How IncluRegulate works
IncluRegulate is a calm place to practice settling strong feelings. Here's what it does, how your information is handled, and the research behind it.
Calm by design
No points, no streaks, and no leaderboards: nothing built to keep you scrolling. Each activity has a clear ending, and the app gently asks you to put the screen down and get back to your day.
Your privacy and safety
What you write in your journal stays on your device. If your school has turned on secure data sharing, your check-ins (like how your body feels) may be shared with your school team so they can support you. The app never promises to keep things private from trusted adults, and if you share that you might hurt yourself, a trusted adult may be told so someone can help. That's about keeping you safe, not getting you in trouble.
If you are in crisis, call or text 988 or text HOME to 741741.
Read the full privacy policy at inclushift.com/privacy.
What this is, and isn't
IncluRegulate is a skill-practice tool. It is not a medical device, not therapy, and not a substitute for a counselor or doctor. The skills it teaches are drawn from published research, but the app itself has not been tested in its own study.
The research behind the skills
Each activity is based on published, peer-reviewed studies. A few of the main ones are below.
Breathing
Slow breathing, with a longer breath out than in, helps the body settle.
- Balban et al. (2023), Cell Reports Medicine: Stanford trial of cyclic sighing
- Lehrer et al. (2020), Applied Psychophysiology & Biofeedback: slow-breathing review
Grounding & strong-feeling tools
Bringing attention to the senses, and simple distress-tolerance steps, help during hard moments.
- DeCou, Comtois & Landes (2019), Behavior Therapy: DBT skills meta-analysis
- Kothgassner et al. (2021), Psychological Medicine: DBT for adolescents
Noticing the body
Learning to notice body signals (not just name emotions) supports calmer responses.
- Quadt et al. (2021), eClinicalMedicine: interoception training trial
- Garfinkel et al. (2015), Biological Psychology: how body-awareness is measured
Teaching the skill, not just timing it
Skills work better when they're actually taught: shown, practiced together, then done on your own.
- Pandey et al. (2018), JAMA Pediatrics: taught self-regulation programs
- Durlak et al. (2011), Child Development: what makes skills programs effective
A calm, low-key look
Muted, low-brightness colors are easier on the senses, especially for autistic students.
- Jiang & Liu (2025), Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
- Li et al. (2025), Humanities and Social Sciences Communications
Safety comes first
If someone writes about hurting themselves, the app shows crisis help right away, using a fixed, built-in checklist, never an AI chatbot.
- Pichowicz et al. (2025), Scientific Reports: why AI chatbots aren't safe for crisis
- Singer, Erbacher & Rosen (2019), School Mental Health: school crisis-tech standards
This is a short list. The full reference set and methodology are kept in our internal research documentation for educators, clinicians, and reviewers.