There are a huge number of mental health resources available online whether you’re looking for websites or apps. Many of them are free, and many of them are high quality, but sometimes the biggest challenge can be finding what’s most useful and relevant to you. This mental health resource directory pulls together some of the best that I’ve come across.
You might also find the following resources on MH@H helpful:
- Free Mental Health Workbooks: workbooks & worksheets based on CBT, DBT, and more
- Mental Health Coping Toolkit: a wide variety of self-help resources
- Psychology Corner: includes a collection of scientifically validated psychological tests
- So You’ve Just Been Diagnosed with… [A Mental Disorder]: advice and resources from people who’ve been there
- Straight Talk on Suicide: this page has suicide crisis resource info
- Understanding Mental Health Provider Credentials: You’re looking for a therapist, and they’ve got various initials after their names — what do they mean?
- Ways to Share Your Mental Health story: list of mental health sites that accept guest submissions
Table of Contents
Mental Health Websites
- Healthy Place: has a broad range of mental health info; founded by mental health advocate Natasha Tracy
- HelpGuide: an ad-free site operated by a non-profit organization
- Here to Help [Canada]: mental health info, workbooks, wellness modules, and family resource, as well as a toolkit on dealing with psychosis
- Made of Millions Foundation: multimedia content to inform and challenge stigma
- Mental Health America: has info on mental health conditions, screening tools, and other mental health-related tools
- Mental Health First Aid: US | Canada | UK | Australia
- Mental Health Foundation [UK]: info on a wide range of conditions
- Merck Manual: info about mental disorders and treatment options
- Mind [UK]: info on a wide range of conditions
- NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) [US]: mental health charity
- PositivePsychology.com: info on a variety of mental illnesses and psychology topics, as well as therapy-related resources
- Psych Central: covers a broad spectrum of mental health and psychology topics
- Rethink Mental Illness [UK]: mental health charity
- SANE [UK]: mental health charity
- The Mighty: an online community for people with mental illness and other chronic illnesses
Medications
- Epocrates: this app is targeted at health professionals, so it uses technical terminology, but it’s an information goldmine
- Medline Plus: operated by the National Library of Medicine
- NAMI: medication info and tips on getting help paying for medications (in the US)
- National Institute of Mental Health Mental health medications booklet (from 2008, but it still gives a good overview)
- RxList.com: gives details on how often side effects occur with drug vs. placebo
Professional and Government Sites
- American Psychiatric Association: has info about various psychiatric disorders that’s geared towards patients and families
- SMI Advisor: has information specific to serious mental illness (SMI), which generally includes psychotic and mood disorders
- Massachusetts General Hospital: webinars aimed at patients and families on topics including depression, psychotherapy, and schizophrenia
- Mentalhealth.gov [US]: contains a collection of mental health information from several government agencies
- NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health) [US]: general mental health info
- Royal College of Psychiatrists [UK]: info on mental health conditions
Psychiatric Advanced Directives
- NAMI: Psychiatric Advanced Directives (PAD)
- National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advanced Directives
- SAMHSA: A Practical Guide to Psychiatric Advanced Directives
Therapist Blogs I Recommend
- Antonio at Michigan Counseling and Referral Services
- Johnzelle at Panoramic Counseling
- LaDonna at Perspectives on Trauma
Workplace Mental Health
- Antidepressant Skills @ Work workbook
- Center for Workplace Mental Health
- Mental Health America: mental health resources for employees
- Plan for Resilience: Workplace Edition
- Psychological Health and Safety: An Action Guide for Employers
- Psychologically Safe Leader Assessment
- The Working Mind from the Mental Health Commission of Canada
- Workplace Mental Health: employer guide from the Mood Disorder Society of Canada
- Workplace Strategies for Mental Health: resources for both employers and employees
Specific Disorders
Addictions
- Addiction: An Information Guide from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
- BASIS: The Brief Addiction Science Information Source
- Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse and Addiction
- Dharma Recovery: based on Buddhist practices and principles
- My Recovery Plan
- National Institute on Drug Abuse
- Partnership to End Addiction
- Recognizing Resilience: A Workbook for Parents and Caregivers of Teens Using Substances from Vancouver Island Health Authority
- Recover Together by Google: a collection of substance abuse prevention, treatment, and recovery resources
- Shatterproof: a non-profit organization supporting treatment and challenging stigma
- SMART recovery: mutual support based on rational emotive behaviour therapy (REBT)
Anxiety, Depression, and Bipolar
These disorders are listed here together because many of the resources overlap across them.
- Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA)
- Anxiety Canada
- Beyond Blue [Australia]: anxiety, depression and suicide prevention resources
- A Guide to What Works for Anxiety: An Evidence-Based Review
- A Guide to What Works for Depression: An Evidence-Based Review
- Bipolar Wellness Centre [Canada]: focused on quality of life
- Black Dog Institute [Australia]
- Blurt: a UK-based social enterprise supporting people with depression
- BounceBack: a Canadian Mental Health Association program for Canadians dealing with low mood, stress, and anxiety
- Choice-D Patient and Family Guide: this guide from a Canadian charity/research group partnership covers meds, psychotherapy, neurostimulation, and complementary and alternative health treatment options
- DBSA (Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance): has info on peer support groups
- Dealing with Depression: aimed at youth; website is based on the Dealing with Depression: Antidepressant Skills for Teens workbook
- Depression.org
- International Bipolar Foundation and their Healthy Living with Bipolar Disorder guide
- Mood Disorders Society of Canada: also runs the Depression Hurts site
- The Depression Project
Borderline Personality Disorder
- Australian BPD Foundation
- BPDWorld
- Emotions Matter
- NEABPD (National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder)
- NEABPD Australia
Eating Disorders
- Beat [UK]
- CBT for ARFID workbook
- Eating Disorders Victoria [Australia]
- National Alliance for Eating Disorders [US]
- National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders [US]
- National Eating Disorders Association [US]
- National Eating Disorders Information Centre [Canada]
- Self-Help Manual for Bulimia Nervosa from The Cullen Centre
OCD
- BeyondOCD.org
- International OCD Foundation
- OCD Australia
- OCD Canada
- OCD-UK
- Peace of Mind Foundation
- The TLC Foundation for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviour Disorders
Postpartum/Maternal Mental Health
- BC Reproductive Mental Health Program:
- Coping with Anxiety During Pregnancy and Following the Birth: A CBT-Based Self-Management Guide
- Coping with Depression During Pregnancy and Following the Birth
- Gaining Control of Your Life with a Baby from 2gether/NHS
- Managing Depression: A Self-help Skills Resource for Women Living With Depression During Pregnancy, After Delivery and Beyond
- Maternal Mental Health Alliance
Psychotic Disorders
- Cannabis & Psychosis: info about the link between cannabis and psychosis in youth
- EarlyPsychosis.ca
- Hearing Voices Network
- Living with Schizophrenia [UK]
- Psychosis Australia Trust
- Schizophrenia & Psychosis Action Alliance [US]
- Schizophrenia Society of Canada: support for people with psychosis and their families
Self-Harm/Non-Suicidal Self-Injury
- Cornell University self-injury & recovery resources
- National Self-Harm Network (NHSN): resources include lists of distractions and harm reduction publications like The hurt yourself less workbook and Cutting the risk
- Selfharm.co.uk
- Self-Injury Outreach and Support [Canada]
- Shedding Light on Self-Injury [Australia]
Trauma-Related Disorders
- Beauty After Bruises [US]: complex PTSD
- Blue Knot Foundation [Australia]: complex trauma
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Adverse childhood experiences
- CPTSD Foundation: has safe support groups
- National Center for PTSD
- National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine (NICABM)
- Out of the Storm: peer support for C-PTSD due to relational trauma
- Phoenix Australia
- PTSD Association of Canada
- PTSD UK
- 1in6.org: support for male survivors of sexual abuse
Specific Populations
BIPOC
- Asian Mental Health Project
- Healing in Colour: Canadian BIPOC therapist directory
- Hope for Wellness help line & chat: for Indigenous Canadians
- Melanin & Mental Health: BIPOC therapist directory and mental health resources
- Network for Aboriginal Mental Health Research: maintains a database of mental health programs for Aboriginal peoples in Canada
- Perfectly Imperfect: A Podcast on Mental Health for Folx of Color
- Sister Afya: for Black women
- The Steve Fund: for students of colour
- WeRNative: for Native youth
LGBTQ+
- LGBT Hero: health and well-being charity
- LGBT National Help Center (US): hotlines and other resources
- LGBTIQ+ Health Australia: Mind Out: resources to support mental health professionals working with LGBTIQ+ individuals
- MindOut: LGBTQ charity in the UK
- The Trevor Project: for LGBTQ+ youth
- Trans Lifeline
Men
- Face It Foundation: depression support for men
- Heads Up Guys: depression support for men
- Male Survivor: support for men who have experienced sexual assault/abuse
- ManHealth (UK): chat and peer support
- MANUP?
