Mental Health Resources

If you are at imminent risk of harming yourself or others:

Please call the Nova Scotia Mental Health Crisis Line at 1-888-429-8167 or 902-429-8167.

You can also call or text 988, call 911, or go to your nearest hospital emergency department.

Please reach out. You are not alone — help is available.

Toll-Free Phone and Text Support

(available 24/7)

Good2Talk Nova Scotia (for post-secondary students)

  • Phone 1-833-292-3698

  • Text “Good2TalkNS” to 686868

Kids Help Phone (for children, youth and young adults, i.e. Canadians age 5 - 29)

  • Call 1-800-668-6868

  • Text CONNECT to 686868

 

The Trevor Project (for LGBTQ+ young people)

 

Hope for Wellness Helpline (for all Indigenous Peoples across Canada)

 

National Indian Residential School Crisis Line (for former Residential School students and their families)

  • Call 1-866-925-4419

 

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women And Girls Crisis Line (for people impacted by the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and 2SLBGTQIA+ people)

  • Call 1-844-413-6649

Hope for Wellness (provides immediate non-judgemental, culturally competent, trauma-informed emotional support, crisis intervention and referrals to community-based services for Indigenous Peoples)

  • 1-855-242-3310

Family Violence Resources Help Line

  • 1-855-225-0220

NS Peer Support Phone Line (available to all Nova Scotians 18 years of age and older)

  • 1-800-307-1686

Please Note: The NS Peer Support Line is only available during the following times:

  • Wednesday to Friday - 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Atlantic Time

  • Saturdays and Sundays - 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Atlantic Time

  • Closed Mondays and Tuesdays

 

Online Resources

Canadian Mental Health Association

National website: https://cmha.ca/find-info/mental-health/general-info/

  • Online resources on various topics

 

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

 

Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention

Domestic Violence Resource Centre

https://women.novascotia.ca/domestic-violence-resource-centre

Reach Out Nova Scotia

https://reachoutns.ca/

  • Online support to help men reach out for mental health support; provides resources and links to services

MyGrief.ca

https://www.mygrief.ca

  • Online resources for understanding and moving through grief

 

KidsGrief.ca

https://www.kidsgrief.ca

  • Online resources for parents and educators to talk about serious illness, dying and death with children and youth

 

YouthGrief.ca

https://youthgrief.ca

  • Online resources developed by grieving youth for grieving youth

 

Kids Help Phone online

www.kidshelpphone.ca

  • Online resources available for children and youth

  • Topics include suicide, depression, abuse, discrimination, racism, 2SLGBTQ+, etc.

 

Togetherall

www.togetherall.com

  • Online peer-to-peer community support and clinical support

  • Available for anyone age 16-29 in Nova Scotia

 

Tranquility NS

https://www.tranquility.app/novascotia

  • For Nova Scotians dealing with mild to moderate depression or anxiety

 

Therapy Assistance Online (TAO) Connect

https://www.taoconnect.org

  • Digital platform of mental health tools and resources

  • Membership-based (i.e. need to log in)

 

MindWell

https://app.mindwellu.com/novascotia

  • Video library, live classes and 30-Day Mindfulness Challenge (under ‘Training’).

Meditation Apps

Do an internet search for “meditation apps” to find lots of options

  • Some meditation apps are free (and have the option to upgrade to access more resources). Others have a yearly or monthly free — and some have a free trial period.

  • Most apps offer lots of variety so you can tailor meditations to your needs/likes (e.g. meditation length, type of meditation, time of day, voice, level of guidance, etc.)

  • Most apps also provide other options/activities such as nature sounds, music, breath work, affirmations, journalling prompts, live programming, and yoga programs.

211 

https://ns.211.ca

  • Contact 211 by text, phone, chat or website to get assistance finding and connecting to community, government and social services in Nova Scotia. Their service is confidential and they use a translation service that is available in over 240 languages.

  • 211 also registers people who want to access the Independent Legal Advice Program, which offers 2 hours of free legal advice to adult survivors of sexual assault (you may be able to access 4 hours in total). This program is available to people age 16 and older and the assault must have occurred in Nova Scotia. For more information, see the program overview at https://novascotia.ca/sexualassaultlegaladvice/

Peer Support Groups

People in Pain Network

https://www.pipain.com

  • Peer support groups as well as education and resources for those living in persistent/chronic pain and those who care about them

Healthy Minds Cooperative

https://www.healthyminds.ca/

  • Peer-led support groups for anyone dealing with a mental health challenge including addiction. Also has specific peer support groups for men, people in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, people with a loved one who lives with substance abuse disorder, and those affected by the climate crisis.

Alcoholics Anonymous

https://www.aa.org

  • Peer support groups and resources for people looking for help with a drinking problem, trying to help a family member or friend, and professionals working with people with substance abuse disorder.

Low or No-Cost Therapy

There are various options for people looking for low or no-cost therapy, including:

Mental Health and Addictions Intake Service (NS): 1-855-922-1122

  • Free counselling

  • It is best to call as soon as you think you may want therapy as there is a waitlist to see a NS Health Counsellor (let them know if you are experiencing psychosis). The phone call will take 30 - 60 minutes.

Couch of Hope: https://couchofhope.com

  • Free (or low-cost) counselling by counselling therapist interns to Nova Scotians (children age 10+, youth and adults) who do not have insurance and cannot afford to pay out-of-pocket

Some private practices host student interns who offer free or low-cost counselling (similar to Couch of Hope):

Access Wellness: https://accesswellness.lifeworks.com/nova-scotia-en

  • Provides free, single-session supportive counselling for individuals, couples or families

Affordable Therapy Network: https://affordabletherapynetwork.com/

  • A directory of therapists (and student interns) offering free, low-cost or sliding-scale counselling

Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com

  • A directory of therapists that can be searched based on location, fees, specialities, etc.

Bereaved Families of Nova Scotia: https://bfocb.ca

  • Provides various programs and services (including group counselling) to help people cope with loss and grief as a result of the death of a loved one

Some Hospices offer individual grief counselling, group counselling and/or resources. There are various hospices across the province including:

Addiction Recovery Support Centres: https://mha.nshealth.ca/en/rsc

  • Individual and group treatment for people with substance use or gambling concerns

Sexual Assault Centres: https://novascotia.ca/coms/svs/sexual-assault-centres/

  • Free individual counselling to those affected by sexualized violence

Men’s Intervention Programs: https://novascotia.ca/coms/families/MensIntervention.html

  • Various individual and group counselling available (some programs are solely for men; others are available for men or women who have been affected by domestic violence)

The People’s Counselling Clinic: http://www.thepeoplescounsellingclinic.ca/services

  • Free (or low-cost) counselling to under-served populations in the areas of trauma, abuse, sexual violence and intimate partner violence

Canadian Mental Health Association: Offers various resources and supports from two Nova Scotia branches:

University and Community College Counselling Centres

  • If you are a student, you have access to free counselling at your university or community college.

Workplace Coverage

  • If you are working, your employer may offer short-term counselling even if you are not part of their health insurance plan. Check to see if they have an Employee Assistance Program (which usually provides support to employees and their families).

Please note: The lists above are not all-inclusive. If you know of a resource that you think others would benefit from, please click on the online form to send a message with the relevant information. Thank you!