Mental Health Resources

If you are in a crisis or any other person may be in danger please do not use this website, call 9-1-1.

If you have questions about your specific symptoms or are looking for medical advice, please contact your family doctor or local health care facility. The information on this website is provided for information purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical, legal or professional advice. The website and the content are provided "as is". Please note the inclusion of an organization and information does not imply endorsement , nor does exclusion indicate lack of endorsement. If there is a resource you think should be included in this list, please contact us.

A great resource to access if you have questions about OHIP covered programs and health care in Ontario is https://www.ontario.ca/page/health-care-ontario


Helplines to call for Immediate Help (FREE services)

* NEW * Helpline for Ontario Farmers 1-866-267-6255 Farmers Wellness Initiative - Access to free, professional mental health counselling tailored to farmers and their families by calling the toll-free number. Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Available in English and French. https://ontario.cmha.ca/farming-mental-health/farmer-wellness-initiative/

* For Huron Perth Residents 1-888-829-7484 Huron Perth Helpline and Crisis Response Team - “If you need someone to talk to, are struggling with your mental health or addiction, or need to be connected to mental health services please connect the Huron Perth Helpline.” https://www.hpha.ca/mentalhealth


* For Wellington County Residents  1-888-821-3760 Distress Line for residents of Wellington County. “Trained volunteers provide emotional support through active listening and empathy at times when you may feel stressed.” Available 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day, including holidays https://familyserviceguelph.on.ca/family-counselling-services-guelph/distress-teleconnect-line/


2-1-1 211 Ontario - a free confidential service to connect you with local social services. Available 24/7 https://211ontario.ca


1-866-863-0511 Assaulted Women's Helpline – “Free, anonymous, confidential 24-hr telephone and TTY crisis telephone line to all women in the province of Ontario who have experienced any form of abuse. A telephone counsellor provides immediate crisis counselling, safety planning, as well as referrals to local agencies and support for the ongoing struggle to name and act against abuse.” https://www.awhl.org/


*NEW* 1-888-220-2510 Black Mental Health Canada Inc. - “Black Mental Health Canada exists to provide access to affordable mental health services and education for the Black community.” https://blackmentalhealth.ca


1-866-531-2600 Connex Ontario - a free confidential resource to direct you to services, specializing in addiction, mental health and gambling issues. Available 24-7 https://connexontario.ca/


1-833-456-4566 Crisis Line - Canada Suicide Prevention Services - is a national network of existing distress, crisis and suicide prevention line services. Available 24/7 https://www.crisisservicescanada.ca/en/ Texting support also available: Text "Start" to 45645 (Available 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. ET)


*NEW* 1-866-925-5454 Good to Talk - “is a free, confidential service for post-secondary students in Ontario.” “Post-secondary students in Ontario can receive professional counselling and information and referrals for mental health, addictions and well-being.” Available 24-7, and texting support available. Text “GOODTOTALKON” to 686868 https://good2talk.ca/ontario/


1-855-554-HEAL Talk 4 Healing - “is a culturally grounded, fully confidential helpline for Indigenous women available in 14 languages all across Ontario.” Available 24/7 http://talk4healing.com


1-877-330-6366 Trans Lifeline - “is a trans-led organization that connects trans people to the community, support, and resources they need to survive and thrive.” Available 24/7 https://www.translifeline.org


Counselling and Support

*NEW - Registered Psychotherapist, Mandy de Boer in Wellington County - Mandy is a Registered Psychotherapist serving Wellington County. Due to growing up on a farm and living in the farming community, she is familiar and can grasp the stressors and uncertainty of the farming lifestyle. She has a private practice and can meet with clients in person and online in Fergus and online with clients in Arthur. Her sessions consist of disassembling grief, trauma, anxiety, depression and relationship concerns. She helps individuals who are feeling frustrated, stressed and unheard become satisfied with themselves and their relationships. Mandy supports clients through discovering their history, uncovering unknown patterns and understanding emotions. She can be reached at https://compassioncounsellingservices.ca  or by phone at (226) 741-0323.

* FREE for Perth County, St. Mary’s and Stratford business owners (this includes farmers) - Mental Wellness Support - Counselling and one-one support provided by Family Services, Perth-Huron at no charge to the business owner. To access these resources you can contact Family Services Perth-Huron directly at 519-273-1020, ext 108. More information is available at https://www.subscribepage.com/mentalhealthinfosbec


*FREE for Wellington County residents - Walk-In/Virtual Mental Health Clinics - Counselling offered through Family Counselling and Services for Guelph and Wellington. To access walk-in/virtual counselling services, individuals may call 519-824-2431, ext. 12. Anyone wishing a single session can call to schedule a same-day appointment:

~ Mount Forest: Mondays 9 am - 5 pm, 519-824-2431 ext. 36 (only virtual appointments available at the Mount Forest site at this time)

~ Harriston: Tuesdays 12 noon to 6:30 pm 519-824-2431 ext. 12 The Harriston clinic is also offering FREE ongoing therapy one day per week.

