Mental Health and Wellbeing

CBT Online Cognitive Behaviour Therapy self-help site.

SAM Self-help app which includes a personal toolbox, negative thought buster, colouring exercise and information. Winner of best anxiety app 2016. 

Youper Evidence-based app developed to help people with social anxiety gain confidence in social situations. Aims to help people understand their anxiety, control it, and then challenge it using real-life guided practice exercises.

Moodkit Approved by NHW Choices and listed as one of the best apps for Depression 2017. Uses CBT principles to help people with anxiety and depression manage and track their moods. It has a ‘thought checker’ to identify negative thoughts and an activities tool to suggest wellbeing activities.

Child Bereavement UK Has an app designed to support children and young people who have suffered a bereavement. Provides information on where to get more support.

Cruse – Bereavement Care Offers support, advice and information to children, young people and adults when someone dies and works to enhance society’s care of bereaved people through face-to-face, telephone, email and website support.

Charlie Walker Memorial Trust Awareness, information and resources for those who are depressed.

MoodTools Depression Aid App provides six evidenced-based tools to aid clinical depression and negative moods. It contains info, self-tests, videos, a thought diary, activities, and suicide safety planning feature to help keep the person safe when they are feeling distressed.

Students Against Depression Offers information and resources validated by health professionals alongside tips and advice from students who have experienced it themselves.

Youthhealthtalk! Video interviews of young people’s real life experiences of health and lifestyle. Also includes eating disorders.

Anna Freud Centre Children’s mental health charity providing specialist help and training. Research based.

Barnardo’s Work with children and young people who have mental health difficulties. They run centres where children and young people can go and make sure they have a worker they can trust and talk to. Help build confidence and to address the root of the difficulties. They also work with parents, making sure they feel supported, and stay in close contact with other professionals.

Big White Wall A safe online community of people who are anxious, down or not coping, who support and help each other by sharing what is troubling them, guided by trained professionals. Available 24/7. Completely anonymous so you can express yourself freely and openly. Professionally trained ‘Wall Guides’ ensure the safety and anonymity of all users.

Childline Counselling service for parents, children and young people.

Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition CYPMHC brings together leading charities to campaign jointly on the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people.

Clear Fear App developed by Stem4 using CBT to reduce physical responses to threat (anxiety etc) by learning to relax and change thinking./span>

For Me App created by Childline includes all their services in one app: direct 1-2-1 access to a counsellor, videos, advice and chat on a range of issues that affect young people. Safe and discreet – only accessible with a PIN.

Heads Together Campaign to change conversation about mental health and reduce stigma. Useful resources and links.

Kidscape Works UK-wide to provide individuals and organisations with practical skills and resources necessary to keep children safe from harm. The Kidscape staff equip vulnerable children with practical knowledge and skills around personal safety, as well as reducing the likelihood of future harm.

Kooth Provides free online support for young people delivered by qualified counsellors via chat based services.

Mental Health Foundation UK charity finding and addressing sources of mental health issues.

National mental health charity. Offers excellent range of materials on all aspects of mental health.

Moodzone Whatever you need to know about coping with stress, anxiety or depression, or just generally improving your emotionally wellbeing, the NHS Choices Moodzone is here to help. It offers practical, useful information, interactive tools, and videos to support you on your way to feeling better.

Rise Aboven Website designed by Public Health England to boost resilience among 11-16 year olds by teaching them the skills needed to make better decisions in ‘risky’ situations such as smoking, drugs, drinking, relationships and sex.

Samaritans Confidential emotional support service. Available 24 hours a day.

Sane UK mental health charity working to improve the quality of life for anyone affected by mental illness. Offers advice and support. Has section on suicide.

Shout Provides free, confidential support, 24/7 via text for anyone in crisis anytime, anywhere in the UK. Text with someone who is trained and will provide active listening and collaborative problem-solving.

Stem 4 Aims to improve teenage mental health by stemming commonly occurring mental health issues at an early stage.

Stepfinder Developed by youth charity, ‘The Mix’, the app uses mobile location services to pinpoint the nearest local support services – from mental health, contraception, homelessness and bereavement – and shows the young person how to get there from their phone.

Teen Mental Health – Clear advice for parents on Mental Health matters.

The Mix UK’s leading support service for young people. Tackles broad range of issues from homelessness to money, break-ups to drugs. Confidential helpline.

Young Minds UK’s leading charity committed to improving emotional wellbeing and mental health of children and young people and empowering their parents and carers.

Young Minds Parents’ Helpline Can be contacted through social media or through website. Free confidential online and and telephone support to any adult worried about the emotional problems, behaviour or mental health of a child or young person up to the age of 25.

