Free Resources for Mental Health

Free Crisis Support Resources

If there is an emergency, we encourage you to contact your local hospital or emergency room for immediate assistance. You can also contact the following crisis lines:

• 211 Ontario (directory of emergency and crisis services in your community): https://211ontario.ca/211-topics/emergency-crisis/
• Suicide Prevention and Support: Call 1-833-456-4566 available 24/7, Text 45645 between 5pm-12am
• Distress Centre of Toronto, GTA: 416-408-4357 or text 45645 for 24/7 crisis support
• Distress Centre of Toronto, Peel: 905-459-7777 for 24/7 crisis support

• Gerstein Centre (Toronto): 416-929-5200 for 24/7 community-based crisis services for adults 16+, https://gersteincentre.org
• Wellness Together Canada: immediate crisis support for youth and adults 1-855-242-3310; Youth: text “WELLNESS” to 686868; Adults: text “WELLNESS” to 741741; Front Line Workers” text “FRONTLINE” to 741741
• Crisis Services Canada: 1-833-456-4566 or text 45645 for 24/7 crisis support
• Youth Line (LGBTQ+ youth 16- 29yrs):  text 647-694-4275, Sunday – Friday 400pm-930pm
• Kids Help Phone(youth below age 20): 1-800-668-6868 or text 686868 for 24/7 support
• Anishnawbe Health Toronto 24/7 Crisis line:  416-891-8606 for Indigenous Peoples
• Toronto Rape Crisis Centre/Multicultural Women Against Rape: 416-597-8808 Women-run 24hr crisis support for survivors of sexual violence
• Black Youth Help Line: 1-833-294-8650
• COAST (Hamilton): 1-877-825-9011
• Distress Centre Halton: 905-877-1211
• LGBT Youth Line: text 647-694-4275
• Naseeha Muslim Youth Help Line: 1-866-627-3342
• ROCK 24h Crisis Line: 905-878-9785
• Trans Lifeline: 1-877-330-6366
• Multilingual Helplines: TTY: 905-278-4890, Peel: 905-459-7777
• Assaulted Women’s Helpline: 1-866-863-0511, https://www.sheltersafe.ca/find-help/
• Family Services Employee Assistance Program: Services available 24/7/365 toll-free, 1-844-720-1212
• Canadian Mental Health Association – Peel Dufferin Branch: 24/7 crisis support at 905-278-9036 or 1-888-811-2222; https://cmhapeeldufferin.ca
• Good2Talk Helpline: 1-866-925-5454 or text “GOOD2TALKON” to 686868, offering 24/7 access to professional counselling, information, and referrals for mental health, addictions and well-being for post-secondary students in Ontario

https://www.crisisservicescanada.ca/en/looking-for-local-resources-support/

Free Counselling Resources

Telehealth Ontario (general health advice from a registered nurse)

• Contact: 1-866-797-0000 and TTY at 1-800 387-5559

Canadian Mental Health Association – Peel Dufferin Branch

https://cmhapeeldufferin.ca/programs-services/mental-health-counselling/

• Contact: 905-451-2123
  • Must be 16 years of age or older and reside within the communities of the Central West LHIN
• Brief Mental Health Counselling
  • https://cmhapeeldufferin.ca/programs-services/mental-health-counselling/
  • Available to individuals with symptoms of mental illness and emotional difficulties who
• Brief Services – Substance Use
  • https://cmhapeeldufferin.ca/programs-services/substance-use/
  • Available to individuals presenting with mental health and/or substance use or internet/gaming concerns

360Kids

https://www.360kids.ca/programs-services/wellness-support/counselling/

• • Brief Virtual Counselling Service available to all young people, ages 13-26 years old who reside in York Region, who need help navigating a variety of social, emotional and mental health challenges
  • Virtual Walk-in clinic hours: Monday 10am-6pm & Thursday 10am-6pm
  • Counselling services are provided via Facetime, Zoom and phone calls

IG Vital Health

http://www.igvitalhealth.com/index.html

• Provide psychotherapy support, especially to those who are formerly or currently going through the refuge/asylum-seeking process
  • Help with anxiety and panic attacks, depression, trauma, eating disorders, sleep patterns, stress management, obsessive compulsion problem, adjustment, addiction and grief
• Offer both free and covered services, contact (416) 520-6910 for more details
• Open 7 days a week, 9 am to 9 pm, by appointment

BounceBack

https://bouncebackontario.ca

• Guided self-help program that’s effective in helping people aged 15 and up who are experiencing mild-to-moderate anxiety or depression, or may be feeling low, stressed, worried, irritable or angry
• Life-skills program that participants work with to develop coping techniques so they can overcome challenges now or in the future

Mood Disorders Associations of Ontario

https://mooddisorders.ca

• Offer support programs to people across Ontario, and their families, who are living with depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder
• Telephone Support Line: 1-888-486-8236, Monday to Friday 9:30am-5pm

Walk-In Counselling Clinic

https://walkincounselling.com

• Open to Ontario residents within the greater Champlain region
• Contact: 613-755-2277
• Service Centres:
  • Centretown Community Health centre – LGBT2SQ+ Clinic
  • Lanark County Mental Health
  • North Renfrew Family Services
  • Somerset West Community Health Centre
  • South-East Ottawa Community Health Centre
  • Family Services Ottawa
  • Jewish Family Services of Ottawa
  • Nepean, Rideau & Osgoode Community Resource Centre (NROCRC)
  • Inspire – Community Support Services
  • CFS | SFC Ottawa

Free Resources for Psychiatric Emergency Services

Centre for Addiction & Mental Health (CAMH)

https://www.camh.ca/en/your-care/programs-and-services/emergency-department

• 24/7 emergency assessments and treatment for adults with mental health and substance use issues
• Location: 250 College Street, Toronto
• Contact: (416) 979-6885

