
Of all the lessons and exercises I have tried thus far, I haven’t come across one that I didn’t get something out of.
For instance, I am easily distracted, even when doing something I enjoy. When I remove myself from an environment that tends to distract me, like my house, I still can’t seem to focus or concentrate on getting tasks done in a timely manner.
Two of my favorite lessons in the Awareness module of my Healthy Minds Program deal with distractions and have taught me a great deal about how I could change my perception of them—the Transforming Distraction lesson and the Wandering Mind lesson.
In the Transforming Distraction lesson, I learned that my efforts to drown out distracting sensations actually wind up causing more of an emotional and mental burden. In the Wandering Mind section, I found that trying to reign in mymeandering musingsrequires me to lean into the thoughts as they come up rather than ignoring them. The meditation exercises for these components involved keying in on the very distractions I was trying to ignore. The more I’ve practiced these, the better I’ve become at moving my emotions from frustration and chaos into calm and acceptance.
Just like working hard on my physical health, it is going to take a lot longer than one month to meet my goals of having a calmer, more focused, and overall enjoyable life, but I feel like the Healthy Minds Program can help me do this.
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I enjoyed the Healthy Minds program from the very first lesson. It is easy to use, and the science behind the system is interesting and presented in a way that makes it easy to understand. That being said, there are pros and cons.
ProsFreeEasy interfaceShort, podcast-style lessonsGreat intro to meditationExtensive and thorough content in each “pillar”ConsIf a lesson is closed before completion, it starts overLimited contentLesson transcripts only available in the Foundation module
ProsFreeEasy interfaceShort, podcast-style lessonsGreat intro to meditationExtensive and thorough content in each “pillar”
Free
Easy interface
Short, podcast-style lessons
Great intro to meditation
Extensive and thorough content in each “pillar”
ConsIf a lesson is closed before completion, it starts overLimited contentLesson transcripts only available in the Foundation module
If a lesson is closed before completion, it starts over
Limited content
Lesson transcripts only available in the Foundation module
I was hard-pressed to find something about this program that I didn’t like, but for me, that had to come in the lack of lesson transcripts.
I intend to continue working my way through the program in my quest to improve my well-being and overall enjoyment. While Healthy Minds is not the cure-all for mental health struggles, I believe it will go a long way in helping me rechart neural pathways toward a more fulfilling and fruitful life. I have already recommended this app to others and will continue to do so. Even for those who do not have a desire to try meditation, I would encourage them to at least go through the lessons and try a couple. The science is extraordinary, and the results, so far, have been encouraging.
3 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Well-being concepts.Dahl CJ, Wilson-Mendenhall CD, Davidson RJ.The plasticity of well-being: A training-based framework for the cultivation of human flourishing.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2020;117(51):32197-32206. doi:10.1073/pnas.2014859117National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Meditation and mindfulness: What you need to know.
3 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Well-being concepts.Dahl CJ, Wilson-Mendenhall CD, Davidson RJ.The plasticity of well-being: A training-based framework for the cultivation of human flourishing.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2020;117(51):32197-32206. doi:10.1073/pnas.2014859117National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Meditation and mindfulness: What you need to know.
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Well-being concepts.Dahl CJ, Wilson-Mendenhall CD, Davidson RJ.The plasticity of well-being: A training-based framework for the cultivation of human flourishing.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2020;117(51):32197-32206. doi:10.1073/pnas.2014859117National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Meditation and mindfulness: What you need to know.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Well-being concepts.
Dahl CJ, Wilson-Mendenhall CD, Davidson RJ.The plasticity of well-being: A training-based framework for the cultivation of human flourishing.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2020;117(51):32197-32206. doi:10.1073/pnas.2014859117
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Meditation and mindfulness: What you need to know.
Hannah Owens, LMSW
andSimone Scully
Simone Scully
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