~ Guelph: Wednesdays, 1 pm - 7:30 p.m. or walk-in to the office at 20 Shelldale Crescent 519-824-2431 ext. 12

~ Fergus: Thursdays, 1 pm to 7:30 pm, 900 Tower Street South (Skyline Community Hub) 519-824-2431 ext. 12

More information is also available at https://familyserviceguelph.on.ca/


*FREE for Wellington County residents - TeleConnect Line - A free and confidential service where residents can schedule themselves to receive either a daily or periodic telephone calls for the purpose of either a wellness/safety check, social engagement, medication reminder or any combination of these needs. To access this service call 519-824-2431, ext. 27 and leave contact information


*FREE for Ontario Residents - Bounce Back - “is a free, guided self-help program that’s effective in helping people aged 15 and up who are experiencing mild-to-moderate anxiety or depression, or may be feeling low, stressed, worried, irritable or angry.” https://bouncebackontario.ca/


* FREE for Ontario Residents - Mind Beacon - “BEACON is digital therapy that's personalized and guided by a registered mental health professional. Guided digital therapy with BEACON is now available free of charge during COVID-19 through the Ontario government.” https://www.mindbeacon.com/


*FREE for Ontario Residents - AbilitiCBT - is a “virtual platform is designed to help people develop skills and strategies to address symptoms of mild to moderate anxiety and/or depression.” The self-guided program takes you through 10 guided sessions, while a therapist monitors your progress. Free to Ontario residents, over 16 years of age. https://ontario.abiliticbt.com/home


*FREE for Youth in Ontario - WES for Youth Online - “provides wellness and emotional support for youth online in a safe, secure, and confidential manner. They also ensure youth have access to free, online, professional counselling. They value support, community, trustworthiness, innovation, and co-creation in their charity.” https://wesforyouthonline.ca   


*FREE for Youth in the Erin Area - East Wellington Community services is offering assistance with accessing local resources to youth in the area. Due to COVID-19, there are no drop ins available at this time but meetings can still be arranged by contacting Fran via email fran.n@ew-cs.com or by cell 226-979-7148. These services are part of a larger initiative to serve the youth in our community, called the Integrated Youth Services Network


*FREE for Youth in the Fergus Area - The BHive - located at 900 Tower Street South, Fergus, is “a space for youth, by youth in the community to come together and enjoy programs and services that will build their social emotional competence, mental health and well being and educational engagement and employment readiness.” After school programs are available, more info can be found at https://www.thebhivecw.com. These services are part of a larger initiative to serve the youth in our community, called the Integrated Youth Services Network 


Distance Therapy with a Registered Psychotherapist - Liz Dietrich was raised and currently lives in South Huron. She is a Registered Psychotherapist, whose life experiences make her very familiar with farming life and its stressors. She has a private practise based from her home and is offering distance therapy via telephone or secure video conferencing. Liz can be reached at www.lizdietrich.ca or by phone at 519-494-6191.


Better Help - “access to licensed, trained, experienced, and accredited psychologists (PhD / PsyD), marriage and family therapists (LMFT), clinical social workers (LCSW / LMSW), and board licensed professional counsellors.” Counselling is available online and through an app https://www.betterhelp.com


Inkblot Therapy - is a Canadian based company that offers completely digital personalized mental health services. Inkblot also offers mental health services for businesses, through creating a mental health strategy and offering resources https://inkblottherapy.com/

* NEW * Kinthera - “Find the right therapist for you, the first time. Kinthera helps you find a therapist that is the right fit for you. They match you based on what matters, using matching criteria developed through research while still focusing on your unique preferences. Go to www.kinthera.ca, fill out their matching survey, and they will send you their top recommendations – carefully selected for you. Easy, free, and created with you in mind. Get matched today.”

