Skip to main content Skip to navigation within this section

Mental health and wellbeing support

There are many services throughout New Zealand that can offer support, information and help for you, your friends, or your family.

On this page

If you feel you are not coping, or if you have concerns for others, it is important to talk with a health professional.

If there is a crisis or an emergency, call 111 immediately.

The following helplines are available for people needing support. The information below discusses mental abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, suicide, self-harm

 

Counselling and support services

1737 Need to talk?

Talk to or text with a trained counsellor or talk to a peer support worker for free, 24/7.

 

Lifeline

Lifeline is a free helpline and text services are available 24/7. It provides confidential support from highly trained staff and volunteers.

 

Depression Helpline

The Depression Helpline helps New Zealanders recognise and understand depression and anxiety. They provide ideas and support on how to take care of yourself and others.

 

Samaritans

Samaritans operates a 24/7 crisis help line. Their phones are operated by volunteers from the community for the community.

 

Skylight

Skylight supports people of all ages throughout New Zealand who are facing any kind of tough life situation. It specialises in grief, loss, and trauma.

 

Anxiety Helpline

The Anxiety Helpline supports people living with anxiety and other mental health experiences in Aotearoa New Zealand. They offer specialist clinical services, ongoing peer support groups, educational resources, and immediate help.

 

Suicide Crisis Helpline

If you think you, or someone you know, may be thinking about suicide, call the Suicide Crisis Helpline for support.

 

Access and Choice

Find free mental wellbeing support. The Access and Choice programme can connect you with a provider that can help.

 

All Sorts - Tips for coping after a natural disaster

Discover coping tips to help you and your loved ones in the aftermath of a natural disaster.

 

Support for ethnic communities

Asian Family Services

Asian Family Services is a provider for Asian people who are affected by gambling harm/mental health issues in New Zealand. They offer services in English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Japanese, Thai, and Hindi.

 

Diversity Counselling New Zealand

Diversity Counselling New Zealand provides culturally responsive counselling and promotes community well-being. They offer services in English, Tamil, Hindi, Sinhalese, German, Bemba, Japanese, Bengali, Punjabi, Korean, Hungarian, Afrikaans and Nyanja.

 

Shakti Crisis Line

Shakti is a national not-for-profit community organisation specialised in the area of women’s development, empowerment and domestic/family violence intervention, prevention and awareness. They are a specialist provider of culturally competent support services for women, children and families of Asian, African and Middle Eastern origin.

Support for families and friends

Yellow Brick Road

Yellow Brick Road provides mental health support for families who have a loved one experiencing mental health challenges. 

 

Mental Health Foundation

The Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand is a charity that works towards creating a society free from discrimination, where all people enjoy positive mental health and wellbeing. It works with individuals, families, organisations, and communities.

 

Aoake te Rā

Aoake te Rā is a free service that provides support to individuals and families who have lost someone to suicide.

 

After a Suicide

This website has information to support people who have lost someone they love or care about to suicide. This includes details about loss and grief, what people may be experiencing, practical matters and where to find support. The website is run by the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand on behalf of the Ministry of Health.

 

The Grief Centre

The Grief Centre’s services are designed to offer loss and grief support to youth, adults, and families experiencing any form of significant loss. They also provide professional training, community talks and events and partnerships with funeral homes to provide bereavement support.

 

Victim Support

Victim Support provides a free, nationwide support service for people affected by crime, trauma, and suicide in New Zealand. They help their clients to find safety, healing, and justice after crime and other traumatic events.

 

 

Support for young people

Youthline 

Youthline supports young people who are struggling with their mental health or other issues, as well as young people who want to learn, grow, and give back to their community.

 

What’s up?

0800 What’s Up is a free and confidential helpline for children and young people. It is a safe space. for people to talk about anything that is on their minds.

 

Aunty Dee

Aunty Dee is a free online tool for anyone who needs some help working through a problem or problems. It doesn’t matter what the problem is, Aunty Dee can help you work it through.

 

The Low Down

The Low Down is a space created with rangatahi for rangatahi. Young people can learn, express, and engage around their hauora, identity, culture and mental health.

 

Headstrong

Headstrong is a free app to help young people strengthen their mental wellbeing.

 

 

Support for older people

Elder Abuse Helpline

The Elder Abuse Helpline is a free service that people can contact if they or someone they know are experiencing elder abuse. 

 

Family violence services

Women’s Refuge

Women’s Refuge supports and helps women and children experiencing family violence.

 

Family Violence Info Line

Find out about local services or how to help someone near you.

 

Shine Helpline

The Shine Helpline can help anyone who is worried about their own situation, about a friend, family member, child, or someone else they know who might be experiencing domestic violence.

 

 

Sexual violence services

Sexual Harm Helpline

The Sexual Harm Helpline offers free 24/7 confidential contact with a trained specialist. They support people who have been sexually harmed, are worried about something that’s happened to them, want to help someone else, or are concerned about their own thoughts or about harming someone. They can also provide information about sexual harm.

 

Rape Crisis

Rape Crisis offers support to people who have been raped or sexually assaulted.

 

ACC Sensitive Claims

ACC provides fully funded counselling support for those who have experienced sexual abuse or assault.

 

Shama - Crisis Support

Shama Ethnic Women’s Trust provides services for ethnic women and children, run by ethnic women. Shama offers crisis support for those who have just experienced a sexual assault or have had reminders of previous sexual harm.

 

 

Addiction support

Alcohol Drug Helpline

The Alcohol Drug Helpline offers free support if you have concerns about your drinking and drug use, or someone else’s. A trained counsellor is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

 

Gambling Helpline

The Gambling Helpline provides support for those worried about gambling or the gambling of others.

Workshops

The following mental wellbeing workshops are free. They are for ethnic communities.

We will continue to update this information as more workshops become available.

Blueprint for Learning mental health workshops

We are hosting the following workshops, run by Blueprint for Learning:

Stress, Resilience and Wellbeing workshop for Ethnic Communities - online

MH101® workshop for Ethnic Communities - online

MH101® workshop for Ethnic Communities - Dunedin

Last modified: