Bridging the Gap (Oxfordshire)
Helplines, Websites, Apps and other resources to support service users which have been recommended by staff and those involved with our service.
Helplines
Oxfordshire Mind Safe Haven
*Safe Haven Service provides an additional resource out of hours and an alternative to the hospital emergency department for people experiencing a crisis with their mental health.
Oxford Safe Haven – open 7 days a week from 11.30am to 9.30pm.
Banbury Safe Haven – open Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, 6pm till 10pm (Banbury service users can contact Oxford Safe Haven when Banbury Safe Haven is closed.)
*We are open for self-referrals and can provide face to face one to one, group and phone support. Please access Safe Haven that is nearest to you by calling referral line on the day you would like to access support. We might not have a space if people arrive at the venue without calling ahead.
Please call 01865 903 037
Mental Health Helpline
This support is now being provided by NHS 111.
*Dial 111 and you will be taken via a number of push button options through to a health care advisor who will discuss your situation with you and pass your call on to a health care professional if it is appropriate to do so.
Samaritans
*Offer emotional support and a listening ear 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Call 0330 094 5717 (Local Charges Apply) or 116 123 (Free from any phone)
www.samaritans.org/branches/oxford
Domestic Abuse Helplines
- Oxfordshire Domestic Abuse Line 0800 731 0055
- National Domestic Abuse Line (Open 24/7) 0808 200 0247
- Reducing the Risk 01865 558 314
- Men’s Advice Line – for male survivors of domestic abuse 0808 801 0327
- National LGBT and Domestic Abuse Line 0800 999 5428
Turning Point
Information below taken from www.turning-point.co.uk/oxfordshire-roads-to-recovery
At Turning Point we know that drugs and alcohol can affect many areas of your life and successful treatment start with being there. We get to know you as a person, to understand what it is that you need to help you turn your life around. We work closely with other organisations in the county to ensure that help is there when you need it.
Please call 03000 134 776 for more information.
Sane Charity line
*Emotional and specialist information for those affected by mental health problems.
Telephone number: 0300 304 7000 (16:30 – 22:30) Email: info@saneline.org
Oxfordshire MIND Information Line
*For support and information about various services available in Oxfordshire.
Telephone Number: 01865 247 788 Mind Guide Website: www.oxmindguide.org.uk/directory
Papyrus Hopeline UK
*Supporting those under the age of 35 thinking about suicide and those who may be worried about someone.
Telephone Number: 0800 068 4141/07786 039 967 (09:00 – 22:00 Monday – Friday)
The Silver Line
*For people over 60 years of age, free confidential helpline, working in partnership with Age UK, to offer people over 60 years of age telephone friendship.
Telephone Number: 0800 470 8090 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
Switchboard
*Helpline for LGBT+ people to talk confidentially about anything that is on your mind, support people with a range of questions, whether this be for information or just to have someone to talk to.
Telephone Number: 0300 330 0630 (10:00 – 22:00 Monday – Sunday) Email: chris@switchboard.lgbt
CALM
*The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is leading a movement against suicide, the single biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK and the cause of 18 deaths every day.
*Helpline for men in the UK who are down, have hit a wall for any reason, who need to talk or find out information and support.
Telephone Number: 0800 58 58 58 (17:00 – 00:00 every day)
Online resources
NHS Every Mind Matters
Having good mental health helps us relax more, achieve more and enjoy our lives more. We have expert advice and practical tips to help you look after your mental health and wellbeing.
www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters
NHS Mental Health App Store
There are a number of app suggestions from the NHS at this link.
www.nhs.uk/apps-library/category/mental-health/
Centre for Clinical Interventions
If you experience a condition that is affecting your mental health and are looking for specific information about different types of problems, then the ‘workbooks’ or sets of modules in this section may be relevant to you. We strongly encourage you to talk to your local doctor or a mental health professional about your difficulties as the information provided in the resources are NOT a substitute for proper diagnosis or treatment by an appropriate health professional.
www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/Resources/Looking-After-Yourself
Royal College of Psychiatrists – Personality Disorders
This information is useful for those with a diagnosis of personality disorder, related mental health difficulties and for their family and friends.
www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mental-health/problems-disorders/personality-disorder
Mind – Suicidal Thoughts & Feelings
Explains what suicidal feelings are, and what you can do if you feel suicidal. Also covers the causes, treatments and support options for suicidal feelings.
Groups/Activities
Recovery College Oxfordshire
* Recovery College offers opportunities to learn about mental health and recovery by providing a unique curriculum designed to support people to recognise their own resourcefulness, talents and skills in order to become experts in their own self-care, make informed choices and achieve the things they want in life.
