Here it goes again. Racing thoughts when rushing to meet a deadline. Tired eyes and aching shoulders while hunched over a computer screen. Many of us know the feeling but find it hard to stop, relax and take a breath.

The Calm Health app is here to help, and Temple is now providing a free subscription for full-time employees and their families. The university is the first higher education institution in Pennsylvania to offer Calm Health to employees.

Imagine lying on the beach at sunset as the waves lap against the shore. Walking in a quiet forest surrounded by hooting owls and gentle streams. Reading a book as rain taps on the window. With Calm, these soothing scenarios become easy to envision during tense times.

“We’ve been looking for different ways to expand the mental health resources that we provide to employees and found Calm Health to be a great tool,” said Mark Denys, associate vice provost of health and well-being. “It’s user-friendly and evidence-based. There’s something for everyone on it.” 

As the job landscape continues to evolve, stress remains a common and troubling concern in the workplace. The American Institute of Stress reports that job stress is estimated to cost U.S. companies more than $300 billion a year due to absenteeism, reduced productivity and accidents. In the American Psychological Association’s 2024 Work in America study, 43% of employees said they feel tense or stressed during the workday.

“It is crucial to support the mental health and well-being of employees as that is what allows them to thrive in the workplace, and ultimately, that is what allows Temple to thrive,” said Sharon Boyle, vice president of human resources. “We are excited to make Calm Health available for Temple employees and their families, and it reflects our continued efforts to build and enhance a culture of health and well-being here at the university.”

Calm Health provides programs and tools created by psychologists to promote a better understanding of mental health and physical well-being. Calm includes various features such as guided meditations, exclusive music tracks and ambient sounds, breathing and stretching exercises, and sleep stories narrated by celebrities like Matthew McConaughey, Lucy Liu and Harry Styles. Overall, the app is designed to help users manage stress and anxiety, sleep better, balance mood, and refocus.

Employees can create or log in to their accounts on Temple’s Calm Health website by typing in their TUid. This site can be accessed via the Well-being section on TUportal. Upon registration, Calm Health uses a screening tool in which it asks a few questions to suggest content. Users can then rely on this curated content or search for more.

“Calm Health is ideal for staff and faculty because it can help focus before a meeting or class and relax after,” said Denys. “It includes short sessions on different aspects of mindfulness and mental health to listen to any time to feel balanced. And the sleep meditations are great because better sleep can also help us concentrate and be more present.”

The Calm Health app launch is part of the Health and Well-being Division’s strategic plan to provide more wellness resources for employees and take a holistic approach to support emotional, physical, social and mental health across the university.

The division will also soon deploy a human sustainability program for all faculty and staff. As part of this initiative, employees will take a survey to gain feedback about their health and receive personalized information about their overall well-being journey.

Additionally, Employee Health Services plans to offer more wellness-focused visits and screenings to encourage faculty and staff to utilize these resources.

Temple’s Health and Well-being Division brings together Student Health Services, Tuttleman Counseling Services, the Wellness Resource Center and Employee Health Services to provide resources and services for a range of care including physical and sexual health, individual and group counseling, crisis support, and peer education, among other offerings.

Thanks to the university’s commitment to mental wellness support, education and services, Temple was designated a Certified Suicide Prevention Institution of Higher Education in Pennsylvania in September 2024.

The launch of Calm Health is the latest example of the Health and Well-being Division’s mission to expand its programs, especially for faculty and staff.

“We want to do everything we can to help employees be the best version of themselves by providing as many resources as possible,” said Denys.

Learn more about Temple’s resources and how to access them.