Life can be challenging. Learning can be challenging. There’s high and lows; lows may be one particular impactful event or a cumulation, combination of events, a ‘run of bad luck’, a trigger of a long-term condition, disability or neurodivergence.
Regardless of the cause, if you start to struggle, recognise you’re slipping into the ‘amber zone’ on the mental health continuum, perhaps feel out of control, stressed or the unexpected happens, please seek help. Of course, there’s your GP, but here’s some more resources.
They are there to support you not only with your learning but your wellbeing too.
Reynolds Training Academy are working with the charity, MIND, to offer specialised support to you. MIND changes minds for young adults across England and Wales by making mental health an everyday priority and by standing up to the injustices which make life harder for those of us with mental health problems. MIND offers help whenever you might need it through their information, advice, and local services. They bring together an unstoppable network of individuals and communities – people who care about mental health to make a difference.
Our partnership with MIND will provide one to one coaching sessions and group workshops at Reynolds Training Academy, these are private and confidential sessions to better support the mental wellbeing of our learners.
Reynolds Training Academy well being site
Explore this site to become better informed, equipped and enabled to improve your mental health confidence for an enhanced preventative approach.
Helpline available 24/7, 365 days of the year. Every 10 seconds, Samaritans responds to a call for help, for anyone who’s struggling to cope, who needs someone to listen without judgement or pressure.
Call 116 123 (free 24-hour helpline) www.samaritans.org.uk
Local Samaritan Offices:
Bexley – 35 Glynde Road, Bexleyheath, DA7 4EU
Orpington – 9b Station Road, Orpington BR6 0RZ
Sevenoaks – 105 St Johns Hill, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN13 3PE
Birmingham – 13 Bow Street, Birmingham, B1 1DW
Charity providing support if you’ve been diagnosed, or struggle with, an anxiety condition.
Phone: 08444 775 774
(Mon-Fri, 9.30am-5.30pm)
is a depression self-help organisation made up of individuals and local groups.
Extensive information and helpline. Phone: 0300 123 3393 (Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm)
Provides support and information for anyone affected by mental health problems, including local support groups. https://www.rethink.org/
and helpline no. 0808 801 0525
Urgent mental health helpline in England. You can call for:
https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/mental-health/find-an-urgent-mental-health-helpline
If you are unsure of your nearest help point and don’t know where to go for help look at this website and it will help you find all the nearest services accessible for your mental health.
https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/mental-health-services/how-to-find-local-mental-health-services/
Plus extensive information and tools on how to identify and self-help. https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/
Provides extensive information, free publications and materials too for specific mental health days and campaigns.
is a leading movement against suicide, the single biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK and the cause of 18 death every day. Helpline available 5pm to midnight, 365 days of the year, on 0800 58 58 58 nationwide or 0808 802 58 58 London area.
is a coalition of organisations and individuals that are united against bullying, providing tools and information about all things bullying.
Provides specialist support for those facing dementia via extensive information, free materials and details of their Admiral Nurse service.
A great support resource for anyone living with dementia, whether the person themselves or carers, including free dementia guides.
Provides information, support and classes for parents on tel. no. 0300 330 0700 https://www.nct.org.uk/
The UK’s leading charity for autistic people, those who live with or have autism – wording will depend on individual choice – and their families. They provide support, guidance, advice, training and learning.
The UK’s leading neurodiversity charity, offering support, guidance for the 1 in 5 people who live with ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, DCD, Dyscalculia, OCD, Tourette’s Syndrome and more, and the largest provider of specialist training.
https://www.adhdfoundation.org.uk/
macmillan cancer support
Providing help and support if you or someone you care about has been diagnosed with cancer.
Provides care and support to people living with a terminal illness and those close to them, https://www.mariecurie.org.uk/help/support
Call the free support line on 0800 090 2309, open Monday to Saturday.
