Counselling Services
5 Steps to Mental Wellbeing from the NHS – evidence suggests that there are five steps you can take to improve your mental health and wellbeing. Trying them could help you feel more positive and able to get the most out of life.
Barnardo’s See, Hear, Respond provides support to children, young people and their families who are not currently seeing a social worker or other agency, and who are struggling to cope with the emotional impact of coronavirus (COVID-19). Use the See, Hear, Respond self-referral webpage or Freephone 0800 151 7015.
Childline – get support for a wide range of issues affecting young people. Contact them on 0800 1111 or email them through the website. There is also a ‘For Me’ app: from advice to message boards, you can now get everything you need from Childline in this app. It’s quick, easy and you can lock it with a PIN. By downloading the app, you’re in control. You can talk to them whenever – and wherever – you need to.
Comparethemarket.com have compiled information on how animal companionship can impact our health and wellbeing.
#Coping: Young People’s Guide
– how to look after your mental health and emotional wellbeing during the coronavirus outbreak
#Coping: Five Ways to Wellbeing (Primary) – five really simple actions you can do every day to help you feel healthier, happier and more positive
#Coping: Five Ways to Wellbeing (Secondary) – here are some to help boost your wellbeing during the lockdown
Coronavirus: A guide for children and young people – Unicef UK.
Coronavirus and your wellbeing – information for young people on looking after your wellbeing during coronavirus and coping with changes to your life.
Domestic Abuse Update – guidance on how to get help if you or someone you know is a victim of domestic abuse, includes more informaton about help for children and young people.
Eating Disorder and Coronavirus – if you have an eating disorder you might have specific worries or practical concerns to do with the illness or treatment. Guidance has been put together to respond to the most common issues.
Emotional Health Academy – mental health support for young people in West Berkshire.
Every Mind Matters – building resilience and supporting good mental health in young people aged 10 – 16.
Give Us a Shout – if you are struggling to cope and need to talk, trained Shout Volunteers are here for you, day or night. Text SHOUT to 85258 – it’s a free, confidential, anonymous text support service. If your life is at imminent risk, please call 999 for immediate help.
Hub of Hope – a mental health support database bringing local, national, peer, community, charity, private and NHS mental health support and services together in one place.
Kooth – your online mental wellbeing community. Free, safe and anonymous. Click here for sign up help; here for Kooth’s mini activities; and here for Kooth’s wellbeing checklist. Kooth also run useful webinars throughout the year. N/B: Kooth will no longer be available for new registrations within Berkshire West from 19 May 2923. Existing users will be able to continue using the platform until 1 July 2023. From 19 May, young people can use a new service called Tellmi for support and utilise the resources available. The Tellmi App can be downloads from Play Store or Apple Store. The full service provided by Tellmi, including local signposting and solution focus therapies, will be available ffrom 1 July.
Little Blue Book of Sunshine – the book offers a lot of practical and useful advice and tips on how to deal with problems such as anxiety, stress, body image, relationships and anger.
Managing your feelings about changes to lockdown – information for young people who are struggling with their feelings about lockdown changing, and want to know how to cope and adjust.
Men’s health and wellbeing – understanding the relationship between male body image and mental health.
Mind – information for young people aged 11 – 18 on mental health and wellbeing
Mood Boosters – a downloadable eBook that offers some useful tips to help boost your mood.
My Tutor – Teen Mental Health – A Guide for Parents. Useful tips and advice for parents to help their teens overcome body image issues, academic anxiety, peer pressure and cyberbullying. Plus, these useful guides and information: Handling the COVID-19 Crisis: A RIFT Guide to Staying Financially Healthy
The Financial Impact of COVID-19 on Young People.
No. 5 – offers free, confidential counselling and mental health support for young people aged 11 – 25 who live, work or study in the RG postcode area.
Check out their ‘Looking for Direction’ signposting site – designed and developed by local young people, alongside their partners Red Balloon.
NSPCC – children and young people’s mental health.
OK Rehab – an up-to-date guide for people in Berkshire who may be in need of addiction treatment – for those affected by addiction and also their family members.
Ollee app – free-to-use app designed to empower children aged 8 – 11 by helping them with their emotional wellbeing. Please click here for further information.
Samaritans – the Samaritans helpline is there for anyone, any time – 116 123.
Sport in Mind Youth Sessions – an innovative programme designed specifically for children suffering with a mental health challenge, ages 9 – 13 and 13 – 16. The sessions available are football, cricket, dance, games and well-being activities. The full schedule and all details can be found here.
Staying Well at Home: Coping with Feelings of Frustration and Anger – a free workbook for young people aged 11 to 19 years.
Swings and Smiles: 121 SIBSupport – a 1-2-1 Zoom call that can be anything the young person needs it to be. Swings & Smiles have a number of siblings that have high needs brothers and sisters so they don’t get to spend much time with their parents as they are caring for or managing their emotional needs, so this might be an escape. It can be all fun and games or we can add in a bit of conventional support where needed. If the sibling wants to talk about something that’s going on or ask some questions this is a good time to do it. Contact sibsupport@swingsandsmiles.co.uk
Weekly SIBSupport Groups – group zoom calls for siblings that are in Year 7 and older which runs on Tuesdays at 12.30pm, and one that can be joined by all siblings which runs on Fridays at 10am. The idea of these hour calls is to have fun. An opportunity to play games or share something we have done during the week. Contact sibsupport@swingsandsmiles.co .uk.
Visit Tellmi Therapy, Tellmi Therapy Referral and FAQs for mental health support in west Berkshire (Reading, Wokingham and West Berkshire).
The Mix – everything you need to know about mental health, from anxiety and depression to self care and counselling. Call the Mix on 0808 808 4994.
Think Ninja – a free app for 10 to 18 year olds to help build resilience and stay well.
Timetotalk – a charity that promotes the mental health and emotional wellbeing of young people aged 11 to 25 in West Berkshire. Time to Talk West Berkshire is still open for counselling remotely via the phone, but all referrals need to be emailed to office@t2twb.org. Follow the ABC of mental health.
UniversityCompare.com guide to understanding and managing anxiety.
Young Carers Project (West Berkshire) – young carers are children and young people under 18 who take on caring tasks and responsibilities within their family that most of us only do as adults.
YoungMinds – YoungMinds Crisis Messenger: If you are experiencing a mental health crisis you can text YM to 8his258. You’ll be connected to a trained volunteer in less than 5 minutes, who will listen, help you think through how you’re feeling, and aim to help you take the next steps towards feeling better.
Young Minds: Coronavirus and mental health – tips, advice and guidance on where you can get support for your mental health during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
Young Minds – mental health resources for children and young people.
Bereavement Counselling
Barnardo’s – how to talk to your child about grief.
Child Bereavement UK – Support and advice from bereaved young people, for bereaved young people. They also have an app that young people can download which has useful resources and a journal element to reflect on feelings.
Cruse Bereavement Support – introduction to Cruse West Berkshire, leaflet, poster and newsletter.
Daisy’s Dream – This organisation supports children and their families affected by both life threatening illnesses and bereavement, throughout Berkshire and the surrounding areas. Find out more details on their website, on 0118 934 2604 or at info@daisysdream.org.uk.
Mind – what is bereavement?
NSPCC – how to have difficult conversations with children and young people.
NYA – resources for young people and youth workers on grief and bereavement.
Winston’s Wish – Information, advice and guidance on supporting bereaved children and young people during the coronavirus outbreak.