Talk Space - allows you to “connect with a matching therapist and communicate through laptop, tablet or smart phone.” An app is also available https://www.talkspace.com


Telepsychiary - is “one of the services in TeleMental Health, is a modality of care that delivers real-time client care via secure videoconferencing.” There is a varying wait time after a referral is received from doctor. Toll-free: 1-800-463-2338 ext. 34778 https://www.porticonetwork.ca/web/telemental-health/telepsychiatry


Peer Support Groups

Boots on the Ground - confidential peer support for first responders, Toll free number 1-833-677-2668, available 24/7 https://www.bootsontheground.ca/


Together All “is an online peer-to-peer support community for your mental health” https://togetherall.com/en-ca/


Waterloo Region Suicide Prevention Council - their “mission is to reduce suicide and its impact on individuals, families, and communities.” https://wrspc.ca/


Resources Targeted for those in Agriculture

*NEW* Rural Mental Health Toolkit - "is an online community-based mental health program offered by The Stigma Free Society that creates access to mental health education and peer support training, as well as practical and relatable resources for those living in rural and agricultural communities. https://stigmafreesociety.com/rural-mental-wellness-toolkit/


*NEW* Emergency Response Model for Mental Health During Agricultural Crises - “This guidance document outlines evidenced-informed recommendations for attending to farmer mental health during times of agricultural crisis (e.g. animal disease outbreak) or disaster (e.g. barn fire). These guidelines are intended to help agricultural organizations, communities, and government best support farmers, farm families, and agricultural communities as they work through agricultural crises and disasters.” https://ovc.uoguelph.ca/population-medicine/sites/default/files/files/ER%20Model.pdf


* Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs Mental Health Toolkit - a collection of resources curated for the all of those involved in agriculture in Ontario http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/about/mental-health.htm

The following three resources are from the OMAFRA Toolkit

  • Farm Financial Assessment “provides a review of a farm's financial performance.” Can be contacted through 1-877-424-1300 or emailed at ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca

  • Farm Debt Mediation Service “offers financial counselling and mediation services.” Can be contacted through 1-866-452-5556 or http://www.agr.gc.ca/eng/programs-and-services/farm-debt-mediation-service/?id=1536081857309

  • Farm Animal Welfare Helpline is “provided by Farm and Food Care Ontario to assist people in providing good care for their farm animals. Calls received by the service are given to the appropriate commodity group(s) for follow-up.” Can be contacted through 519-837-1326 or https://www.farmfoodcareon.org/farm-animal-care/


* For veterinarians in Ontario - I Matter - “is a platform to equip Ontario veterinarians with knowledge and strategies to help them better cope with and respond to the challenges they face in their professional and personal lives.” https://i-matter.ca


Beef Farmers of Ontario Wellness on the Farm Database - lists mental health resources for farmers in Ontario, also includes a Farm Stress Inventory assessment and a Farm Stress Management Plan https://www.ontariobeef.com/services/wellness-on-the-farm.aspx


Dairy Farmers of Ontario Mental Health Resource Database https://www.milk.org/mentalhealth/


Do More Ag - lists mental health resources available nationally but also by province https://www.domore.ag/resources


Lennox & Addington County Farmer Wellness Program - this program provides accessible mental health counselling to OFA Members and farmers in Lennox & Addington county http://www.farmerwellnessprogram.ca/


Ontario Pork Producers Mental Health Resource Database https://www.ontariopork.on.ca/Producers/Mental-Health-Resources


Ontario Federation of Agriculture - lists mental health news and wellness information https://ofa.on.ca/issues/mental-health/


Ontario Federation of Agriculture - OFA in collabortion with Dr. Andria Jones-Bitton created a wellbeing resource to help indviduals during COVID-19 https://ofa.on.ca/resources/8-domains-of-well-being-covid-19-style/


Tips to Deal with Stress from Grain Farmers of Ontario https://gfo.ca/farmerwellness/


Wellness Tips from Farm Credit Canada https://www.fcc-fac.ca/en/community/wellness/tips.html



Podcasts and Articles Targeted for Those in Agriculture

* Perth Country Residents * - Perth County Podcast - “Insights, tools and best practices for supporting Perth Country businesses” https://www.perthcounty.ca/en/doing-business/perth-county-podcast.aspx#


Podcast: A Farmer's Journey Through Stress, Depression, Anxiety from The Impact Farming Show https://www.farmmarketer.com/impact-farming-show-gerry-friesen-a-farmers-journey-through-stress-depression-and-anxiety


Podcast: We Need to Do More Ag from The Impact Farming Show https://www.farmmarketer.com/Resources/ResourceItem?resourceItemId=175


Podcast: Bell Let's Talk from Mind Your Farm Business https://www.realagriculture.com/2020/01/bell-lets-talk-every-action-counts-at-home-and-in-the-field/


Podcast: Mental Health in Agriculture from Mind Your Farm Business https://www.realagriculture.com/2019/05/myfb-ep-39-making-headway-on-mental-health-in-agriculture/


