Healthy Mind

Mind in West Essex

We all need to look after our mental health to help us live our best life during challenging times . Mind in West Essex has a range of services and self-help tools, including counselling, digital social groups, anxiety groups, volunteering, befriending for lonely parents, mental health coaches, wellbeing assistants, training and information .

Mind in West Essex

Call: 01371 876641 Email: admin@mindinwestessex .org .uk Visit: www .mindinwestessex .org .uk

Children and young people

Many children and young people may be feeling worried or anxious about COVID-19 and finding it difficult not being able to socialise with friends and family in the same way as they used to . Along with this, having to adhere to social distancing in school and not being able to access usual services like youth clubs, sport and other leisure activities can bring added pressures .

Harlow Youth Council has produced a range of resources that can help young people and their parents recognise when they are feeling stressed or anxious; what they can do themselves to help overcome those feelings and where to seek help and support when needed .

Visit www .harlow .gov .uk and search for Youth Council .

Opendoor Counselling Service

If you are aged between 13 and 26 and are feeling sad, lonely, worried or confused and want someone to talk to who won’t judge you, Opendoor is here for you . They offer a free, confidential service for young people living in Harlow and the surrounding area . Call: 07803 17879 Visit: www .open-door .info

Children and young people might face difficulties in being back at school or college, or have worries about getting or passing on the virus .

It’s also still uncertain what further changes we all may face . There is support available if you feel you or your child need it . Please visit Every Mind Matters at www .nhs .uk/oneyou

If your child needs to talk to someone Childline can help . Call: (free) 0800 1111 Visit: www .childline .org .uk

Bereavement support

Most people experience grief when they lose someone important to them . It affects everyone differently . There’s no right or wrong way to feel . You may be finding it particularly difficult at the moment because of the changes in place to try to stop the spread of coronavirus .

Bereavement support at St Clare Hospice

St Clare’s Bereavement Café project helps those coping with bereavement to connect with local people who understand .

Join a Virtual Bereavement Café event, where you can chat with other like-minded people near you . Informal, supportive groups run four times a week: Tuesdays, 10 .30am – 11 .30am Wednesdays, 7pm – 8pm Thursdays, 11am – 12 noon Last Sunday of the month (Youth Bereavement Café for those aged 18-30) – 7pm – 8pm

Join your local Bereavement Café Facebook group, or a Youth Bereavement Café group for those aged 18-30 . These offer a casual space to share thoughts, feelings and experiences with others, as well as ask questions and discover new local support .

Please call 01279 967670 Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm if you want to chat to someone about your loss, access emotional support, receive guidance on what to do after the death of someone close or if you’d like to find out about other support services near you . For more information about St Clare’s community bereavement services, please visit www .stclarehospice .org .uk/ bereavement

Cruse Bereavement Care

Cruse Bereavement Care offer a telephone helpline and webchat, with support sessions held over the phone, email or internet . (Monday to Friday, 9 .30am - 1 .30pm) Call: 0845 2669710 Email: essex@cruse .org .uk Visit: www .cruse .org .uk

Compassionate Neighbours

Are you living with a life-limiting illness, experiencing frailty due to old age and are worried about feeling lonely during the next few months? The St Clare Compassionate Neighbours project could be for you . This project connects local people together, enjoying a weekly phone call whilst building a genuine, supportive friendship . Please contact Stacey Towler on 07986 971860 or email cn@stclarehospice .org .uk

Samaritans

Providing support to anyone in emotional distress, struggling to cope, or at risk of suicide . Whatever you’re going through, a Samaritan will face it with you . Call 116 123 (Free, any time, day or night) Email jo@samaritans .org (response time 24 hours) Visit: www .samaritans .org

Write to:

Chris Freepost RSRB-KKBY-CYJK PO Box 9090 Stirling FK8 2SA

YCT Support

YCT is a counselling and therapeutic support charity . They specialise in supporting children and young people aged 5-25 years, their families and the professionals who work with them . The overall aim of YCT is to support children, young people and their families through challenging times so that they can feel hopeful about their futures . Call: 01279 414 090 Email: admin@yctsupport .com

The Silver Line

The Silver Line is the only confidential, free helpline for older people across the UK, open every day and night of the year . You may call for a chat, to say good night or good morning to someone, or to tell someone how your day was . You may also call for information or advice about something, or share a concern or worry . Call: 0800 470 8090 Email: info@thesilverline .org .uk Visit: www .thesilverline .org .uk

Healthy Minds

Healthy Minds provides therapies and practical support for people experiencing mental health problems including depression, anxiety and long term conditions (physical health problems) .

Healthy Minds is part of Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust in partnership with West Essex Mind and the national initiative Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) .

Call: 0300 222 5943 Email: healthyminds .harlow@nhs .net