- Men’s Minds Matter: male suicide prevention organization
- Movember: men’s mental health resources
Youth & Students
- Active Minds – Transform Your Campus advocacy campaign guide
- Campus Mental Health: Know Your Rights from the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law (US)
- Canadian Alliance of Student Associations: Breaking Down Barriers: Mental Health and Canadian Post-Secondary Students
- DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology): Academic Accommodations for Students with Psychiatric Disabilities
- Jack.org youth advocacy organization (Canadian)
- Jed Foundation:
- Love is Louder Instagram account
- Seize the Awkward: promoting mental health conversations
- Set to Go: easing the transition from high school to college
- Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre
- Kids Health Phone
- MentalHealthLiteracy.org — Teen Mental Health Speaks magazine series
- Stigma-Free Society Student Mental Health Toolkit
- YoungMinds
- Youth.gov
Clinical Trials
Research findings drive innovation and evidence-based practice. If you’re interested in being a participant in clinical trials, you can find available opportunities here:
- Be Part of Research: this site from the National Institute for Health Research has info about clinical trials in the UK
- CenterWatch: worldwide clinical trials listings
- Clinical Trials Ontario: info for Ontario as well as other Canadian provinces
- ClinicalTrials.gov: this American site has info on trials going on around the world
- MQ: Transforming Mental Health Through Research
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): has details on clinical trials related to mental health that are recruiting participants
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism: clinical trials related to alcohol
Free Mental Health Apps
These mental health apps are either free or have a substantial amount of free content in addition to premium content. They’re available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play unless otherwise specified.
ACT Coach: acceptance and commitment therapy-based info & tools
Calm Harm: 5-15 minute strategies to help ride out self-harm urges
Clear Fear: anxiety tracker and CBT tools
eMoods: a mood tracker for bipolar disorder
Happify: build skills along chosen wellness tracks
Me v. PMDD: track PMDD symptoms
Moodlinks: CBT tools and mood tracking
nOCD: (App Store, Google Play): OCD self-help based on exposure and response prevention
PHQ-9: track your depression symptoms using the PHQ-9 test
Recovery Record Eating Disorder Management: food logs, meal planning, and coping skills tips
The Hopeful: self-care and mood tracking
Up! (Google Play): bipolar mood tracker
Wysa: AI chat and self-help exercises
ACT Companion: acceptance and commitment therapy app to accompany The Happiness Trap
Catch It: mood tracking app from the NHS
Daylio: mood and habit tracker, with room for diary entries
FearTools: CBT tools for managing anxiety
Health Storylines: track moods, symptoms, and meds
MindShift: CBT thought tools, relaxation strategies, and coping activities
Moodnotes: track your mood and the factors that influence it
Pixels (Google Play): track thoughts & emotions to see patterns
Remente: goal setting, balancing different life areas, mood tracking
SAM self-help app for the mind: tracking tools, anxiety coping strategies
Therachat: tracking tools and journalling
What’s up – A Mental Health App: info, tracking tools, coping strategies
Youper: an “emotional health assistant” using AI technology
Bearable: mood and symptom tracker
CBT-i Coach: CBT for insomnia tools (Insomnia Coach app also available)
Done: A Simple Habit Tracker (App Store): monitor healthy habits
Feelmo: supports emotional awareness & regulation
InnerHour: self-help for anxiety & depression
Moodfit: mindfulness, breathing exercises, factor tracking (e.g. mood, sleep)
Moodtools: a CBT app for depression
PTSD Coach: tools for managing PTSD symptoms
Rootd: panic attack and anxiety management
Sanvello: mood tracking, CBT tools, guided meditations
Sparkle: self-care tracking app
TruReach: CBT audio lessons
Woebot: a chatbot that helps with mood tracking and CBT exercises
Wellness and Mindfulness Resources
- Action For Happiness: Ten Keys For Happier Living guidebook and monthly calendars suggesting wellness-promoting activities for each day of the month
- Greater Good Magazine: this site from UC Berkeley has a variety of articles and quizzes related to different aspects of wellbeing
- Guided self-compassion meditations from Dr. Kristin Neff
- Here to Help: this Canadian site has a variety of wellness modules
- Mindful magazine
- Mindful Path mindfulness meditations for beginners
- National Institutes of Health: Emotional Wellness Toolkit
- Passion Planner: downloadable journal pages
- The Free Mindfulness Project
- The Mindfulness Workbook from Between Sessions Resources
- UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center
Mindfulness/Meditation Apps
Wellness-Related Courses
- Google Digital Garage Intro to Digital Wellbeing course
- FutureLearn: Mindfulness for Wellbeing and Peak Performance course
- Mindfulness Exercises online courses
- Recovery College from Canadian Mental Health Association – Calgary: offers free courses led by peer support workers on a variety of topics related to recovery
- The Science of Well-Being: course offered by Yale University through Coursera
- WellCentral Well-Being Course: available for Canadians through Wellness Together Canada
Learn New Things
Learning new things gives you something purposeful to do, but it’s also the mental equivalent of physical exercise, helping your brain to build new neural connections. Neuroplasticity is a wonderful thing.
