Mental and Physical Health Issues
Mental Health
Association for Family Therapy and Systemic Practice – members work with children, young people and adults, couples, families and individuals, enabling them to build on strengths and understandings and find ways forward in their lives.
BPD Family.com – the family members and romantic partners of individuals suffering with traits of Borderline Personality Disorder or Narcissistic Personality Disorder. For 15 years, BPDFamily.com has been a gathering place for openness, emotional support and clinically responsible information –
Counselling Directory– The Counselling Directory provides a huge support network of counsellors, enabling visitors to find a counsellor close to them and appropriate for their needs.
Depression Alliance – learn about depression, treatments and recovery.
Action on Depression – Scotland’s national charity for depression.
Emergence Personality Disorder website – aims to make a life changing difference for everyone affected by personality disorders (PD) through support, advice and education.
Find Get Give – find mental health support in your area, created by and for people aged 16 – 25 years.
It’s good to talk – website which explains the benefits of therapy and can help you find a therapist.
Hypnotherapy Directory – site to connect individuals with qualified hypnotherapists in the UK. They offer information about what hypnotherapy is, how it can help, articles written by professionals and the latest hypnotherapy news.
Mind – mental health charity, providing advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. Campaigns to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding.
NHS Mental Health Helplines – depression, anxiety, obsession and mental health.
NHS Guide to Mental Health and Pregnancy
Pandas Foundation -PANDAS is a charity supporting families suffering from pre (antenatal) and postnatal depressive illnesses.
Perinatal Mental Health – aims to provide better prevention, identification and treatment for mental health and postnatal depression illnesses, which affect millions of families worldwide.
Positive Step – to help you to learn healthy coping strategies. Offers psychological therapies for people in North Somerset. Can be accessed by GP or self referral. Call 0800 6888101.
Rethink Mental Illness – expert advice and information for everyone affected by mental health issues.
The Samaritans – call 08457 90 90 90 24 hours a day to talk to someone about whatever is troubling you.
Sane – works to increase mental health awareness and provide practical and emotional support. Call the helpline on 08457 67 8000
Simply psychology – articles for students explaining fundamental psychological concepts, such as attachment.
Stress control -an evidence-based cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) class for anxiety, low mood/depression, anger, low self-confidence and self-esteem, panic, poor sleep and burnout – in other words ‘stress’. Mindfulness and Positive Psychology skills are used to boost wellbeing.
Suicide and crisis hotlines in the UK via The Therapy Route.
Ted Talks – 9 Ted Talks that will change your view about mental illness. What can we learn from different kinds of minds?
The Yellow Kite – Attachment Support Service for schools; their aim is to raise awareness of attachment difficulties and developmental vulnerability and promote inclusion. Services are offered to carers, teachers and social workers to help better understand the difficulties that can arise when children have damaged attachments.
Physical Health and Disability
The National Autistic Society – the leading UK charity for people with autism and their families.
The Challenging Behaviour Foundation – a charity for people with severe learning disabilities whose behaviour challenges; working to improve understanding of challenging behaviour, empower families with information and support, and help others to provide better services and more opportunities.
Changepeople.org – people with learning disabilities working for equal rights.
Contact a Family – for families with disabled children. For information and advice on any aspect of caring for a disabled child, parents can call the helpline available from Monday to Friday, 9.30am-5.00pm, freephone number 0808 808 3555.
Council for Disabled Children – aims to make a difference to the lives of disabled children and children with special educational needs. Produces guidance on issues affecting the lives of disabled children.
Disability Law Service – providing information and advice to disabled people.
Disability Rights UK – working to create a society where those with a disability can participate fully. Contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS) Phone: 0808 800 0082
Disability Pregnancy and Parenthood – information and advice for disabled parents and professionals.
The Disabled Parents Network – A national organisation for disabled parents, or those who hope to become parents and their families and supporters. Call their general helpline on 07817 300103.
Mencap – the leading voice of learning disability. An organisation which seeks to value and support people with a learning disability, and their families and carers.
Sara Revealed – Sara writes a blog to show how her learning disability affects her day to day life and what help & support she needs.
Scope – a charity which aims to make this country a place where disabled people have the same opportunities as everyone else. Call 0808 800 333 for disability information.
Services for vulnerable people
The Advocate’s Gateway -The Advocate’s Gateway gives free access to practical, evidence-based guidance on vulnerable witnesses and defendants. Their ‘toolkits’ provide advocates with general good practice guidance when preparing for trial. See for example the Toolkit ‘Case Management in young and other vulnerable witnesses cases‘
Communicourt – Providing intermediaries at all stages of the legal process, to ensure the vulnerable client has a fair hearing, understanding the process, being involved fully in decision making and able to respond to questions if appropriate.
Equality Advisory Service – advises and assists individuals on issues relating to equality and human rights.
SEAP – Advocacy support for health and social care users.