*The Recovery College aims to bring people together to realise and inspire individual and collective potential, recognising strengths and successes so that you can help take control back and become an expert in your own wellbeing and recovery and live the life that you wish to live.
www.oxfordshirerecoverycollege.org.uk/
Oxfordshire Mind
*Services now include: activity groups, peer support, older adults’ services, befriending, employment support, counselling, young people’s counselling and well-being and education training.
Lindengate
*Lindengate is a Buckinghamshire-based registered charity that offers specialised gardening activities to help those with mental health needs in their continuing recovery.
www.lindengate.org.uk/about-lindengate.html
Simply Walks Health Walks
*Simply Walk is part of a countywide programme of free, volunteer – led walks, which aims to help people get outdoors and be more active. The walks are all sociable and you don’t need any special equipment to join in, just comfortable shoes.
www.walkingforhealth.org.uk/walkfinder
Restore
*Restore is an Oxford based mental health charity that supports people to take control of their recovery, develop skills and lead meaningful lives. They offer recovery groups as well as training and employment coaching.
Maytree
*Maytree is a registered charity helping people in suicidal crisis in a non-medical setting. They offer support for people in suicidal crisis 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
*They have a respite centre which offers a free 4-night/5-day stay, and the opportunity to be befriended and heard in complete confidence, without judgement and with compassion and warmth.
Tel: 020 7 263 7070
Websites
SupportLine
*SupportLine is particularly aimed at those who are isolated, at risk, vulnerable and victims of any form of abuse; specialises in providing emotional support for adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse and anyone who has been raped/sexually assaulted.
Helpline: 01708 765 200
www.supportline.org.uk/problems
Living Life To The Full
*CBT based website used by Healthy Minds Primary care service.
*Teaches a range of life skills that are based on the tried and trusted CBT approach, to aim to improve wellbeing and resilience as you go through the journey of life.
Mood Juice
*Designed to help you think about emotional problems and work towards solving them. Emotional problems are often the mind and body’s way of saying that something needs to be changed in our life.
Papyrus UK
*Telephone line and website supporting suicide prevention, offers support for the person feeling suicidal, those supporting someone feeling suicidal and professionals.
MIND Guide
*This is a directory of services, apps and other help available to anyone who is worried about their own mental health and well-being or that of a friend or relative.
*It provides a database that can be easily searched and navigated so that people with a mental health problem can access the support they need.
Mobile Apps
Booster Buddy
*Booster buddy is a virtual app with an animal friend to help manage your mental health. Each day, you check in with how you’re feeling, and then complete a number of daily ‘quests’ designed to establish and sustain positive habits.
https://onemindpsyberguide.org/apps/booster-buddy/
App can be found on Android and Apple stores
Breathe2relax
*Breathe2relax is a stress management tool. It provides detailed information on the effects of stress on the body, and instructions and exercises to help manage stress using diaphragmatic breathing.
https://www.my-therappy.co.uk/app/breathe-2-relax
App can be found on Android and Apple stores
Calm
*The Calm app is something designed to help you sleep more, stress less & live better. Please note that there is a brief free trial for using this app available followed by a monthly cost.
App is available for iOS, Android, and desktop
Calm Harm
*Learn to surf the wave using five minute rule or fifteen minute rule with activities suggested by the app in sections such as; comfort, distract, express yourself, release.
https://www.nhs.uk/apps-library/calm-harm/
App can be found on Android and Apple stores
Dbt112
*Modules on Mindfulness, emotion regulation, relations (Goal orientation, relationship orientation, self-respect orientation), Distress tolerance, Validation (Self, other and to acquire), Diary Card.
App is available in Android stores
Headspace
*Headspace has one mission: to improve the health and happiness of the world and with millions of users in more than 190 countries, we’re well on our way. Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, we also have offices in San Francisco and London. You can try headspace for yourself and learn the essentials of meditation and mindfulness with our free Basics course. Please note that there is a brief free trial for using this app available followed by a monthly cost.
App can be found on Android and Apple stores
Mindshift
*Mindshift is designed to help you cope with anxiety. It includes strategies or making sleep count, riding out intense emotions, perfectionism, test anxiety, social anxiety, performance anxiety, worry, panic, and conflict.
https://onemindpsyberguide.org/apps/mindshift/
App can be found on Android and Apple stores
Moodfit
*Moodfit is a companion to help you achieve your goals. Track your mood, to see what can cause it to lift and drop. Understand how sleep and exercise affect you and more.
