Free Mental Health Resources
Crisis Phone Lines and Crisis Chat
If you are in crisis, distress, or having thoughts of suicide, help is available!
Phone
The Crisis Centre is here to listen, and here to help – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Online Live Chat
CrisisCentreChat.ca is a program of the Crisis Centre.
It connects adults via live online chat with support, information and resources.
Phone
The Crisis Centre is here to listen, and here to help – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Anywhere in BC: 1-800-SUICIDE: 1-800-784-2433
- Mental Health Support Line: 310-6789
- Vancouver Coastal Regional Distress Line:
- 604-872-3311
- Seniors Distress Line: 604-872-1234
Online Live Chat
CrisisCentreChat.ca is a program of the Crisis Centre.
It connects adults via live online chat with support, information and resources.
- Online Chat Service for Youth
- Online Chat Service for Adults
Free or Inexpensive Mental Health Services: MindMapBC
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MindMapBC is a custom-made database of outpatient mental health services including professional counseling, peer counseling, support groups, and others. Where possible, we have selected services that are free, low-cost, or sliding scale, and self-referral services—meaning you do not need to see a doctor before accessing the service.
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#Get Real - Articles to Help
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#GetReal is a campaign of the Canadian Mental Health Association that guides you in identifying your emotions, and encouraging you to express them rather than burying them.
When we name precisely how we feel, it’s good for our mental health. Check out this series of great tools and resources. Did you know:
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Program for Families
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The Family-to-Family 8 week free education course is one of Pathways’ most sought-after programs, offered twice a year. It is taught using a team approach, by two trained family-member volunteers with lived experience.
The course was developed under the aegis of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in the United States and is licensed and adapted for use in British Columbia. Please note that this course is for families, significant others and friends of a loved one with a mental illness, including anxiety disorders, PTSD, bipolar disorder, depression, borderline personality disorder, concurrent disorders and schizophrenia. |
Thrive Program
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Thrive is a great program of the Open Door Group.
If you’re living with a mental health condition, Thrive offers free one-to-one coaching and group programs that focus on personal development and positive community connections. They offer dozens of different group programs. Just a few of these are:
Interested in joining? Complete the online intake form. After that, the next step will be that you’ll meet with one of the experienced recreational therapists to set personal goals and build an action plan. Together, you’ll find the right activities and programs to help you reach your goals. |
Peer-Led Support Groups - Mood Disorders Association of BC
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An MDABC peer-led support group is a safe place to share your story, your struggles and accomplishments, and to listen to others as they share similar concerns. At a MDABC support group you can get a sense of belonging, informal education about your mental health challenges, and the support of others who have ‘been there‘. Support groups are facilitated by trained volunteers with lived experience of mental health concerns.
Please Note: Support groups are not intended to provide counselling or therapy. MDABC has more than 25 Peer-led Support Groups in cities and towns across British Columbia, and during the Covid-19 pandemic, a number are meeting online via Zoom. These free groups meet weekly or bi-weekly, and you just need to contact the facilitator to register and get the Zoom link for the group you are interested in joining. |
Podcast: The Power of Disability
In Motion & Momentum +
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In Motion & Momentum + is a new YWCA program that helps participants tap into their full potential and create the life they want to live, through goal setting and action planning.
WHO IS THIS PROGRAM FOR? In Motion & Momentum + was built for individuals who are feeling stuck or like they have been moving in a direction that is not right for them. The program recognizes the inherent strengths, resilience and potential that lives within each individual and is all about providing experiences and opportunities that help participants to reconnect with their potential, take charge and live the life they want to live. Participants must be unemployed or precariously employed and not a full-time student and have:
PROGRAM DURATION
Total duration: 13 weeks (6 hours a day, from 9:00am to 3:00pm) Interested in joining us? Register for an online intake session |
Tolerance for Uncertainty - A Covid-19 Workbook
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This Covid-19 workbook is a guide to help you to accept your feelings, tolerate distress, and thrive.
It was created to assist with managing the strong emotions that may arise during this difficult time through a form of psychological treatment called Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT). DBT is an evidence-based intervention that helps individuals identify their feelings and learn skills to better manage their emotions. Click on the file below to open the pdf. 
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BC Brain Wellness Program - Wellness Outreach Project
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The Wellness Outreach Project provides the opportunity to receive a weekly social phone call from a volunteer with the BC Brain Wellness Program. It is intended to provide a social connection for those who are feeling isolated, lonely or who have limited opportunities to engage socially. Conversation topics might include news topics, hobbies or anything else of interest.
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More Free BC Brain Wellness Programs
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The BC Brain Wellness Program is an interactive effort to establish clinically relevant lifestyle approaches to complement medical treatment in the clinics at the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health. The goal is to establish a provincial network of wellness programs to support people living with chronic brain disorders, their care partners and healthy agers. By combining clinical care with interventions that support healthier lifestyles, the BC Brain Wellness Program team hopes to improve and sustain each individual’s quality of life.
