A First-Of-Its-Kind Mental Gym App Just Dropped—Here’s Why You’ll Want In
Eloise Luke
Contributor | Urban List
Mental health is something we all say we care about, but between long workdays, the cost of therapy, and the general chaos of life, looking after your headspace can feel like another task on an already-overflowing to-do list.
That’s exactly what inspired Gus Worland (radio host and founder of mental health charity Gotcha4Life) to create a new kind of wellbeing tool—the Mental Fitness Gym App.
It’s free, practical and designed to help Aussies strengthen their minds the same way they train their bodies, through small, daily exercises that fit easily into your schedule.
The app couldn’t have arrived at a more urgent time. Each year, more than 3,000 Australians die by suicide, and around 65,000 attempt it.
Gotcha4Life’s mission is to change those numbers by helping people build what Worland calls “mental fitness”—the emotional resilience, connection and belonging that help you weather life’s ups and downs before crisis hits.
The question is, how much meaningful change can come from something as simple as an app? We sat down with Worland to find out.
“Mental fitness is about working out your emotional muscles the same way you would your physical ones,” says Worland. “It’s about daily practices that help you cope with life, connect with others, and seek help when you need it. Just like going to the gym keeps your body strong, mental fitness keeps your mind strong.”
Worland’s commitment to the cause runs deep. After losing a mentor and father figure to suicide, he founded Gotcha4Life with a simple mission: to create a world where no one worries alone.
Through school programs, community workshops, and now the new app, the charity focuses on prevention, not reaction—helping people build strong relationships and healthy habits before things reach breaking point.
The Mental Fitness Gym App takes that same ethos and puts it in your pocket. There are more than 100 short, science-backed exercises that you can do anytime, anywhere—from guided breathing and journaling prompts to small reflection tasks that help you name what you’re feeling.
“Even a few minutes a day can make a big difference,” Worland says. “You start small, but those habits build over time.”
One of the app’s standout features is its fresh take on emotional language. The Gotcha4Life team worked with psychologists to coin a new vocabulary for “modern emotions” that capture how we really feel in today’s world—like clusterwhelm (when everything hits at once), drainium (when your tank’s empty), or meh-ified (when enthusiasm has left the chat).
“If we can’t name it, we can’t deal with it,” Worland says. “By giving people words for what they’re feeling, we make it easier to understand, talk about and work through.”
It’s also built around connection, encouraging users to check in on their “village”—the friends, family, and mentors who help them stay grounded. “Humans aren’t designed to handle everything alone,” says Worland. “Your village helps you see things clearly and reminds you you’re not alone.”
Worland even has his own daily ritual that’s become a favourite among early users: the ‘I Love You, I Miss You Reps’.
“You think of someone who means the world to you and send them a quick message—‘I love you, I miss you, see you soon.’ It might feel awkward, but it lights up both your day and theirs.”
Like any good workout, the benefits come from consistency rather than intensity. “It’s not about perfection,” Worland says. “It’s about progress—every emotion named, every check-in, every small step towards feeling a little more connected and a little less alone.”
If everyone in Australia downloaded the app tomorrow, Worland believes we’d see real change. “People would feel more confident talking about what’s going on in their heads, more connected to others, and better able to manage life’s ups and downs. Little by little, life would feel less heavy. Less lonely.”
The verdict? Caring for our mental health should be less about grand gestures, and more about the small, repeatable habits that make everyday life a bit more manageable. That’s the space this app sits in: helping you build those muscles before you need them.
The Gotcha4Life Mental Fitness Gym App is free and available now. Download it today and start your first mental workout online.
Image credit: Gotcha4Life | Instagram
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