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. Please let me know what your favourites are, and what I should add to the list.
You might also find the following resources on MH@H helpful:
- Psychological Tests: links to a variety of scientifically validated psychological tests
- The Role of Peer Support in Mental Health
- 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
Mental Health Resource Directory Overview
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 dedicated to a woman who lost her life by suicide
- Here to Help [Canada]: mental health info, workbooks, wellness modules, and family resource, as well as a toolkit on dealing with psychosis
- Mental Health America: has info on mental health conditions, screening tools, and other mental health-related tools
- Mental Health First Aid: US site – Canadian site – UK site
- Mental Health Foundation [UK]: info on a wide range of conditions
- Mind [UK]: info on a wide range of conditions
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): a wide range of resources
- 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
- PsychReg: has articles on mental health by professionals as well as personal mental health stories
- Rethink Mental Illness [UK]: info on a wide range of conditions
- SANE [UK]: info on a wide range of conditions
- 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 mental health medication info and tips on getting help paying for medications (in the U.S.)
- National Institute of Mental Health Mental health medications booklet (this is from 2008, but it still gives a good overview)
Professional/Government Sites
A quick note about WebMD—they’re not as authoritative as they might seem to be, and there are other sources that will give you a clearer picture when it comes to mental illness.
- American Psychiatric Association: has info about various psychiatric disorders that’s geared towards patients and families
- Massachusetts General Hospital: webinars aimed at patients and families on topics including depression, psychotherapy, and schizophrenia
- Mentalhealth.gov: contains a collection of mental health information from agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Substance Abuse and Mental Heallh Services Administration (SAMHSA), and Youth.gov
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): general mental health info
- Royal College of Psychiatrists [UK]: info on mental health conditions
Specific Disorders
Anxiety, depression, & bipolar
- Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA)
- Anxiety Canada
- Beyond Blue [Australia]: anxiety, depression and suicide prevention resources
- DBSA (Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance): includes info on peer support groups
- Blurt: a UK-based social enterprise supporting people with depression
- Heads Up Guys: a depression resource for men
Borderline personality disorders
Eating disorders
- Beat [UK]
- National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD) [US]
- National Eating Disorders Association [US]
OCD
Psychotic disorders
- Hearing Voices Network
- Living with Schizophrenia [UK]
- Schizophrenia and Related Diagnoses Association of America (SARDAA)
- Schizophrenia Society of Canada: support for people with psychosis and their families
Self-harm/Nonsuicidal self-injury
- Cornell University self-injury & recovery resources
- National Self-Harm Network harm reduction publications: The ‘hurt yourself less’ workbook and Cutting the risk
Substance use disorders
- Recover Together by Google: a substance abuse prevention, treatment, and recovery resource
- SMART recovery: mutual support based on rational emotive behaviour therapy (REBT)
Trauma and trauma-related disorders
- 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
- 1in6.org: support for male survivors of sexual abuse
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
- 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
The post free mental health workbooks has links to a wider variety of sites with free therapy-based workbooks and worksheets
- Change the Way You Feel by Changing the Way You Think: this free ebook from Routledge and Guilford press contains chapters pulled from eight of their therapy self-help book titles
- My Compass: a self-help tracker and toolkit from the Black Dog Institute
- Positive Coping with Health Conditions: a self-care workbook to support people dealing with a health condition
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- ACT for Anxiety Disorders: worksheets based on the book by Dr. John Forsyth
- ACT Mindfully: Acceptance and commitment therapy resources from Russ Harris
- 6 ACT Conversations to build emotional intelligence from RMIT University
- Association for Contextual Behavioral Science: ACT videos and audio lessons
- Portland Psychotherapy Clinic: ACT exercises and audio files
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Anger Management Workbook: this workbook uses CBT to help you learn about and manage anger
- Centre for Clinical Interventions: CBT-based self-help resources for a number of mental illnesses as well as traits like perfectionism
- Clinical Research Unit for Anxiety and Depression (CRUFAD): manuals/workbooks for several anxiety disorders, as well as OCD and PTSD
- Kelty’s Key: guided CBT-based courses
- Living Life to the Full: CBT-based modules pertaining to mental health and various other topics
- NHS inform: CBT-based self-help guides for common mental health issues (e.g. depression, anxiety, PTSD)
- Psychology Tools: primarily CBT-based self-help worksheets
Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT)
- Training Our Minds in, with and for Compassion: compassion-focused therapy info from Dr. Paul Gilbert
- The Compassionate Mind Foundation: exercises, videos, and audio related to compassion and compassion-focused therapy
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
- ilovedbt.wordpress.com: DBT skills micro-lessons, handouts, and worksheets
- DBT Self Help: content is written by people who’ve been through DBT
- DBT Skills Application
- Mind Body Soul Therapy: free online mini DBT intro course
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 in the Storm (App Store): stress management & safety plan tools
CBT-i Coach: CBT for insomnia tools
eMoods: a mood tracker for bipolar disorder
track moods, symptoms, and meds
Me v. PMDD: track PMDD symptoms
MindShift: CBT thought tools, relaxation strategies, and coping activities
Moodfit: mindfulness, breathing exercises, factor tracking (e.g. mood, sleep)
nOCD: (App Store): self-help for OCD based on exposure and response prevention
PTSD Coach: tools for managing PTSD symptoms
Remente: goal setting, balancing different life areas, mood tracking
Rootd: panic attack and anxiety management
Sanvello (formerly Pacifica): mood tracking, CBT tools, guided meditations
Therachat: tracking tools and journalling
Up! (Google Play): bipolar mood tracker
Woebot: a chatbot that helps with mood tracking and CBTexercises
Calm Harm: 5-15 minute strategies to help ride out self-harm urges
Catch It: mood tracking app from the NHS
Done: A Simple Habit Tracker (App Store): monitor healthy habits
FearTools: CBT tools for managing anxiety
Happify: build skills along chosen wellness tracks
InnerHour: self-help for anxiety & depression
Moodnotes: track your mood and the factors that influence it
Pixels (Google Play): track thoughts & emotions to see patterns
Quirk: CBT tool to examine thoughts and identify cognitive distortions
Recovery Record: Eating Disorder Management has food logs, meal planning, and coping skills
Samaritans Self-Help app: track mood and manage emotional health
Self-help for Anxiety Management (SAM): tracking tools, anxiety coping strategies
TruReach: CBT audio lessons
What’s up – A Mental Health App: info, tracking tools, coping strategies
Youper: an “emotional health assistant” using AI technology
Meditation & Mindfulness Resources
- Guided self-compassion meditations from Dr. Kristin Neff
- Mindfulness Exercises
- Mindful magazine
- The Free Mindfulness Project
- UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center
Wellness 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
- Passion Planner: downloadable journal pages
Suicide Prevention Apps
While contact info in these apps is country-specific, they still have content that’s useful for anyone wherever they are. There are more resources, including crisis lines, on the Suicide and Mental Illness: Let’s Talk About It page.
- A Friend Asks (US)
- Be Safe (Canadian)
- BeyondNow (Australian)
- My3 (US)
- ReliefLink (US)
- Safety Plan app from Zero Suicide (US)
- Stay Alive
- Suicide safety plan (UK)
- Suicide? Help! (UK)
- The Lifeline (Canada)
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