Common Questions
What is a stress trigger?
A stress trigger is anything (a situation, a sound, a tone of voice, a memory) that activates your body's stress response. Your heart rate climbs, your muscles tighten, your thoughts speed up, your hands may sweat or shake, your voice gets shaky, your stomach feels sick or tied in knots. But the trigger doesn't have to be 'big' for it to be real. Sometimes the most persistent ones are small, repeated, and easy to dismiss.
How is this different from a journal or mood tracker?
Most journals and mood trackers record how you feel. The Trigger Tracker connects what happened, where you felt it in your body, how intense it was, and what actually helped, so over time you see patterns, not just logs. And with Full Access, it responds to what you just logged with something matched to your specific situation, not a generic suggestion. Full Access also lets you store your logs beyond 7 days and export them into a report you can review yourself or share with a therapist.
What does “somatic” mean and why does it matter?
Somatic means relating to the body. Stress doesn't just exist in your thoughts. It lives in your chest, your stomach, your shoulders. The Trigger Tracker starts with where you feel it physically, which is how your nervous system actually processes stress, before asking you to name or explain anything.
What if I can't name what triggered me?
You don't have to. Sometimes you don't know exactly what caused it. You can tap where you feel it in your body, log what your body is doing, skip the description, and run your reset without ever naming a cause. You can come back later and add context when you have more distance from the moment, or never.
What are the resets, and are they actually backed by research?
They're short regulation techniques, most under two minutes: breathing patterns, muscle release, grounding, movement. Things like the Physiological Sigh, Box Breathing, or Somatic Shaking. The app recommends one based on what you just logged. Every technique is documented in our free Reset Library, including the honest version of the evidence: what's been studied, what's practice-based, and what's never been formally tested. We'd rather tell you what's carrying the weight than borrow authority the research doesn't offer.
What is the Stress Gap?
Every entry asks two things: how intense this is, and how able you feel to cope right now. The gap between them is your Stress Gap — a single number for the distance between what's hitting you and what you've got to meet it. Watching it over time shows you something intensity alone can't: whether that distance is closing.
How long before I start seeing patterns?
Most users start noticing something meaningful after five to seven entries. The pattern dashboard unlocks at seven entries. You don't need to log every day. Even occasional entries across a few weeks reveal things that are hard to see in the moment.
Do I have to log the moment it happens?
No. In the moment is ideal when you can, but life doesn't always allow it — a surgeon can't stop mid-operation, a parent can't stop mid-crisis. Log it when you're able, mark when it actually happened, and the patterns stay true. The reset still helps hours later.
Is this a therapy app or a mental health app?
Neither, in the clinical sense. The Trigger Tracker is an educational and self-monitoring tool. It helps you notice and understand your own emotional stress responses. But it doesn't diagnose, treat, or replace professional mental health care. Many users find it a useful complement to therapy, particularly for tracking patterns between sessions.
Who can see my entries?
Nobody except you. Your entries are encrypted, stored in a database where only your account can access them, and never shared with or viewed by anyone, including us. We don't sell data, run ads, or use your entries to train anything. The optional reframe feature sends only the single entry you're working with, with no name or email attached, under an agreement that prohibits training on it. You can turn it off entirely in Settings, and then no entry ever touches an AI system at all.
What if someone else uses my phone?
The app has three protections you can turn on: an app lock (PIN or fingerprint/face) so the app won't open even on an unlocked phone, a quick exit that takes you to a weather page in one tap, and screen privacy that blurs your entries when you switch apps. Your entries also never appear in page titles or notifications. These are all in Settings, off by default, yours if you need them.
Will you send me streaks, reminders, or guilt me for not entering regularly?
No streaks, no guilt, no "we miss you" emails. There are a few quiet badges that mark growing steadiness — miss a week and nothing resets, nothing is lost. The only emails you'll ever get log you in, confirm account changes you made, concern your billing, or that you've specifically asked for. This app is designed for you to eventually need it less — constant daily use of a stress tracker over a long period of time would mean you're still living in constant stress.
Can I export my data?
Yes. With Full Access you can export your full entry history as a CSV file, useful for sharing with a therapist, reviewing your own progress, or simply keeping a record. Your data belongs to you.
What is the Forgiveness+ ecosystem?
Forgiveness+ is the organization behind The Trigger Tracker. It's a body of work built on one conviction: that grace, not self-punishment, is what actually rewires a stress response. The Trigger Tracker is the app layer. The Showing Yourself Grace™ program and The Cortisol Cleanse are where the work goes deeper, live cohorts, community, and direct access to the founder. Find out more at forgiveness.plus.
Is there an app I can download?
The Trigger Tracker is a web app, no download or app store required. You can add it to your home screen for a full app-like experience. On iPhone: tap Share, then Add to Home Screen. On Android: tap the menu (three dots), then Add to Home screen or Install app. On a computer: look for the install icon in your browser's address bar. It loads instantly and looks and functions like a native app.
What does the free tier include?
Free lets you log entries, complete resets, and see your basic Stress Gap score, indefinitely, with no credit card required. Full Access adds your complete entry history, pattern recognition after 7 entries, AI-matched responses to your specific trigger, and exportable reports.
How much does Full Access cost?
$125 per year (about $10 a month). Monthly billing is available at $14/month. New users can try Full Access free for 30 days; your card isn't charged until day 31. Early members keep this rate permanently, even if the price increases later.
Is my payment information secure?
Yes. All payments are processed by Stripe, a PCI-DSS compliant payment processor. We never see, store, or touch your card details. They go directly from you to Stripe.
What if I want to delete my account?
You can delete your account at any time from Settings. Your entries, your profile, and your account are removed immediately, not queued. If you have an active subscription it's cancelled at the same time, and the remainder of the period you've already paid for isn't refunded. Nothing is kept except the billing records tax law requires.