App can be found on Android and Apple stores
Omvana
*Omvana provides meditations tracks for focus, sleep, peace and more. It can be great for relaxing and practising meditation and mindfulness.
App can be found on Android and Apple stores
Panic Shield
*Panic shield can help train your minds not to be afraid of the sensations your typically associate with panic attacks, and not to fear external situations or activities that you avoid in case they trigger a panic attack. It also contains a paced breathing tool which can help you to calm down when you begin to feel particularly anxious.
App can be found on Android and Apple stores
Stay Alive
*Developed by Grassroots suicide Prevention this app is described as a ‘Pocket suicide prevention resource.
*Tools to stay safe, Finding help now, identifying signs of suicide if you are worried about someone, self-help ideas, breathing exercises and many others.
https://www.prevent-suicide.org.uk/find-help-now/stay-alive-app/
App can be found on Android and Apple stores
Sleepio
*Sleepio is an online sleep improvement programme for people living in Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire. It has been clinically proven to help you fall asleep faster, stay asleep through the /night, and give you more energy during the day if you follow the programme correctly.
https://www.nhs.uk/apps-library/sleepio/
App can be found on Android and Apple stores
Woebot
*CBT based digital therapy tools designed by experts to help stop negative thought patterns, discover patterns in mood (observe how moods change by tracking them over time), reduce stress and help those using Woebot to start to feel better.
https://woebothealth.com/for-users/
App can be found on Android and Apple stores
Sexual violence support
Oxfordshire Sexual Abuse & Rape Crisis Centre
OSARCC is an inclusive organisation which actively challenges discrimination in all its forms, including but not limited to discrimination based on race, religion, sexuality, disability, age, and class. We welcome contact from survivors from all walks of life, including women who sell sex and trans women.
Survivors UK (for Male Sexual Abuse)
www.survivorsuk.org/contact-us
We know male sexual abuse has profound effects on those who experience it and can deeply affect their mental health and relationships.
Bereavement counselling
Cruse Bereavement Care
Family and friends can be good people to talk to but, for many reasons, you might want to find another sympathetic ear. Our Bereavement Support Volunteers (BSVs) have experience of helping people through grieving; they have been trained to listen and help you work your way through the emotional work of grief.
One-to-one low cost counselling services
These services can provide 1:1 therapy if they feel it is going to be appropriate and they may be able to reduce the amount you have to pay for therapy in line with the finances you have available.
Oxford Women’s Counselling Centre
At Oxford Women’s Counselling Centre, we are committed to providing a professional counselling service in a supportive environment for women of Oxfordshire where, with the help of our women counsellors, they can explore the pattern of their lives, and consider alternative perspectives and ways of thinking.
Phone: 01865 725 617
Oxford Men’s Counselling Service
If you are interested in receiving counselling at OMCS, we will arrange an introductory session to find out what your needs are and whether we can provide the counselling which is appropriate for you.
The Oxford Counselling Centre
Our counsellors, coaches, cognitive behaviour therapists and hypnotherapists are all fully trained. They receive ongoing support and supervision. We know that everyone is an individual so we are pleased to be able to offer a wide range of therapies and modalities so we can suit your needs.
Phone: 01865 403 221
www.oxfordcounsellingcentre.com/frequently-asked-questions/
The Listening Centre
The Listening Centre provides low-cost counselling to people who are otherwise unable to afford it.
Phone: 01865 794 794
Counselling Services Website: www.thelisteningcentre.org.uk/
Housing support
Connection Support
Our team can support you through life’s challenges from the complex to the every-day situations you find yourself in. You may be facing homelessness, unable to keep up with rent payments, need someone to accompany you to an important meeting that could affect your future or need advice to complete a form for benefits.
www.connectionsupport.org.uk/oxfordshire/
Elmore Community Services
Elmore Community Services has over twenty years’ experience of providing flexible floating support to people in the Oxfordshire area. We will work with you by supporting you to link with the local services that you need and work towards gaining stability in your life.
Money management
Citizens Advice Bureau
Can help with creating budgeting tools, your rights, explaining debt relief orders etc
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/
Tel: 0344 245 1289
Advice line is open on weekdays 09:30 – 16:30, offices currently closed due to Covid-19, there are web chat and email services via the public website, if someone is available a web chat window will pop up.
Step Change
They offer free debt advice and practical debt solutions; debt management plans, debt relief orders, Individual voluntary arrangements, Covid payment plans and bankruptcy advice.
Tel: 0800 138 1111 or 0800 054 6734
Open Monday – Friday 08:00 – 20:00 and Saturday 08:00 – 16:00
Page last reviewed: 27 May, 2022