Free Mental Health Resources
There are often many barriers to getting mental health support, and one major obstacle is - cost. Not everyone can afford or even know how to access therapy and counselling, and thus turn to the Internet for free resources.
The year 2020 has further compounded this, and has been unprecedented in the modern era for a collective reckoning on issues of both mental and physical health. As billions have relied even more heavily on the Internet and telecommunications for advice and support this year, there has also been an outpouring of tools and resources put forth for public use - in addition to the plethora of content already available. Below is just a handful of articles, toolkits, worksheets, and exercises that cost nothing and can really help when we need it the most.
“Getting Emotionally Organised in a Crisis” (Pippi Kessler)
This article is a step-by-step interactive toolkit from consultant and coach Pippi Kessler, published on Medium.com in March 2020 as global anxiety surged around COVID-19. It outlines logical and fundamental steps towards understanding our individual response to crises, uses CBT to re-frame perceptions, and offers tools to transform chaotic reactions into productive and healthier actions - or rather, how to “get emotionally organised in a crisis.”
Excerpt: “There are a lot of scenarios that are difficult to plan for because of the scale of what’s unknown. Doing your best to think through one plan about what you could do in different situations can help your brain quiet in the moment.”
Image via Unsplash
Everything is Awful and I’m Not Okay: questions to ask before giving up (PDF)
This PDF, licensed under Creative Commons, is available for free and is easily printable at home. It covers a set of basic questions that reflect on self-care and offers practical solutions. A few examples include:
Are you hydrated? If not, have a glass of water.
Have you said something nice to someone in the past day? Do so, whether online or in person. Make it genuine; wait until you see something really wonderful about someone, and tell them about it.
If daytime: are you dressed? If not, put on clean clothes that aren’t pajamas. Give yourself permission to wear something special, whether it’s a funny t-shirt or a pretty dress.
Do you feel paralyzed by indecision? Give yourself ten minutes to sit back and figure out a game plan for the day. If a particular decision or problem is still being a roadblock, simply set it aside for now, and pick something else that seems doable. Right now, the important part is to break through that stasis, even if it means doing something trivial.
Download the printable PDF here via Google Drive (public link)
Wellness Quizzes (Greater Good Magazine)
Greater Good Magazine (via UC Berkeley) is positioned as “science-based insights for a meaningful life.” It utilises multi-media sources from an intersection of humanities, research, and social science fields to offer tips and tools for everyday life. This set of free Quizzes are intended to give the user insights into various areas of their lives, and provide general advice and further learning based on those results. Topics include: Relationships, Mindfulness, Emotional Intelligence, and more.
Mental Health Column (Medium.com)
Medium is one of the Internet’s most popular and widely-used platforms for independent digital publications. Its “sole purpose is to help you find compelling ideas, knowledge, and perspectives,” and has a huge breadth of articles covering various topics, columns, and interests. Medium’s Mental Health column is an excellent source to find everyday voices discussing relevant topics such as depression, anxiety, suicidality, relationship issues, psychology of work, trauma and survival, and more.
Image via Unsplash
Coronavirus Anxiety Workbook (The Wellness Society)
The ‘Coronavirus Anxiety Workbook: A Tool to Help You Build Resilience During Difficult Times’ is offered for free viewing and download from The Wellness Society, an online resource organisation that “aim[s] to bridge the gap for people who find long-term private therapy unaffordable yet are reluctant (or unable) to get help from overstretched mental health services.” This free workbook is 28 pages, intended to address the COVID-19 era, and includes tools to manage anxiety, web links to further resources and apps, “Creating Your Stress Resilience Action Plan”, tips on media intake and other such daily regimen planning.
Yoga with Adriene
Yoga with Adriene is one of the most popular free yoga resources on the web. Established in 2012, the accessible video channel now has nearly 9 million subscribers. There are hundreds of videos of totally varying difficulty and ability level, and range from 10 to 60 minute exercises.
Intro to Yoga with Adriene
Bliss Free Online Therapy for Depression (CIMHS)
Bliss is “an 8 session interactive therapy program for depression that you complete on your own” from the non-profit Canadian organisation Centre for Interactive Mental Health Solutions (CIMHS). The programme is based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and offers 8 interactive sessions, illustrated examples, knowledge quizzes, mood monitors, summary sheets from each session, and practise technique worksheets.
Image via Unsplash
Mental Health Resources for Therapists, Students & Learners (Inclusive Therapists)
Inclusive Therapists in a social justice-rooted organization that approaches therapy and mental health support with an intersectional framework and aims to connect people with resources and adequate professionals. They have brought together a huge resource page of books, articles, and websites that center social justice at the heart of mental health and wellbeing discourse. Topics include:
Racial Justice, Indigenous Cultures, Decolonization, and People of Diaspora
Gender, Sexuality and LGBTQIA+ Equity
All Bodies, Abilities, and Neurodiversity
Ethics, Environmental and Global Justice
OPEN MIND Wellbeing Challenge (Science Gallery Dublin)
Science Gallery Dublin has offered this free tool from its OPEN MIND programme, a project that is part of “SISCODE: ten co-creation labs have been set up around Europe to bring citizens together to co-create solutions for different challenges relevant to the local area.” The infographic resource collates content from the programme to offer tools and advice on maintaining everyday mental wellbeing.
Image from Science Gallery Dublin OPEN MIND
Free PDF Printouts for Anxiety (Psychology Tools)
A comprehensive collection of PDF guides and printable resources specifically for anxiety, including panic management, CBT, and relaxation exercises. Some guides include, amongst many more:
Living With Worry And Anxiety Amidst Global Uncertainty
Anxiety Self-Monitoring Record
Assertive Responses
Behaviors In Panic (Psychology Tools For Overcoming Panic)
CBT Thought Record
Combined Relaxation Exercise (Audio)
“Breathing in Isolation: support with anxiety and breathlessness during lockdown” (Kate Binnie)
Researcher and yoga teacher Kate Binnie offers this at-home breathing exercise to help feelings of anxiety. There is a shorter audio version (5 minutes) and a longer audio version (15 minutes), and the video shown here.
Excerpt: “Breath-Body-Mind integration (BBMi) brings together elements of mindfulness and compassionate attention to the body and breath, gentle movements from the tradition of yoga to release tension, and an implicit understanding that a need to feel safe and connected is a fundamental human drive.”
“Preparing for a Mental Health Appointment” (Made of Millions)
This article, by Paola Singer for global mental health advocacy organisation Made of Millions, outlines an overview of what to expect when going to a first appointment with a psychiatrist or psychologist. Includes: setting/managing expectations, questions to ask, anticipated exams, and more.
Excerpt: “Going to see a psychotherapist or psychiatrist for the first time can be intimidating, especially if you’re not used to talking openly about distressing thoughts or painful life events. But even if you do feel comfortable sharing your experience, you may not know exactly what to expect or how to make the most of your time with a professional.”