Free programs include: dance writing mindfulness open talk cafe visual art music book club yoga online improv gardening & nutrition exercise classes |
COVID-19 and Anxiety
Covid-19 & Wellness Together Canada: Mental Health and Substance Use Support
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We recognize the significant strain that COVID-19 has placed on individuals and families across the country. Many people are concerned about their physical and mental well being. Canadians are being challenged in a number of ways because of isolation, financial and employment uncertainty and disruptions to daily life. Wellness Together Canada provides tools and resources to help get Canadians back on track. These include modules for addressing low mood, worry, substance use, social isolation and relationship issues.
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Virtual Support Group - Kaleidoscope Mental Health Support Society
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Kaleidoscope Mental Health Support Society General Group is held virtually on Thursdays from 6:30-7:30pm.
About Kaleidoscope |
Y Mind - Learn to Cope with Stress [Online]
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The YMCA of Greater Vancouver is excited to announce that Y Mind will be running virtually. These free, online mental wellness programs are open to adults 30+ across the Lower Mainland. There is a separate program for younger adults.
We are passionate about providing the opportunity to support the mental wellness of those in our community through free, accessible and low-barrier programming now being offered online. WHAT IS Y MIND? Y Mind is a free, seven-week group program that uses Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) and mindfulness to help people cope with stress and mild to moderate anxiety. The online version of the group is delivered weekly by group video call and led by mental health professionals. Y Mind facilitators will schedule a private intake meeting via video call with each potential participant, to determine together if the group may be a good fit at this time. There are generally 10 to 12 participants per Y Mind group. Participants will need a computer, tablet or smartphone with an Internet connection, camera and microphone. The group will be held on one evening per week for 2.5 hours, for a total of 7 weeks. If you are interested in scheduling an intake meeting, please email the details below. Once these details have been sent, we will be scheduling intakes in early January and will be in touch closer to this time to schedule an intake. Name: Pronoun (She/her/hers, He/him/his, They/them/theirs): Age: Date of Birth: Phone number: Full Address including Postal Code: Emergency Contact Name, Phone Number and Relationship to you: Best availability / time for a Zoom intake session Mon-Fri: How you heard about Y Mind: Please send these responses to register for an intake meeting to YMind@gv.ymca.ca or leave a message at 604.673.6182 if you wish for more info. |
Wellness Recovery Action Plan
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The Wellness Recovery Action Plan® or WRAP®, is a self-designed prevention and wellness process that anyone can use to get well, stay well and make their life the way they want it to be. It was developed by a group of people who were searching for ways to overcome their own mental health issues and move on to fulfilling their life dreams and goals. It is now used extensively by people in all kinds of circumstances, and by health care and mental health systems all over the world to address all kinds of physical, mental health and life issues.
WRAP Will Help You:
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Crest-BD - Support and Resources for those with Bipolar Disorder
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The Collaborative RESearch Team to study psychosocial issues in Bipolar Disorder (CREST.BD) is a multidisciplinary collaborative network of researchers, people living with bipolar disorder, healthcare providers, and family members and supporters.Learn about managing bipolar disorder - on your own terms.
A new program during Covid-19: #TalkBD is an online series of community gatherings providing mental health support during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. |
Public Q and A's About Bipolar Disorder on Reddit
Eight-Week Cognitive Behavioural Therapy [CBT] Skills Groups
The Vancouver CBT Skills Groups offer an 8-week psycho-education program that targets patients with low to moderate severity of anxiety and depression, as well as other lower acuity mental health diagnoses.
MSP covers the sessions, and it just costs $35 for the workbook. You commit to completing the eight weeks. You take a form to a doctor to get a program referral. The video link below refers to Victoria, but programs happen at various times and locations around Vancouver.
What is CBT and what's the convincing evidence that it works? Go to the 'More Info' button below.
For more questions about the program and patient referrals, please contact CBTvancouver@divisionsbc.ca.
MSP covers the sessions, and it just costs $35 for the workbook. You commit to completing the eight weeks. You take a form to a doctor to get a program referral. The video link below refers to Victoria, but programs happen at various times and locations around Vancouver.
What is CBT and what's the convincing evidence that it works? Go to the 'More Info' button below.
For more questions about the program and patient referrals, please contact CBTvancouver@divisionsbc.ca.
Self-Care: 20 Things to Do While Self-Isolating During the Pandemic
Voices & Visions Virtual Support Group
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When:
*NEW* Evening group – 1st Thursday of the month 5:00-6:00 pm *NEW* Lunch hour group – last Friday of the month 12:00-1:00 pm *NEW* Friday group – 1st and 3rd Fridays of the month 2:30-3:30 pm Saturday group – 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month 2:30-3:30 pm Where: Online Cost: Free This group explores living well with voices, visions and other unusual sensory experiences. What do these experiences mean to you? An inclusive and non-judgmental environment. During Covid-19, this group is meeting online. In partnership with Virtual Health at Vancouver Coastal Health, they are offering video-based virtual visits using the ZOOM platform. Click button below for more information and Zoom login details. |
Free Online Course - Resilience in a Time of Uncertainty
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Coursera is an incredible resource offering free courses from universities.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, there is a 13-hour course on resilience in a time of uncertainty. As well as building your own resiliency, throughout the course you will hear examples of individuals using resilience skills in their personal and professional lives. You can begin at any time, and decide yourself on the pace of the course. |
Mental Health Education Videos
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In order to reach out to the public and to make vital mental health information more accessible, MDABC produces a great, wide-ranging series of original videos which they post via the website below or on a YouTube Channel.