Toronto Western Hospital

• Offers emergency in-person crisis intervention for individuals experiencing an immediate mental health crisis, available 24/7
• Location: 399 Bathurst Street, Toronto
• Contact: 416-603-5809

St. Michaels Hospital

• Available 24 hours per day for psychiatric assessments, triage, crisis intervention and stabilization of clients experiencing a mental health or addictions related crisis
• Location: 30 Bond St, Toronto
• Contact: 416-860-4000

The Scarborough Hospital

• 24/7 support for mental health crises can be accessed through the emergency departments at SHN’s Birchmount, Centenary, and General hospitals
• Community Crisis Program
  • Available to individuals in the Scarborough and East York communities who are 16 years or older and are experiencing mental health symptoms
    • Telephone crisis support: 416-495-2891

Free Mental Health Apps

General Mental Health Apps

What’s Up

• Uses Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) methods to help you cope with depression, anxiety, stress and more

Suicide Prevention Apps

MY3

• Help those stay safe while having suicidal thoughts
• Customize your own personal safety plan by noting your warning signs, listing coping strategies, and connecting you to helpful resources to reach out to when you need them the most
• There is a button that puts you in direct contact (24/7) with a trained counsellor from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline as well as a 911 alert

Addiction Apps

Quit That! – Habit Tracker

• Helps people beat their habits or addictions

Anxiety Apps-Free Resources

MindShift

• Interactive cognitive-based tools to help you reorient your thinking, and behavioural strategies to help you take action and make lasting positive change
• Design for teens and young adults with anxiety
• Tools to tackle: worry, panic, perfectionism, social anxiety, phobias

Self-Help for Anxiety Management (SAM)

• Build an anxiety toolkit that allows you to track anxious thoughts and behaviour over time, and learn 25 different self-help techniques
• Can use their “Social Cloud” feature to confidentially connect with other users in an online community for additional support

CBT Thought Record Diary

• Document negative emotions, analyze flaws in your thinking and re-evaluate your thoughts
• Good app for gradually changing your approach to anxiety-inducing situations and your thinking patterns for future situations

Bipolar Apps-Free Resources

-Free Resource

eMoods

• Mood tracking app designed specifically for people with bipolar disorder
• Can use that app to track depressive and psychotic symptoms, elevated mood, and irritability and give an indication of the severity of their symptoms
• Monthly summary report to identify specific triggers and better understand their fluctuating mood

Depression Apps-Free Resources

MoodTools

• Aims to support people with clinical depression by aiding the path to recovery
• Helpful videos that can improve your mood and behaviour, log and analyze your thoughts using CBT principles

Eating Disorder Apps-Free Resources

Recovery Record

• Keep a record of the meals you eat and how they make you feel
• Complete questionnaires that help track progress over time

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Apps-Free Resources

-Free Resources

nOCD

• Designed with the help of OCD specialists and patients to incorporate two treatments: mindfulness and Exposure Response Prevention Treatment
• Immediate, clinically supported guidance when an OCD episode strikes, take weekly tests to assess the severity of your OCD, and have motivational support along the way

PTSD Apps-Free Resources

PTSD Coach

• Self-assessment for PTSD, opportunities to find support, positive self-talk, anger management, and more
• Can customize tools based on your own individual needs and preferences, and integrate your own contacts, photos and music

Schizophrenia Apps-Free Resources

Schizophrenia HealthStorylines

• Makes it easier for those with schizophrenia to monitor their condition by keeping track of symptoms, medications, and moods
• Can set medication and appointment reminders, record questions for you clinician, take note of symptoms and connect with a support system

Free Resources- Online Search Forums

• Online search system to direct you on where to access care in your community

Children’s Mental Health Ontario Centres

https://cmho.org/findhelp/

eMentalHealth

https://www.ementalhealth.ca

Kids Help Phone – Resources Around Me

https://apps.kidshelpphone.ca/resourcesaroundme/welcome.html?_ga=2.160957053.1340208172.1603307734-5481593.1603307734

Online Courses: Psychology & Mental Health

Mindfulness for Wellbeing and Peak Performance

https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/mindfulness-wellbeing-performance

• Learn mindfulness techniques to reduce stress and improve your wellbeing and work/study performance

The Path to Happiness and Good Quality of Life

https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/happiness-and-quality-of-life

• Explore the concept of happiness and consider the things that influence your own happiness and quality of life

Young People and Their Mental Health

https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/young-people-mental-health

• The course is for young people aged over 14 who want to know more about mental health

Empowering Families Affected by Psychosis

https://moodle8.camhx.ca/moodle/course/view.php?id=16

• This course covers what your relative may experience during early psychosis and how you can work with a health café team to support your relative in the recovery process

Empowering Families Affected by Substance Use Problems

https://moodle8.camhx.ca/moodle/course/view.php?id=11

• Help you to recognize the stress and range of emotions you may be experiencing, and to understand the importance of addressing your own needs
• Exploration of strategies you can use to cope with the challenges of dealing with a relative with substance use problems, strategies for self-care and ways to empower yourself

Youth and Mental Health 101

https://moodle8.camhx.ca/moodle/course/view.php?id=13

• Provides young people with information about mental health challenges, to encourage young people to start a conversation about mental health with others in their lives and reach out for support if they are struggling

Addiction 101

https://moodle8.camhx.ca/moodle/course/view.php?id=2

Depression 101

https://moodle8.camhx.ca/moodle/course/view.php?id=10

Mental Health 101

https://moodle8.camhx.ca/moodle/course/view.php?id=7

Book An Appointment

If you are interested in trauma therapy in Vaughan, Thornhill, Markham, or the GTA, please call 905.597.4404 or fill out the form below and you will be contacted within 24 business hours.