Young Minds https://www.youngminds.org.uk/ provides extensive guidance how to grieve loss plus advice and information on what to do if you’re struggling with the loss of a loved one
Cruse Bereavement https://www.cruse.org.uk/ with their helpline on 0808 808 1677
Websites and blogs – such as Hope Again, a website for young people going through a bereavement, where you can find information, read other people’s experiences and add your own; and the Winston’s Wish, Child Bereavement UK and Health for Teens websites, which also offer information and advice
your GP – especially if you’re concerned you’re not coping, might be depressed, have trouble eating or sleeping, are thinking about hurting yourself, or you’re not starting to feel better after a few months: they may suggest you have counselling.
a teacher or tutor – you may be distracted or find it hard to concentrate at college for a while, so talking to a teacher you feel comfortable with can help them understand what you’re going through and take a bit of pressure off you; special circumstances, such as bereavement, can sometimes be considered if you’re having trouble with coursework or exams.
For those caring for family members or loved ones.
An extensive suicide awareness and prevention resource including language guidelines to help everyone feel confident about talking about suicide.
The UK’s biggest suicide awareness and prevention campaign set up in 2023. An extensive suicide awareness and prevention resource including language guidelines to help everyone feel confident about talking about suicide.
Offers free online suicide awareness and prevention training and resources.
https://prevent-suicide.org.uk/ A resource for those who are supporting someone else with mental health issues.
Confidential support for under-35s at risk of suicide and others who are concerned about them. Open daily from 9am–midnight.
Papyrus HOPELINEUK. Call 0800 068 41 41 or 07860039967 (text) or pat@papyrus-uk.org
If you’ve been sexually assaulted it’s important to remember that it was not your fault. Sexual violence is a crime, no matter who commits it or where it happens. Don’t be afraid to get help.
There are services that can help if you’ve been sexually assaulted, raped or abused. You don’t have to report the assault to the police if you don’t want to. You may need time to think about what has happened to you.
Places to get help include:
Rape crisis. Call 24-hour support line 0808 500 2222 or visit the website https://rapecrisis.org.uk/get-help/want-to-talk/ for a live chat.
Family Matters based in Gravesend, https://www.familymattersuk.org/
The Survivors Trust and associated Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) offer medical, practical and emotional support to anyone who has been raped, sexually assaulted or abused. They have specially trained doctors and nurses to care for you.
Weight matters offer counselling & psychotherapy for people who present with weight issues, disordered eating, negative body image and eating disorders. They also support clients who struggle with anxiety, depression or any aspect of mental health. They have received special training on how to work with disordered eating, eating disorders, weight-related health conditions and body image issues. You can book a FREE assessment video call to help you take that first step in the right direction.https://weightmatters.co.uk/
Orri https://www.orri-uk.com/ offers live chats so you can voice your concerns and get more information about what you feel is going on, on tel no. 0203 918 6340.
IAmSober is a support app that tracks sobriety, sends motivational messages, and connects users to a community of others in recovery. The I Am Sober app aims to help those struggling with any form of addiction. The app has an extensive list of addictions to choose at the onboarding process —everything from social media and sex to drugs and alcohol. When you select the behaviour, you’d like to quit, you’re asked to enter your sober start date, why you want to stop, and to make a sobriety pledge. I Am Sober helps members stay on track by sending reminders to return to the app and renew their pledges at the beginning and end of each day.
Alcoholics Anonymous call on 0800 9177 650 help@aamail.org (email helpline)
alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk Help and support for anyone with alcohol problems.
Alcohol Change UK alcoholchange.org.uk
Information and support options for people worried about how much alcohol they are drinking, in both English and Welsh.
FRANK call on 0300 123 6600 or talktofrank.com
Confidential advice and information about drugs, their effects, and the law.
London Friend londonfriend.org.uk Offers a range of services around London to support LGBT health and wellbeing including support groups and counselling.
Turning Point turning-point.co.uk Health and social care services in England for people with a learning disability. Also supports people with mental health problems, drug and alcohol abuse or unemployment.
We Are With You wearewithyou.org.uk Supports people with drug, alcohol or mental health problems, and their friends and family.
