These are the mental health difficulties I can assist with:
- Anxiety Disorders: Generalised Anxiety, Social Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Agoraphobia, Phobias, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
- Alcohol and other drugs: marijuana, alcohol and other drugs.
- Mood Disorders: Depression, Bi-Polar Disorder, self harm and suicidal thinking.
- Developmental Disorders: ADD/ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorders.
- School, Uni and TAFE: bullying, study/exam skills, planning for the future (work/study choices)
- Family conflict: support for parents and their children
- Complex trauma: Support for young people who have experienced abuse.
- Anger Management
- Grief and Loss
- Sleeping Problems
- Adjustment Disorder
- Unexplained somatic complaints
For more information on these mental health and psychological issues check out: http://au.reachout.com/find/issues/mental-health-difficulties
If you are experiencing a lot of distress right now please contact one of the following:
- Mental Health Access Line: 1300 369 968
- Kids Help Line for Teens: 1800 551 800
- LifeLine: 131 114
- Parent Line: 1300 130 052
Websites about adolescent mental health for young people, parents and carers:
BiteBack
A new and evolving youth website which aims to improve the wellbeing and mental fitness of young people, based on the principles of positive psychology – the science of optimal functioning. A place where 12-18 year olds can anonymously share real personal stories with other young people like themselves, see videos, blogs and interviews of interesting people, get relevant information, check their mental fitness, get immediate feedback and track their progress over time, and enter fun competitions from time to time. www.biteback.org.au
e-couch
e-couch provides evidence-based information about emotional problems (including depression and anxiety disorders) and teaches strategies that may help you to prevent problems and understand yourself better. www.ecouch.anu.edu.au
Embrace the future
An Australian program for young people aged up to 24 to educate in strategies and skills which promote and sustain resiliency and positive mental health. www.embracethefuture.org.au/youth
Headspace
Australia’s National Youth Mental Health Foundation. Information and support. www.headspace.org.au
Head Room
Dedicated to the positive mental health of adolescents and the adults in their lives. www.headroom.net.au
Itsallright
A site for young people who have a friend or family member affected by mental illness. Itsallright is a website where you can read the diaries of four fictional teenagers touched by mental illness. It also has useful fact sheets and provides an online information and referral service for mental illness including schizophrenia, depression and anxiety disorders. www.itsallright.org
Kids Help Line
A free, confidential and anonymous 24-hr telephone and online counselling service for young people aged 5 – 18. www.kidshelpline.com.au
MoodGYM Training Program
Online cognitive behaviour program for preventing depression. Really good! www.moodgym.anu.edu.au
Psychosis Sucks
A website that provides a very good explanation of psychosis for young people and practitioners. www.psychosissucks.ca/epi/whatispsychosis.cfm
Reality Check
Site helps young people make better choices about mental health. www.realitycheck.net.au
Reach Out
A service that helps young people get through tough times. It provides information and support on a range of issues including depression and anxiety. www.reachout.com.au
The Low Down
Youth depression website. Made for Kiwi’s this site is still worth a look because its so good. Good site for us Australian’s too. Get all the facts about depression and hear other people’s personal stories. www.thelowdown.co.nz/#/home/
Youth Beyond Blue
Extremely good website for young people regarding mental health. Definitely worth a look. Ybblue’s all about getting the message out there that it’s okay to talk about depression, and to encourage young people and their family and friends to get help when it’s needed. www.youthbeyondblue.com
Ysareit
Ysahreit is about young people, “the Y”, sharing good net info with friends, family and their community about leading healthy, happy lives. A portal to five great sites about youth mental health. www.yshareit.com
Kids Health
If you’re looking for information you can trust about kids and teens that’s free of “doctor speak,” you’ve come to the right place. KidsHealth is the most-visited site on the Web for information about health, behavior, and development from before birth through the teen years. www.kidshealth.org
Angries Out
Anger Management Tips and Techniques to Decrease Anger. http://www.angriesout.com/index.htm#kids
Child Support Agency – Family Separation
Family Separation – A Guide for children and teens. This is a site put out by the Australian Government’s Child Support Agency and Beyond Blue. It explains how if your family is breaking up that you’re not alone and that infact many young Australians are experiencing the same thing. It describes emotions, coping strategies, wellbeing, friends, change and your rights. www.youth.csa.gov.au
Young Carers NSW
Do you help care for someone in your family with a long term illness, disability, mental illness, drug or alcohol problem? Are you 25 years or under & live in NSW, Australia? There are other young carers just like you – reach out! www.youngcarersnsw.asn.au
Bursting the Bubble
“I used to think my family was so different from everyone else’s. All my friends families are so nice. Being around my family just stresses me out. Sometimes I just dont want to go home”. Have you ever felt like this? If so, you’re not alone. You can burst the bubble. This website helps you to work out what’s okay in a family and what’s not. It tells you what you can do if someone in your family is hurting or abusing you or another member of your family. burstingthebubble.com
Completely Gorgeous
Completely Gorgeous is an Australian website which presents issues relating to body and body image in a simple and fun way. www.completelygorgeous.com.au
Eating Disorders Victoria
Eating Disorders Victoria (EDV) is unique in Victoria in providing a comprehensive support and information service on all aspects of eating disorders. Website has good fact sheets and youth portal called “real youth”. www.eatingdisorders.org.au
Year 12 What Next?
Plan your post-school education and training, Learn about future work opportunities, Find out where to get help and information. year12whatnext.gov.au
Study Assist
This website provides information to students about Australian Government assistance for financing tertiary study studyassist.gov.au/sites/StudyAssist/.
My Future
Wondering what to do in the future?myfuture is Australia’s career information & exploration service. You will find current career information, articles and links to thousands of resources to assist you on your career journey. www.myfuture.edu.au
Job Guide
The Job Guide provides an in-depth look at a range of occupations, and their education and training pathways. It also gives useful information about how to work out what occupations suit you best, based on your interests and abilities.You can narrow the list of around 1500 occupations, specialisations and alternative job names by using Job Search. The Job Guide also shows useful contact addresses under each entry so that you can find out more detailed information about the occupation. www.jobguide.deewr.gov.au
Cautious with Cannabis
Here you will find information and activities about a broad range of issues related to cannabis. There’s general information, information about the law, considering change, reducing harms, and overcoming dependence. www.cautiouswithcannabis.com.au
National Drugs Campaign
Without realising it, drugs can become central to a person’s life and can affect their personal relationships, ability to study and work, mental health and quality of life. All too easily you can have one of those days when life just feels too hard. At some point most of us do. If you feel like you are losing it or you’re stressed out, it’s really helpful to seek help and support. drugs.health.gov.au
DrugInfo
A service offered by the Australian Drug Foundation that offers information about alcohol and other drugs and the prevention of related harms. www.druginfo.adf.org.au
Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect)
Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect) builds confidence and capacity with people who have an autism spectrum disorder, their families and communities by providing information, education and other services. www.autismspectrum.org.au
What are you doing to Yourself
A site for young people concerned about alcohol consumption. www.whatareyoudoingtoyourself.com
Information on ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
Here are three sites that provide a lot of good information for parents, children, teenagers, university students, and adults about ADHD. Information about diagnosis, treatment, online articles, book reviews and resource lists. www.addvance.com/ www.chadd.org/ www.idonline.org/
Generation Next Blog
Good portal for parents to look at issues impacting on them and parenting teenagers. Topic areas include bullying, cybersafety, mental health, sex and violence in the media, drugs and alcohol, body image and eating disorders. www.generationnext.com.au/blog/
