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
