MENTAL HEALTH
education
Reliable information on coping psychologically with COVID-19 and other challenges, presented by CAMH, CDC, WHO, CMHA and other leaders in mental health.
CAMH’s Course on Mental Health for Youth
Course for youth on mental health developed by the Canada’s leading psychiatric hospital.
CAMH’s COVID-19 Coping Strategies
Advice from experts on how to cope personally with COVID-19, and help family members do so as well
CDC’s Talking with children about COVID-19
Advice from the Centre for Disease Control on how to speak to your kids about COVID-19 in calmly but honestly.
WHO Website
Advice from the World Health Organization on helping kids cope with stress during COVID-19.
Wellness Together Canada’s Mental Health/Substance Abuse Support
Free online resources, tools, apps and connections with trained volunteers and qualified mental health professionals when needed.
Toronto Mental Health Resources
Free educational resources from the City of Toronto about coping psychologically with COVID-19.
CMHA’s Caring for Kids During COVID-19
Advice on helping kids cope during COVID-19.
crisis lines
If this is an emergency and you are in immediate danger, please dial 911. If you or a loved one just need someone to talk to, however, several free North American crisis lines are operating on a full-time basis. You can connect with a trained volunteer via call or text message, and conversations are kept confidential.
Crisis Text Line – Canada and US
If you are in a crisis, which is not limited to thinking about ending your life and can also include having any painful emotion, text 741741. You will be connected with a crisis counsellor (which is a trained volunteer, and not professional) in a matter of five minutes. They will work with you to get you to a calm, safe place.
Canada Suicide Prevention Service
24/7/365 suicide prevention and support hotline
KidsHelpPhone Canada Wide Crisis Text Line
Free, 24/7 texting service is accessible immediately to youth anywhere in Canada. Text TALK to 686868 to reach an English-speaking Crisis Responder or TEXTO to 686868 to reach a French-speaking Crisis Responder on any text/SMS enabled cell phone.
KidsHelpPhone
Free support hotline available to youth ages 20 and under in Canada.
The Lifeline Canada’s List of Helplines
Looking for nearby support? See a province by province list of local helplines.
MEDITATION AND RELAXATION APPLICATIONS
iPhone
BellyBio Interactive Breathing
Monitors your breathing and plays ocean wave sounds when you relax to relieve anxiety and stress.
30-minute guided meditation and music to help you relax and/or sleep.
Relax with Andrew Johnson Lite
Guided meditation session for relaxation, stress and anxiety reduction, as well as sleep aid.
Take a Break! Guided Meditations for Stress Relief
Voice-guided relaxation allowing you to listen with or without music or nature sounds. Includes options for Work Break Relaxation (7 min) or Stress Relief Meditation (13 min).
Android
Uses augmented reality to encourage pleasant event scheduling (PES), a form of behavioural therapy.
Relax & Sleep Well: Hypnosis & Meditation
30-minute guided meditation and music to help you relax and/or sleep.
Relax with Andrew Johnson Lite
Guided meditation session for relaxation, stress and anxiety reduction, as well as sleep aid.
Take a Break! Guided Meditations for Stress Relief
Voice-guided relaxation allowing you to listen with or without music or nature sounds. Includes options for Work Break Relaxation (7 min) or Stress Relief Meditation (13 min).
Other resources
| Inkblot Meditation | Live, fully guided meditation that is free for a limited time. |
| Savyn Tech | Box breathing techniques in English and Arabic. |
| huddle.care | Video-based peer support groups and substance use tracking to help people cope with COVID-19. |