Switchboard LGBT+ Helpline https://switchboard.lgbt/about-us/
provides information, support and referral service for lesbians, gay men and bisexual and trans people—and anyone considering issues around their sexuality and/or gender identity
Helpline: 0300 330 0630 (10am–10pm every day)
London Friend
Provides counselling and support service for LGBT+ communities. Runs a range of support groups and social activities for example for lesbians/bisexual women, for black, asian and BME women, a non-scene men’s group.
Helpline: 020 7837 3337
T: 020 7833 1674 (office)
E: office@londonfriend.org.uk
W: www.londonfriend.org.uk
Alumina https://www.selfharm.co.uk/ is a free, online 7-week course for young people struggling with self-harm. Each course has up to 14 young people, all accessing the sessions from their own phones, tablets, or laptops across the UK. The courses take place on different evenings of the week and are run by friendly, trained counsellors and volunteer youth workers. You don’t need an adult to refer you or sign you up, and no-one will see or hear you during the sessions – you’ll just join in via the chat box. They want to help you to find your next steps towards recovery, wherever you are on your journey.
Harmless harmless.org.uk a user-led organisation that supports people who self-harm, and their friends and family.
Hub of Hope hubofhope.co.uk a UK-wide mental health service database. Let’s you search for local, national, peer, community, charity, private and NHS mental health support. You can filter results to find specific kinds of support.
LifeSIGNS lifesigns.org.uk a user-led self-harm guidance and support network.
The Mix themix.org.uk a support and advice for under 25s, including a helpline, crisis messenger service and webchat. Call 0808 808 4994
85258 (crisis messenger service, text THEMIX)
ASSIST Trauma Care assisttraumacare.org.uk provides information and specialist help for people who’ve experienced trauma or are supporting someone who has.
Association for Cognitive Analytic Therapists (ACAT) acat.me.uk for
Information about cognitive analytic therapy, including a list of accredited therapists.
Chiron Association for Body Psychotherapists body-psychotherapy.org.uk for information about body-focused approaches to therapy.
EMDR Association UK emdrassociation.org.uk for clinicians and researchers in the UK and Ireland. Provides lots of information about EMDR, including search tools to find EMDR-accredited therapists.
Student Minds is the biggest UK charity supporting students who struggle in education.
https://www.studentminds.org.uk/
You can attend in person sessions and there support groups are a safe, confidential place that allow students to talk and listen without judgement.
They understand that it can be difficult to talk and they believe that in an understanding group setting where everyone knows what you are talking about without it having to be spelled out, makes it that little bit easier.
Brings together people with shared experiences to support each other. Many people find it helps them to share ideas about how to stay well, connect with others and feel less alone.
If you’d like to try peer support, you could:
Visiting a recovery college offers courses about mental health and recovery, in a supportive environment. The courses are often designed and delivered by people who have experienced mental health problems. You can find local recovery colleges on the Mind Recovery Net website.
British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP)
babcp.com provides information about cognitive behavioural therapy and related treatments, including details of accredited therapists.
British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
bacp.co.uk The Professional body for talking therapy and counselling. Provides information and a list of accredited therapists.
UK Council for Psychotherapy https://www.psychotherapy.org.uk/about-ukcp/ the UK’s leading organisation for psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors.
Known as ‘a gym membership for the mind’, the Headspace app is used by millions of people all over the world. Through science-backed meditation and mindfulness tools, it helps create life-changing habits to support your mental health and find a healthier, happier you. Headspace is proven to reduce stress by 14% in just 10 days. It can also help you relax your mind in minutes, improve focus, and get the best sleep ever.
You can download just on your phone and at the end of your day to help with stress you can just take 10-15 minutes to do a quick meditation and relax your brain.
An app which sends daily affirmations to help rewire our brains, build self-esteem and change negative thought patterns. It helps you empower yourself by verbally affirming your dreams and ambitions. You can choose from many daily intentions and set reminders to be delivered throughout the day.
If you are interested in one of our courses or would like further information, please complete the form below, or you can call us on 01322 275807. We value the interest of our customers and learners and aim to get back to you within 24 hours. For details on how we collect and process your personal data, please read our privacy policy.