MonkeyThrive

Offline Wellness · Natural Calm · Autonomous Regulation

A privacy-first, open-source nervous system regulation toolkit for trauma survivors and anyone reclaiming self-regulation.
Built from lived experience. For everyone who is still here.

What it is

MonkeyThrive is a collection of evidence-informed tools for nervous system regulation — breathing techniques, grounding protocols, vagal nerve activation, and bilateral stimulation. It runs natively on Android, works as a zero-telemetry PWA across desktop and mobile, and is architected to operate entirely without Google Play Services or network connectivity.

It is not a wellness startup. It is not a data business. It does not track engagement or optimize for retention. It succeeds when the person using it needs it less.

Who it is for

Trauma survivors, PTSD, and CPTSD individuals
People who cannot access or afford therapy
People in environments where mental health support is stigmatized or unavailable
Privacy-conscious users on de-Googled Android (GrapheneOS, CalyxOS, SailfishOS)
Anyone seeking uncompromised, offline self-regulation tools

What makes it different

Privacy by Architecture, Not Policy: Zero network requests from the core app. Network permissions (INTERNET, ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE) are stripped from the Android manifest. No Firebase, no analytics SDKs, no crash trackers. Verified via open source.
Clinically Informed: Designed with clinical safety constraints. Safety-critical functions include documented rationales. Safety gates are mandatory.
Google-Independent: Zero dependency on Google Play Services. Distributed as a standalone APK and deployable via static hosting.
No Guilt Mechanics: No streaks. No daily goals. No “you’ve been away” prompts. The app holds no memory of absence.
Adaptive Baseline Modeling: Local, user-consented check-ins to monitor regulation over time. Data stays strictly on-device.

Features

Regulate (Tier 1 — Always Available)

Box Breathing: 3/4/5 count, visual pacing, tactile haptics.
Physiological Sigh: Double inhale + extended exhale (rapid acute autonomic stabilization).
4-7-8 Breathing: Parasympathetic pacing.
Wim Hof Guided Rounds: Structured rounds with strict physiological gating (see Clinical Safety).
5-4-3-2-1 Sensory Grounding: Guided orienting protocol.
Cold Water / Diving Reflex: 30-second somatic reset timer.
Safe Place Visualization: Stored locally on-device.
Vagal Nerve Activation: Humming, gargling, extended exhale cues.
Panic Button: Prominent, instant-access anchor triggering a physiological sigh.

Process (Tier 2 — Requires Regulated Baseline)

Bilateral Stimulation (BLS): Visual and tactile modes for between-session grounding.
Explicitly not marketed or labeled as full EMDR in UI (see Clinical Safety).
Session prerequisite disclaimer: “MonkeyThrive is a supportive self-regulation tool. It does not replace professional therapy.”

Attune (Audio Synthesis — In Development)

Status: Currently gated behind calibration. Pure Dart/synthesized binaural beats, isochronic pacing, and acoustic layers are undergoing deterministic testing to eliminate sudden acoustic triggers before public release.

Monitor

Window of Tolerance Check-in: Routes available tools based on somatic state (Hyperarousal, Regulated, Hypoarousal).
Local History: Encrypted, on-device session records.

Clinical Safety

MonkeyThrive is open source. Contributors and forkers must understand the clinical reasoning behind state gates prior to modifying code.

Window of Tolerance Gating

Before sensitive exercises, users evaluate their state: Overwhelmed (Hyperaroused), Present (Regulated), or Flat / Numb (Hypoaroused).

State	Gated / Locked Modules	Clinical Rationale
Overwhelmed (Hyperarousal)	4-7-8, Wim Hof, Safe Place, Bilateral Processing	Acute panic requires immediate physiological down-regulation, not cognitive or trauma processing.
Present (Regulated)	None (All modules accessible)	Nervous system is resilient enough for processing and expansion.
Flat / Numb (Hypoarousal / Freeze)	4-7-8, Wim Hof, Safe Place, Bilateral Processing	Deep freeze states require gentle somatic sensory orienting, not sedative breathwork or cognitive imagery.

Wim Hof Safety Gating

Before every breathwork round involving hyperventilation, the user must explicitly confirm:

Not currently overwhelmed or in freeze
Not pregnant
No history of cardiovascular conditions, epilepsy, seizures, or respiratory distress
Positioned in a physically safe environment (lying down, away from water)

Bilateral Stimulation Rules

Labeled clearly as bilateral stimulation for grounding, never full clinical EMDR.
Strictly gated to users currently in a regulated state.
Always displays clinical disclaimers regarding professional care.

Codebase Comment Blocks

Safety-critical functions contain explicit safety documentation: ```dart // CLINICAL SAFETY — [function name] // What this does: [plain description] // Why it exists: [clinical reasoning] // What happens if removed or modified: [consequence] // Informed by: [source] Do not alter safety-critical paths without addressing and preserving these safety blocks.Privacy ArchitectureZero Network Permissions: INTERNET and network state queries removed.Local Storage Only: Data is written locally using encrypted preferences and secure storage.Reproducible & Verifiable: Auditable codebase with clear package constraints.Permissive Open Source: Licensed under GPL-3.0 with ethical safety boundaries.Tech StackFlutter 3.27+: Unified mobile and web codebase.vibration: Tactile haptic feedback for bilateral stimulation and breath pacing.shared_preferences: Encrypted local state and settings persistence.PWA Deployment: Static export deployed to GitHub Pages (monkeythrive.app).Build & RunAndroid APKBashcd thrives_app flutter build apk –release The output APK is generated at build/app/outputs/flutter-apk/app-release.apk.Progressive Web App (PWA)Bashcd thrives_app flutter build web –release –no-web-resources-cdn –base-href “/” Platform AvailabilityPlatformDistribution ChannelStatusWeb / PWAHosted at monkeythrive.appLive / DeployableAndroid (Standalone)Direct APK release / GitHub ReleasesWorkingAndroid (De-Googled)F-Droid inclusionPlannediOSPWA via Safari (“Add to Home Screen”)SupportedContributingReview CONTRIBUTING.md before submitting pull requests.Dependencies must be verified zero-telemetry, offline-first, and leak-free.Safety blocks (// CLINICAL SAFETY) cannot be removed or weakened.PRs altering somatic pacing or state routing require clinical rationale review.LicenseGPL-3.0. See LICENSE for details.Built from lived experience. For everyone who is still here.

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