Self-care and Befriending

Self-care

Islington Crisis Team – Self-referral for clients who have used the service previously. Phone 0800 917 3333

Samaritans – Freephone: 116 123

Certitude London – Out-of-hours peer support for people with MH, LDs and Autism. Freephone: 0300 123 1922

Mental Health Forum – Forums for people exeriencing mental health problems, categorised by condition, 

Help On Your Doorstep – Support for local people via telephone: 020 3931 6080

We Are Islington – Council run telephone support line Monday – Friday 9-5. Phone 020 7527 8222

The Help Hub – Free 20-minute sessions with trained therapists via Skype, FaceTime or phone

Talk for Health – Peer-support online groups via telephone, computer or tablet. Email info@talkforhealth.co.uk or phone 020 3409 3201

Mind (National) – Information and signposting service open Monday to Friday 9am-6pm. Phone 0300 123 3393

CALM – Telephone and webchat for people feeling suicidal, open 5pm – midnight all year round. Phone 0800 58 58 58

Mental Health Foundation – Advice on staying mentally well during the lockdown

Happiful – Advice on staying mentally well during the lockdown

Centre for Mind-Body Medicine – Self-care tips

Tiny Buddha – 45 self-care practices

Sleepio – Online sleep improvement programme

MS Trust – Relaxation techniques

Self-compassion – Guided meditations and exercises

Good Thinking – NHS tools to help your mental health

Rethink Mental Illness – National charity offering information, advice and support to those suffering from mental ill-health

NHS – Coronavirus updates and advice

NHS Helpline – List of help available from charities supporting people with specific mental health illnesses

Anxiety UK – Support and resources for people feeling anxious

Mood Gym – Interactive self-help book to manage symptoms of depression and anxiety

Free Psychotherapy Network – Online support groups for people who are isolated

Big White Wall – Online community for people experiencing MH crisis

7 Cups – Connects people to caring listeners for free emotional support

Daily Strength – Online support groups and community forum

No More Panic – Message forum and chat room for people with OCD, Panic, Anxiety & Phobias

The Unlonely Project – Online community including activities, story share and a check-in process

Anna Mathur Psychotherapist – Podcast and blog dealing with issues of anxiety/isolation

Hearing Voices Network – Information, support and resources for people hearing voices. Email info@hearing-voices.org

Sign Health – Coronavirus information in BSL

Mencap – Easy-read guide to Covid-19

Sadhguru – Yogic practices to boost immunity

Calm (soothing sounds) – Listen to rainfall and other soothing sounds

Calm (whale tunes) – Sounds to help you relax

Musiqaa – Meditative and relaxing music

Meditative Mind – Meditative and relaxing music

Adam Siddiq – Playlist with Rumi poems

Rufus May – useful online resources for people living with psychosis or hearing voices

Open Minded Online – holistic approaches to emotional and social wellbeing

Open Mind Online – Engaging With Voices videos. Support for people interested in compassionate approaches to voices. Includes 15 videos from Rufus May, Elisabeth Svanholmer and Charlie Heriot-Maitland.

SLOW (Surviving the Loss of your World) – Support for bereaved parents and siblings via one-to-one phone calls and emails and Zoom group support. Phone 07532 423 674 or email info@slowgroup.co.uk

St Joseph’s Hospice Bereavement Service – Phone 020 3317 5774 or email islingtonbereavement@stjh.org.uk

Islington Alzheimer’s Society – Phone 0333 1503456 or email Islington@alzheimers.org.uk

Listening Ear – Free online and telephone listening ears from qualified psychoanalysts

Shout Crisis Text Support – 24/7 crisis support from trained counsellors – will usually respond to a text within 5 minutes. Text: BEYONDFOOD to 85258

Random Acts of Kindness – activities to do at home around the theme of kindness

Lessons from the Mental Hospital – TEDx talk from bestselling author Glennon Doyle (formerly Glennon Doyle Melton)

The Listening Place – Fortnightly telephone support from trained volunteers for people feeling suicidal. Phone 020 3906 7676

The Caravan – Drop-in (outside of lockdown) and telephone counselling. Phone 020 7183 1802

Understanding Voices – Strategies for coping with voices

Voice Collective – Calming strategies for people hearing voices

Spiral Centre – low-cost therapy in Holloway £10-£50

Cruse Bereavement Care – free helpline 0808 808 1677 – Mondays and Fridays 9.30-5.00; Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays 9.30-8.00; weekends 10-2.00

Cruse Chat – Monday to Friday 9am-9pm to speak to a bereavement counsellor

Rehab 4 Addiction – advisory and referral service for people who suffer from alcohol, drug and behavioural addiction. Freephone 0800 140 4690

Beating the Blues
Computerised CBT programme for depression and anxiety

Mood Gym
Free CBT online

Living Life
Personal empowerment, anxiety, depression and life skills online

Changes
Online recovery service for those in mental distress

Together UK
Community mental health charity – service user-led care and support to people with mental illness to help them take control of their own lives

Mental Health Forum
Online mental health forum

OCD Action
Forum discussion group for people suffering obsessive-compulsive disorder

