What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “Sanvello?” Is it how smoothly and effortlessly the name rolls off the tongue? Perhaps the “san” prefix reminded you of “san”dwiches, and now all you can think about is how good a snack sounds right now? Perhaps you’re familiar with the Sanvello app, and the very mention of it prompted you to check in with how you’re feeling, noticing any bodily manifestations of stress and anxiety. Here is a friendly reminder to relax your shoulders and unclench your jaw.
Word associations aside, is a top-of-the-line mental health app whose premium services are available for free to every member of the Syracuse University campus community. The Sanvello app is home to so many amazing resources, it is easy to become overwhelmed by all the choices. To ease you into the wonderful world of Sanvello, here is a shortlist of a few of its unique features, all of which are grounded in cognitive-behavioral therapy and mindfulness meditation techniques.
Celebrity Partnerships
In the fall of 2020, the Sanvello app announced its partnership with Olympic gold medalist, Aly Raisman. Raisman, an avid mental-health advocate, is working with Sanvello to break down barriers and stigmas surrounding mental health and wellness. For example, most recently, Sanvello app users can read an where Raisman discusses her “self-care rituals, tools for feeling better, and what’s topping her gratitude list.”
Sanvello has also collaborated with TikTok influencer, Garden Marcus and famous author John Green, with Marcus creating a series of “” videos centered on wellness and gardening and Green co-producing a guided journey on “” In addition to its celebrity collaborations, the Sanvello app has continual partnerships with well-known and well-respected therapists and motivational speakers to provide a well-rounded mental health network for its users.
Daily Mood Check-ins
We all love to receive those simple, yet thoughtful, “thinking of you, how are you?” texts from loved ones. These texts appear as spontaneously and sporadically as the thoughts that prompt them — but wait! We have emotionally charged experiences every day, so shouldn’t we be checking in with our feelings and moods just as regularly? The Sanvello app sends daily reminders to check in with your mood, with questions that encourage you to take a moment and self-reflect. Tracking daily moods empowers you to make informed life choices, with the knowledge of which behaviors and habits affect you, positively or negatively.
Guided Journeys and Meditations
Sanvello’s Guided Journeys are designed by psychologists to address a variety of mental health needs, from confidence-building to feeling better and more. The audio lessons and guided activities in the journeys are based in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and other techniques to help you build life skills to manage feelings of stress, anxiety and depression. The Sanvello app also offers both guided and solo meditations, usually between one and ten minutes long, to help users relax and center in the present moment.
Hope Boards
Pinterest boards are all the rage these days, and the Sanvello app offers a fresh take on “pinning” with its “Hope Boards” feature. Sanvello’s hope boards are a mix between Pinterest boards and the concept of manifestation. They exist as a reference point for joy and inspiration. You can customize your hope boards with notes, quotes and pictures that inspire and uplift you, and you can revisit your boards whenever you need an emotional pick-me-up.
These are just a few of the resources available on the Sanvello app. If you are interested in beginning your mental health journey, becoming more deliberate in your mental health maintenance or are just curious about what support is out there, the Sanvello app is a great place to start. The app is aesthetically pleasing, user-friendly and, perhaps most importantly, it’s free for Syracuse University community members using their syr.edu email. Having free, unlimited access to state-of-the-art mental health resources is as good a reason as any to check it out.
Download the Sanvello app on the or the and register using your Syracuse University email (i.e. @syr.edu). For more information, check out the on the , email barnescenter@syr.edu or call 315.443.8000.
Written by Cecelia Kersten ’23 , S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications