Resources

Equip your mental gym with these websites, apps, games, books and more.

Links were checked in November 2026. Costs change often, so check before you sign up. Listing a resource isn’t medical advice or an endorsement.

Urgent support and counselling

If your life or anyone else’s is in danger, call 000 (or the emergency number for your country).

  • Lifeline Australia

    24/7 crisis support by phone (13 11 14), text (0477 13 11 14) or online chat.

    Free

  • Kids Helpline

    24/7 support for young people aged 5 to 25 (1800 55 1800).

    Free

  • Beyond Blue

    24/7 support for anxiety and depression (1300 22 4636), with online chat and forums.

    Free

  • 13YARN

    24/7 crisis support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (13 92 76).

    Free

  • Befrienders Worldwide

    Find a helpline in your country, anywhere in the world.

    Free

Online help and information

  • Mental Health Online

    Free online programs for generalised anxiety, social anxiety and panic disorder.

    Free

  • MindSpot

    Free online assessment and courses for anxiety and depression, run by Macquarie University.

    Free

  • Medicare Mental Health

    The Australian Government’s guide to finding mental health support (formerly Head to Health).

    Free

  • headspace

    Support for young people aged 12 to 25, online and in centres across Australia.

    Free

  • SANE Forums

    Moderated online forums to connect with others living with mental health issues.

    Free

  • Black Dog Institute

    Research-based information and tools for anxiety, depression and more.

    Free

  • Mayo Clinic Anxiety Coach

    Self-help information for facing fears and anxiety (formerly Anxiety Coach).

    Free

  • Child Mind Institute

    Information for parents of children and teens with anxiety, ADHD, autism and more.

    Free

  • Anxiety Canada

    Practical self-help guides, plus the free MindShift CBT app.

    Free

Apps

  • Smiling Mind

    Mindfulness programs made by an Australian not-for-profit.

    App Store / Google Play · Free

  • Wysa

    A chatbot for stress, anxiety and low mood, with self-help exercises.

    App Store / Google Play · Free with paid options

  • What’s Up? A Mental Health App

    Tools for anxiety, depression and anger, based on CBT.

    App Store / Google Play · Free

  • MindShift CBT

    Anxiety relief tools from Anxiety Canada.

    App Store / Google Play · Free

  • TalkLife

    Connects you with supportive people for 24/7 peer support.

    App Store / Google Play · Free

  • 7 Cups

    Chat with trained volunteer listeners.

    App Store / Google Play · Free with paid options

  • MindDoc

    Mood tracking and guidance for your emotional wellbeing (formerly Moodpath).

    App Store / Google Play · Free with paid options

  • Calm

    Meditation, sleep stories and tools to calm your mind.

    App Store / Google Play · Free with paid options

  • Headspace

    Courses and meditations.

    App Store / Google Play · Free with paid options

  • Happier

    Meditation with teachers (formerly Ten Percent Happier).

    App Store / Google Play · Free with paid options

  • Insight Timer

    Thousands of free guided meditations and talks.

    App Store / Google Play · Free with paid options

  • Buddhify

    Meditations for on the go.

    App Store / Google Play · Paid

  • Simple Habit

    Quick meditations for busy people.

    App Store / Google Play · Free with paid options

  • Aura

    Short meditations, CBT and sleep.

    App Store / Google Play · Free with paid options

  • Brain.fm

    Music to help with focus, relaxation and sleep.

    App Store / Google Play · Free trial, then paid

  • Colorfy

    Colouring for adults.

    App Store / Google Play · Free with paid options

Games

Calm, gentle games to give your brain a break.

  • Monument Valley 1, 2 and 3

    A peaceful puzzle game through impossible architecture.

    App Store / Google Play · Paid (Monument Valley 3 included with Netflix)

  • Naturespace

    Immersive, realistic nature sounds.

    App Store / Google Play · Free with paid options

  • Prune

    Grow and shape a tree towards the light.

    App Store / Google Play · Paid

  • Zen Koi 2

    Raise, breed and collect koi fish in a calm pond.

    App Store / Google Play · Free

  • Journey

    A beautiful, wordless adventure across the desert.

    PlayStation / PC / iPhone and iPad · Paid

  • Abzû

    Explore a colourful ocean.

    PlayStation / Xbox / Nintendo Switch / PC · Paid

  • Sea of Solitude

    A story about loneliness and finding your way back.

    PlayStation / Xbox / Nintendo Switch / PC · Paid

  • Night in the Woods

    A story game about mental health and friendship.

    PlayStation / Xbox / Nintendo Switch / PC / iPhone and iPad · Paid

Books

  • The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

    Mark Manson

  • Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway

    Susan Jeffers

  • The Perfectionism Workbook

    Taylor Newendorp

  • The Anxiety Toolkit

    Alice Boyes, PhD

  • The Worry Trick

    David A. Carbonell, PhD

  • The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook

    Edmund J. Bourne, PhD

  • Getting Over OCD

    Jonathan S. Abramowitz, PhD

  • First, We Make the Beast Beautiful: A New Journey Through Anxiety

    Sarah Wilson

  • Hardcore Self Help: F**k Anxiety

    Robert Duff, PhD

  • Anxiety as an Ally: How I Turned a Worried Mind into My Best Friend

    Dan Rykart

  • Rewire Your Anxious Brain

    Catherine M. Pittman, PhD and Elizabeth M. Karle

  • The Calm Technique: Meditation without Magic or Mysticism

    Paul Wilson

  • Dare: The New Way to End Anxiety

    Barry McDonagh

  • Retrain Your Brain: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in 7 Weeks

    Seth J. Gillihan, PhD

  • Be Calm: Proven Techniques to Stop Anxiety Now

    Jill Weber, PhD

  • It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way

    Lysa TerKeurst

  • Anxiety: The Missing Stage of Grief

    Claire Bidwell Smith

  • 10% Happier

    Dan Harris

  • How to Be Yourself: Quiet Your Inner Critic and Rise Above Social Anxiety

    Ellen Hendriksen, PhD

  • Don’t Feed the Monkey Mind

    Jennifer Shannon, LMFT

Exercise and nutrition

  • Couch to 5K

    Start running with guided workouts.

    App Store / Google Play · Free

  • My Virtual Mission

    Turn your walks and runs into virtual journeys and challenges.

    App Store / Google Play · Free with paid options

  • Zombies, Run!

    A fun, immersive running game.

    App Store / Google Play · Free with paid options

  • Seven

    7-minute workouts.

    App Store / Google Play · Free with paid options

  • Fitbod

    Weight lifting plans that adapt to you.

    App Store / Google Play · Paid

  • Recovery Record

    Support for eating disorder recovery, which can be shared with your care team (formerly Rise Up + Recover).

    App Store / Google Play · Free

  • Butterfly Foundation

    Support for eating disorders and body image (1800 33 4673).

    Free

  • MyFitnessPal

    Food and nutrition logging.

    App Store / Google Play · Free with paid options

  • Harvest

    Shows which fruit and vegetables are in season where you live.

    App Store / Google Play · Free

  • Waterlogged

    Reminders to stay hydrated.

    App Store / Google Play · Free

  • Monash University FODMAP Diet

    Low FODMAP recipes and food guide for sensitive stomachs, from the researchers who developed the diet.

    App Store / Google Play · Paid

  • Fooducate

    Explains nutrition labels so you can choose healthier options.

    App Store / Google Play · Free with paid options

Neurodivergence

Support from neurodivergent-led and reputable organisations, mostly in Australia.

Autism

  • Reframing Autism

    Autistic-led organisation celebrating Autistic identity, with resources for Autistic people and families.

  • I CAN Network

    Australia’s largest Autistic-led organisation, with mentoring for young Autistic people.

  • Yellow Ladybugs

    Support and community for Autistic girls, women and gender-diverse people.

  • Autistic Self Advocacy Network Australia and New Zealand

    Run by and for Autistic people.

  • Amaze

    Information and a free advice line about autism.

  • Autism CRC

    Australian research, including the national guideline for autism assessment.

  • Embrace Autism

    Plain-language articles and free autism self-screening questionnaires (not a diagnosis).

ADHD

AuDHD (autism and ADHD)

Many people are both autistic and have ADHD, sometimes called AuDHD. The two can pull in different directions, like needing routine while craving novelty.

Learning differences: dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia and dyspraxia

Intellectual disability

  • Inclusion Australia

    The national voice of people with an intellectual disability and their families, with Easy Read information.

Getting assessed and support

  • Your GP

    A good first step: your GP can refer you to a psychologist, psychiatrist or paediatrician for assessment, and to a Mental Health Treatment Plan.

  • NDIS

    Funding for disability support, including for some autistic people and people with intellectual disability.

  • Raising Children Network

    Australian Government-funded guides to autism and ADHD for parents.

  • Neurodiversity Hub

    Resources for neurodivergent students, job seekers and employers.

Get in touch

If you need someone to chat to, an accountability buddy, want to share your courageous feats or just want to share photos of your pets, I would love to talk to you!

Email me

Need to talk to someone now?

This website and the workbook aren’t a replacement for professional help. If you’re in danger or need urgent help, call 000.