Resources and Support

Below I have gathered some links and resources that you may find helpful for supporting yourself or your child with their mental health and wellbeing. 

Not all resources will be relevant or helpful to everyone, so please have a look and see if any are the right thing for you.

I have used some of these resources myself, others have been recommended to me by young people, families or professionals. I have not been able to fully explore all that is on offer, so please do let me know if you come across anything really helpful (or anything really not).

Emergency Mental Health Support

If you or someone else is in danger, call 999 or go to A&E now

Your mental health is as important as your physical health. You will not be wasting anyone's time.

Ring HOPELINEUK on 0800 068 4141 or the Samaritans on 116 123

Autism and ADHD/ ADD

Autism:

ADHD/ ADD:

Mental Health

Books:

  • What to do when you worry too much: A kid’s guide to overcoming anxiety. Dawn Huebner.

  • Starving the Anxiety Gremlin. Kate Collins-Donnelly. (Also other starving the gremlin books).

  • The Incredible 5-Point Scale. Kari Dunn Buron and Mitzi Curtis.

  • The Zones of Regulation: A curriculum designed to foster self-regulation and emotional control. Leah M. Kuypers.

  • Understanding Autistic Burnout Workbook with Support sheets. Viv Dawes.

  • The Happiness Trap (pocketbook or full version). Russ Harris and Bev Aisbett.

  • Breaking free from OCD: A CBT guide for young people and their families. Jo Derisley, Isobel Heyman, Sarah Robinson and Cynthia Turner.

  • The ACT workbook for Teens with OCD, Unhook yourself and live life to the full. Patricia Zurita.

  • OCD: A workbook for Clinicians, Children & Teens. Christina J. Taylor.

  • Acceptance and Mindfulness Toolbox for Children and Adolescents. Timothy Gordon and Jessica Borushok.

Apps:

  • Headspace and Calm have mindfulness meditations, relaxation, visualisations and sleep stories.

  • Finch- help a ‘pet’ grow by tracking your self-care and mood.

  • Calm Harm is a free app to help teenagers manage or resist the urge to self harm.

  • Clear Fear is a free app to help young people manage the symptoms of anxiety.

  • Move mood is a free app to help teenagers manage the symptoms of depression.

  • Combined Minds is a free app to help families and friends provide mental health support.

Hertfordshire specific

  • The Hertfordshire Local Offer is a database of services and groups available to Hertfordshire based families: local-offer

Parent support and workshops:

Your GP should be your first port of call if you are concerned about mental or physical health issues. They will be able to signpost and/or refer to support.

  • To self-refer to a Hertfordshire Mental Health team you can contact the Single Point of Access (SPA). Alternatively you can request your GP or another professional make this referral. SPA can be contacted on 0800 644 101 or by emailing hpft.spa@nhs.net

  • Health for Kids: Support around health issues for primary aged children, there is a Kids’ and a parents’ version of the site: healthforkids.co.uk

  • Health for Teens: Support around health issues for secondary aged children: healthforteens.co.uk

  • Sensory workshops provided by HCT Occupational Therapy team: Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust

  • Autism Hertfordshire offers advice, support and social groups to autistic adults: hertfordshire

Other concerns or needs:

Other therapies:

As I work and liaise with other private practitioners I will link to them here. I will only list people that I can directly recommend, and will declare any relationships with these clinicians.

Counselling

If you are looking for a Counsellor for adults and couples, you could consider Woking Counselling Support. (For full clarity, this is relative of mine):

Karen at Woking Counselling Support offers online therapy for individuals and face-to-face Counselling for individuals and couples. The approach is practical and responsive. Take a look at the website: wokingcounsellingsupport.co.uk