Mental Health Courses and Learning Modules
These courses are aimed at general audiences and people living with mental illness.
- Alison: Diploma in Mental Health
- Brain Story Certification Course: learn how brain development relates to later physical and mental illness, including addiction
- Canadian Mental Health Association: Recovery College courses
- Centre for Addiction and. Mental Health (CAMH): Mental Health 101 series
- edX: ‘Talk to me’: Improving mental health and suicide prevention in young adults
- Feeling Good from Dr. David Burns: Defeat Depression and Anxiety email courses
- Mental Health America webinars
- NAMI Mental Health Education
- Now Matters Now DBT skills course: I’m Making it Matter with Micro-Inteventions
- OpenLearn: Challenging ideas in mental health
- Peer Recovery Center of Excellence: webinars related to peer support
- #TalkMentalIllness: course offered by the University of Colorado Boulder via Coursera
- UBC Faculty of Education: Learn Mental Health Literacy online course for teachers
Psychology Courses
These courses are all offered for free.
- Coursera: Social Psychology
- Udacity: Intro to Psychology: The Science of Thought and Behavior
General Courses
Public libraries sometimes offer access to free learning programs, so have a look to see what yours has to offer.
- Academic courses:
- Non-academic:
- Google Digital Garage
- LinkedIn Learning offers a one-month free trial
- Skillshare
Brain Training Apps
Learning Resources for Health Professionals
Depression Tools for Primary Care Providers
- Canadian Task Force for Preventive Health Care: Screening for Depression in Primary Care
- Central California Alliance for Health: Depression Tool Kit
- Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement: Health Care Guideline: Depression in Primary Care
- Medscape: Managing Depression in Primary Care: A Step-by-Step Guide
- The Exercise and Depression Toolkit
- The Journal of Family Practice Behavioral Health Consult: Targeting Depression: Primary Care Tips and Tools
- The MacArthur Initiative on Depression & Primary Care: Depression Management Tool Kit
- University of Toronto: The Hub – Family Medicine: Depression
Free Continuing Education on Mental Health and Illness
These free continuing education resources are intended for mental health professionals. For suicide-related CE, visit the Straight Talk on Suicide page.
- American Psychiatric Association Learning Center
- CDC: Provider Education for Mental Health Care of Cancer Survivors
- Center of Excellence on LGBTQ+ Behavioral Equity: webinars on LGBTQ+ mental health topics
- Global Medical Education (GME): courses primarily focused on psychopharmacology and mood disorders
- International Society for Bipolar Disorders (ISBD) webinars
- MD Briefcase: Inadequate Response in Major Depressive Disorder: Optimizing Outcomes with Adjunctive Antipsychotic Therapy
- Medical University of South Carolina: training focused on PTSD in veterans
- Medscape Psychiatry
- National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center: behavioural health learning resources
- Now Matters Now tools for service providers course: Making it Matter with Micro-Interventions
- PCSS (Providers Clinical Support Systems): a wide variety of courses on substance use disorders
- SMI Advisor: on-demand learning activities related to serious mental illness
- VA National Center for PTSD: a wide selection of courses related to PTSD