Free Mental Health Resources

School, extracurriculars, and life can be stressful from time to time - so it’s important to take steps to preserve your mental health and well-being. Here's a list of free mental health resources available to help you in times of need.

Note: This is not an exhaustive list of all the free and low-cost resources available. If you are experiencing a crisis, please call 911 or 988, the National Suicide & Crisis lifeline. 

Aura

Aura offers free, personalized meditation, stories and sleep tales, and life coaching. 

BlackLine

Blackline is a free support line designed to support and affirm the experiences of Black, Brown, and Indigenous folks in the U.S. They can provide immediate crisis counseling to those who call upset, need to talk with someone immediately, in distress. ALL are welcome and encouraged to call if they need support, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. Visit their website or call 1 (800) 604-5841. 

Calm

Calm offers 3-25 minute meditation sessions to help with anxiety, practicing gratitude, and more. If you are meditating for the first time, there are programs for beginners.

Call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Simply dial 988 and you will be connected to a professional within minutes.

Note: There is potential for law enforcement to be involved in certain situations when accessing this hotline. We recognize that not all folks reaching out for support will feel comfortable or safe around the police in times of crisis. We urge you to make a decision that is best for you. 

Check with your college’s counseling/mental health center

If you're in college, it's likely that your school will have an on-campus counseling center that allows you to an amount of free or low-cost counseling sessions per quarter or semester. Stop by yours to learn how to schedule an appointment.

Find a trusted adult and ask for help

This person may not have all the answers but will be a great partner to help you strategize next steps and ensure you get the help you need. Your parents, school counselor, coach, family member, teacher, or the school nurse are a great place to start.

Headspace

Headspace offers free access to dozens of its guided meditations and articles that can help you with breathing, mindfulness, stress, anxiety, and sleep.

LGBTQ National Hotline

This hotline provides crisis support for LGBTQIA+ people of all ages. Call 888-843-4564 or 800-246-7743 to begin.

Mindfulness for Teens

This website has free videos, guided meditations, and more resources for teens to learn about mindfulness to deal with stress.

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

NAMI has a library of videos that educate and inform people about topics such as self-care, anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, and more.

Safe Place

Find a Safe Place near you by texting “safe” and your location (city/state/zip) to 4HELP (44357). You will be connected with the closest Safe Place to you as well as an option to text with a mental health professional.

Smiling Mind

Smiling Mind offers daily mindfulness and meditation guides for both children and adults.

Trans Lifeline

Trans Lifeline is a peer support crisis and counseling line run and staffed by trans people. Learn more on their website or call 1 (877) 565-8860.

The Trevor Project

The Trevor Project is the world's largest suicide and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQIA+ young people. Call 1 (866)-488-7386, text ‘START’ to 678-678, or head to The Trevor Project’s website for support, 24/7, 365 days a year. 

Unicef

Unicef has mental health resources for young people experiencing cyberbullying, distress during COVID-19, and more.

Warmlines

Warmlines is a peer-run listening line staffed by people in mental health recovery themselves, who have been trained to offer safe space for judgment-free support. Warmlines in the U.S. are categorized by state here.