London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard National Service for lesbians, gay, and anyone needing support regarding their sexuality. Information, advice, listening and referral.

Mermaids A charity that supports gender-diverse children and young people until their 20th birthday, as well their families and professionals involved in their care. Transgender and gender-variant children and teens need support and understanding, as well as the freedom to explore their gender identity. Whatever the outcome, Mermaids is committed to helping families navigate the challenges they may face.

Stonewall Youth Young Stonewall is the site for all young people to find out about issues affecting lesbian, gay and bisexual people at home, at work and at school.

Headspace App teaches mindfulness meditation principles to improve wellbeing.

Moodscope Mood tracking and management platform aimed at age 14 and over.

Smiling Mind Created by psychologists and educators in Australia, this is a modern meditation app for young people. It uses mindfulness to boost calmness, contentment and clarity.

Stressheads Developed by youth charity, ‘The Mix’, and approved by NHS Choices. App aims to help 16-25 year olds identify and cope with stress. Includes games to help distract young people from immediate stress and monitor causes of stress.

SuperBetter Evidence-based app created to help young people build resilience to become stronger, happier and healthier. Activities use gaming techniques to help the young person tackle tough challenges, change what isn’t working and reach their goals.

Family Lives Provides a 24 hour helpline, advice website, live chat and parenting/relationship support groups. They respond to questions on all aspects of family life that include all stages of a child’s development, issues with schools and parenting/relationship support. They also respond when life becomes more complicated and provide support around family breakdown, aggression in the home, bullying at school, teenage risky behaviour and mental health concerns of both children and parents.

Parent Gym This is an evidence-based parenting programme involving a series of six sessions proven to increase parents’ skills and confidence and so improve behaviour and wellbeing of their children.

National Online Safety NOS believe in empowering parents, carers and trusted adults with the information they need to hold informed and age-appropriate conversations about online safety with their child, should they feel it is needed. Every Wednesday they produce guides to focus on specific platforms/risks which they believe trusted adults should be aware of.

Every Mind Matters Public Health England campaign encouraging adults to be more aware of their mental health and helps them to discover simple steps to look after their mental health and well-being.

Relate UK’s largest provider of relationship support, provides support to people of all ages, backgrounds and sexual orientation to strengthen their relationships. Website has a free Live Chat service, where anyone can chat in real time with one of the trained counsellors completely confidentially.

Alumina Online course by Self-harm UK for young people aged 14-18. Helps them to find other ways of dealing with the ups and downs of life.

Calm Harm App based around the principles of dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT), developed by a clinical psychologist. Aims to help young people resist the urge to self-harm by using four task categories which reflect the reasons why many people choose to self-harm: distract, comfort, express or release.

National Self-Harm Network Monitored forums supporting individuals who self-harm to reduce emotional distress and improve their quality of life.

Self Injury Support For girls and young women up to 24 years old in the UK affected by self-harm. Offers TESS (Text and Email Support Service). Sunday – Thursday 7-9pm.

SelfharmUK A national project dedicated to supporting young people affected by self-harm, providing a safe space to talk, ask any questions and be honest about what’s going on in their life. Selfharm UK is part of Youthscape, a registered UK charity that aims to support young people aged 11 to 19.

Children’s Sleep Charity A national award-winning charity supporting children with sleep issues. They provide support for families and accedited training for professionals.

DrugWise Database of drug treatment services in England, Wales and Scotland, developed by DrugScope. It is searchable by different criteria, including service name, treatment offered and geographical region.

National Drugs Helpline 24/7 Helpline for anyone concerned about drug misuse, including users, families, friends and carers.

Stay Alive App offers help and support to people with thoughts of suicide and people concerned about someone else. Quick access to UK national crisis support helplines, a mini-safety plan, a LifeBox to which the user can upload photos from their phone reminding them of their reasons to stay alive, strategies for staying safe, tips on how to help a person thinking about suicide, and suicide bereavement resources.

CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) Dedicated to preventing male suicide, the single biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK.

PAPYRUS (Parents Association for the Prevention of Young Suicide) Provides advice and information for parents, carers, teachers, professionals and friends of young people at risk of suicide.

Stamp Out Suicide Points of contact for those feeling suicidal, bereaved by suicide or concerned about suicide. Promoting suicide awareness and prevention.

British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy Nationalist lists of therapists.

Counselling Directory Nationwide database of qualified practitioners, alongside lots of useful information on mental health.

Doc Ready A digital tool that helps young people to prepare and make the most out of mental health related GP visits. It helps young people know what to expect during a visit to the GP.

The British Psychological Society National list of therapists