Anxiety UK
Members of Anxiety UK gain access to a wide choice of reduced-cost therapy services delivered by an extensive and experienced network of Anxiety UK Approved Therapists

www.recoverydevon.co.uk
www.tidal-model.com
www.scottishrecovery.net
Good general information, resources and information

Befriending

Silverline – National charity offering weekly 30-minute telephone befriending to people over 60. Mind can refer. Freephone: 0800 470 8090

FCV Dorcas – For isolated older and/or disabled people living in Central and South Islington, offers telephone befriending. Phone 020 7689 1574

Hornsey Lane Estate CA – Phone Val: 07496 213 442

LGBTQ+ Support

LGBTQ+ Support

Outcome, our client-led LGBTQ+ service

Respect Men’s Advice Line 0808 801 0327

Survivor’s Trust – For men who have experienced rape or sexual abuse 0808 801 0818

London LGBTIQ+ Mutual Aid support – Complete a form online to request help

Queer Foodbank – Emergency food parcels funded by a GoFundMe page

Outside Project – Monday evening Zoom meetings (6-9pm) + a WhatsApp group

Mind Out – Online support for LGBTQ+ community. Phone 01273 234 839

Out Savvy – Classes, comedy entertainment for LGBTQ+ community – some are free; others low cost

Leeds Queer Film Festival – Free queer films online

Queer East Film Festival – Queer films from East Asia

Things to do at Home

Learning

The Recovery College – Mental health online courses

Future Learn – Variety of online courses

Class Central – 600 free online courses from 190 universities

Open University – Free online learning

TED Talks – Inspirational lectures on a wide range of topics

New City College – Free 10-12 week distance learning courses

Lubcho Macrame – Learn how to make macrame  

Macrame School – Macrame for beginners

Guardian website – Online learning: how to acquire new skills during lockdown

Islington Council – Free online courses for Islington residents. Email aldo.zeolla@islington.gov.uk

Culture & Entertainment

British Museum – Podcasts

Tate Gallery – Online gallery tours, performances and texts

Tate Gallery: How are you feeling? – Match your mood to a Tate artwork

Aurora Borealis – Live webcam of the Northern Lights – 3am-9am best time to see them – for insomniacs!

BBC i-Player – Free art documentaries

National Theatre – Watch performances from the National Theatre for free

Sporcle – Trivia quizzes

Radio Garden – Interactive map of live radio stations across the globe

Meet Up – Free online talks and events for Londoners

Gutenberg Library – Free online books

Billboard – Livestreams and virtual concerts

Globe Theatre – Globe productions of Shakespeare

Google – Virtual tours of galleries, opera houses etc

National Gallery – Virtual tours of NG’s collection

National Portrait Gallery – Digital content from past exhibitions/NPG collection

Internet Archive – Free books, films and audio (mostly oldies and out of copyright)

Draw a Stickman – Surprisingly therapeutic interactive drawing

BFI Player – Short archive films to watch for free

Social Distancing Festival – Art and performance showcase from all over the world

Time Out – Listings for online events

Nothing in the Rulebook – Creative site with listings of free books

Chatterpack – Online resources to support SEND and learning disabilities

Mind’s Despard Road Music Channel – Music and visuals made by service users

North London Cares – Daily creative activities for people to do at home in isolation

What’s On Stage – Stage shows, musicals and operas to watch for free

Virtual Nature – Virtual visits to natural places plus a virtual gardening project to help you to grow things at home, courtesy of the Stuart Low Trust

Virtual Museums – Plus a virtual philosophy forum on Sundays

Andy Warhol at the Tate – Talk on Tate’s current Warhol show

CBC – Free indigenous films

Open Culture – Free online culture and educational media

Sacred Valley Tribe – Medicine songs

Soundcloud – Free music streaming

Art Net – News/articles related to art world

Artsy – Learn about art from leading galleries

Saatchi Art – Art selected from the collection by curators

Max Ehrmann – Desiderata: A Life Changing Poem for Hard Times

Crochet a tote bag out of grocery bags

Islington Council – Islington during WW2 to celebrate VE Day

Uffizi Gallery, Florence – online exhibitions

Musée d’Orsay – from railway station to iconic Parisian museum

Guggenheim Museum, NY – exhibitions and collections

Nature

Aurora Borealis – Live webcam of the Northern Lights – 3am-9am best time to see them – for insomniacs!

Liziqi – Inspiring videos on making things from scratch and living in harmony with Nature

Jonna Jinton – Inspiring videos from a Scandinavian artist inspired by Nature

Exercising at Home

Yoga with Adrienne – Free 30-day online yoga classes

Sport England – Free workouts and fitness programmes

British Heart Foundation – Tips on staying active

Joe Wicks – Body Coach: Youtube workouts for all abilities

YouTube workout – 5-minute arm workout

YouTube workout – Pilates for older women

YouTube workout – Back pain relief exercises and stretches

YouTube workout – 5 simple daily exercises for older people

YouTube workout – Seated exercise

YouTube workout – Beginners Pilates

Qigong – 20-minute daily exercise routine – particularly suited to older people or people with mobility issues

Tai Chi – 5 minutes a day routines, particularly suited to older people or people with mobility issues

Better GLL – free online exercises for all ages and abilities