Resources & Useful links

Crisis support

If you feel unsafe and need immediate help, go to your local A&E department, where a psychiatric liaison team can help you.

Out of session support

Counselling with me will usually be set at a weekly or fortnightly pace, it’s not an on-call service. If you find that you are in need of immediate support out of session, you might find it useful to contact Samaritans. Samaritans have heard many people’s stories and you can discuss anything with them in complete confidence. You don’t have to be suicidal to call them for help & support. They can be reached 24/7 all year round on 116 123.

If you’d prefer to text rather than talk on the phone, Shout is there for you 24/7 for free and confidential support with your mental health. Just text ‘SHOUT’ to 85258 to get started.

Switchboard LGBT is a great source of support for many people under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella. They have a helpline, IM chat and email service, but these are not 24/7 so check out their website for opening times.

Resources

VitaMinds is is the NHS Counselling Service for Basildon, Brentwood, Billericay & Wickford. They have workshops and groups available in addition to their counselling service.

TherapyForYou is the NHS Counselling Service for Colchester, Tendring, Southend, Castle Point and Rochford. Their website has useful information & short online courses that aim to help people understand their thoughts and feelings better.

NHS – Get fit for free has some great tips and pointers to help us look after our physical health for free, and research shows our physical health is linked to our mental health.

Andy’s Man Club is a suicide prevention charity that aims to reduce stigma around mental health in men, they provide free to attend peer support groups across the UK.

Enfield LGBT Network have a great page of useful links for those who fall under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella and are looking for support.

Therapist Aid is a website with loads of useful stuff that’s available for anyone to use. It’s full of things that are designed to promote understanding and awareness about a whole range of different topics (anxiety, depression, grief, relationships, self-esteem etc.) through videos, worksheets, guides and an interactive section. 

Getselfhelp is another useful website that’s designed to provide you with materials and tools that can help you take control of your thoughts and feelings.

Beacon House has excellent resources related to developmental trauma.

Independent Enquiry into Child Sexual Abuse concluded in 2022 and has lots of information and support for survivors of CSA.

Websites of mental health charities tend to have useful resources for understanding/coping with mental health issues, just a few are MIND and SANE.