The videos feature experienced professionals and/or people with lived experience from the BC community who provide invaluable insight into variety of issues surrounding mental health. |
Online Live Depression Support for Men
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When: Every Thursday
Time: 6:00 - 7:00 pm Where: Online via Zoom Cost: Free A survey by Men's Health Research reveals that 1 in 2 Canadians know a man with depression. Yet stigma and barriers are still keeping men from reaching out and seeking help with their mental health. Men Let’s Talk is an online drop-in group providing support for male-identified people and a safe space to discuss mental health & wellness. Participants can also access one-on-one support from the group facilitator and Peer Supporter, Ty Javos. Contact Ty with questions, and to register and receive the Zoom link: ty.javos@cmha.bc.ca / (604) 987-6959 |
Self-Help Modules, Worksheets & Resources for Mental Health Problems
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The Centre for Clinical Interventions (CCI) has produced resources for consumers and healthcare professionals to assist in providing interventions for mental health problems just some of which include depression, bipolar, social anxiety, panic, self-esteem, procrastination, perfectionism, and eating disorders. The resources provided on this website aim to provide general information about various mental health problems, as well as techniques that focus on a cognitive behavioural approach to managing difficulties.
If you experience a condition that is affecting your mental health and are looking for specific information about different types of problems, these in-depth self-help modules, resources and worksheets may be helpful to you. |
Recovery Colleges
Learning and mental health come together at new learning centres
Mental health. It wasn’t a class at school. So where can adults in Canada go to learn about mental health and well-being? The answer is “recovery colleges.” The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) already operates 11 centres in communities across Canada. And more will be popping up in the next year.
Recovery colleges, or mental health and well-being learning centres, are gathering steam in communities across Canada. These learning centres focused on mental health and well-being are based on a tested model from the UK, where 85 such colleges have been created since 2009.
What also sets them apart from traditional educational institutions are the subjects offered. Instead of language literacy, for instance, you might take a course in mental health literacy, or in health and well-being. Even the course curriculum is unique: it is developed by subject experts and mental health professionals, working together with people who have their own personal experience in mental health recovery.
These centres are designed to be supportive learning environments, where you are welcome, whatever your mental health goals. You may have a mental illness, or a mental health problem, including a substance use issue, and you may be on a personal recovery journey. Or maybe you support someone who is. You may be looking for skills to enhance your self-care or your overall sense of well-being. Or maybe you need to develop a little confidence in facing life’s challenges. Whatever your reason, you might just find the right course for you. And you will find an empowering learning environment where the people are genuine, and the knowledge is practical.
Click the button to see the online courses of CMHAs across Canada.
Mental health. It wasn’t a class at school. So where can adults in Canada go to learn about mental health and well-being? The answer is “recovery colleges.” The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) already operates 11 centres in communities across Canada. And more will be popping up in the next year.
Recovery colleges, or mental health and well-being learning centres, are gathering steam in communities across Canada. These learning centres focused on mental health and well-being are based on a tested model from the UK, where 85 such colleges have been created since 2009.
What also sets them apart from traditional educational institutions are the subjects offered. Instead of language literacy, for instance, you might take a course in mental health literacy, or in health and well-being. Even the course curriculum is unique: it is developed by subject experts and mental health professionals, working together with people who have their own personal experience in mental health recovery.
These centres are designed to be supportive learning environments, where you are welcome, whatever your mental health goals. You may have a mental illness, or a mental health problem, including a substance use issue, and you may be on a personal recovery journey. Or maybe you support someone who is. You may be looking for skills to enhance your self-care or your overall sense of well-being. Or maybe you need to develop a little confidence in facing life’s challenges. Whatever your reason, you might just find the right course for you. And you will find an empowering learning environment where the people are genuine, and the knowledge is practical.
Click the button to see the online courses of CMHAs across Canada.
Mental Health Commission of Canada
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If you are experiencing distress, please call your local crisis centre.
Given the ever-changing events around the COVID-19 pandemic, we are all experiencing varying degrees of a normal reaction to an abnormal event. While we are not a mental health services provider, and we regrettably cannot respond to requests from individuals or clinicians, we can offer curated, evidence-based information that you can trust. In times of high anxiety and stress, it’s more important than ever to safeguard your mental wellness. That includes stemming the tide of non-essential information and paring down your news consumption. At the Mental Health Commission of Canada, our commitment is to share credible information and resources about maintaining mental health during this time of crisis, and supporting people managing a mental illness in this new context. |
Hearing Voices Network Study Club
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This group meets on a monthly basis to discuss and watch videos plus read and discuss literature related to the International Hearing Voices Network.
When: Monthly on various Friday evenings from 6:30 - 8pm To be added to the E-list for this group: Call 604-708-5276 Where: Meeting Room #2 Creekside Community Recreation Centre 1 Athletes Way, Vancouver |