Downloadable Book: Difficult TImes Stress on the Farm from the Canadian Agriculture Safety Association https://www.casa-acsa.ca/en/safetyshop-library/difficult-times-stress-on-the-farm/


A Collaboration of Articles about Farmers and Mental Health from the Beef Magazine https://www.beefmagazine.com/farm-life/ag-depression-addressing-mental-health-issues-our-community


Other Resources for Ontario Residents

*NEW* COVID-19 Support for residents of Ontario - use the Government of Ontario’s website to learn what financial, mental health and other supports are available during COVID-19 https://www.ontario.ca/page/covid-19-support-people

*NEW* Internal Stress Dashboard - this dashboard is a tool to help you assess your internal stressors to help identify areas of increased stress and overload https://www.fcc-fac.ca/fcc/knowledge/wellness/mh-dashboard-e.pdf

*NEW* Ontario Mental Health Supports Database - from the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). CMHA provides information, resources and programs relating to mental health and addiction https://ontario.cmha.ca/provincial-mental-health-supports/

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) - there are three CAMH sites in Toronto, to access a majority of these services, patients require a referral form completed by a physician or nurse practitioner https://www.camh.ca/


Crisis Support Contact Info - Free downloadable crisis support contact info for a wide variety of topics and geographic locations https://www.lifevoice.ca/product-category/crisis-supports


eMentalHealth - A searchable database for “mental health resources, help and support” in Ontario https://www.ementalhealth.ca/


The Free Legal Advice Hotline - 1-855-255-7256 “The Hotline accepts calls from Monday to Friday between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., and between 1:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.” Service provided by Pro Bono Ontario https://www.probonoontario.org/


Legal Aid Ontario - government provided access to legal aid. Accessible online or by phone. “Call 1-800-668-8258 (toll-free) Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for help in over 300 languages.” http://www.legalaid.on.ca/


Mental Health Training Courses - based out of Guelph Ontario, Life Voice offers training in “Mental Health First Aid, Compassion Fatigue, ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training,) safeTALK, and The “ASK” Workshop (Assessing for Suicide in Kids trainings).” https://www.lifevoice.ca

The Suicide Awareness Council of Wellington-Dufferin - provides a database of mental health resources, access to training programs and local initiatives. The Council's belief is that together we can make a difference in the reduction of suicidal behaviours and that we are all empowered to participate in building suicide safer communities. https://www.sacwd.ca/


Workplace Safety and Prevention Services (WSPS)- “is a not-for-profit organization committed to protecting Ontario workers and businesses.” The website has information about workplace safety training, products, consultations and resources https://www.wsps.ca/Home.aspx


Canadian Resources and Databases

*NEW* Mental Health Issues Facing the Black Community - Sunshine Behavioural Health (based in the United Sates) has created an online free resource for the Black community, including free or low-cost sources for mental health treatment in the Black community. In addition to Black mental health providers, the resources also includes information on “How Racism Causes Mental Health Problems” and “Why Don’t More Black People Seek Mental Health Help”. https://www.sunshinebehavioralhealth.com/mental-health-issues-facing-the-black-community/


Canadian Institue for Health Information (CIHI) - “provides comparable and actionable data and information that are used to accelerate improvements in health care.” https://www.cihi.ca/en


Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) - has a mission to “advance research, knowledge and the application of psychology in the service of society through advocacy, support and collaboration.” https://cpa.ca/


Canadian Psychiatric Association - is a professional association for psychiatrists, and provides information about how to find and access help from psychiatrists https://www.cpa-apc.org/


Information Regarding Co-Occuring Disorders - A person with a co-occurring disorder has been diagnosed with a substance abuse disorder and another mental health disorder. Co-occurring disorders, sometimes called dual disorders, are best treated through integrated treatment that addresses both issues at the same time. More information can be found at https://www.ridgefieldrecovery.com/treatments/co-occurring-disorders/ or https://www.addictionresource.net/dual-diagnosis/ Please note that these are American websites but offer valuable information regarding co-occuring disorders.


Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) - is a “part of several initiatives, undertaken with other health-care organzations across Canada, that seek to increase access to high-quality mental health services.” https://mentalhealthcommission.ca/


Psychology Today - a resource with an online magazine, articles and information pertaining to seeking help. https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca


Think Mental Health - This “database includes resources for staff and management on the prevention, intervention and accommodation of mental health problems in the workplace.” http://thinkmentalhealth.ca/

Tips for Calming Anxiety - information regarding anxiety, how to calm it, and common triggers - https://www.fingerprintforsuccess.com/blog/how-to-calm-anxiety/#

Videos and Downloadable Apps

TED Talk - A Tale of Mental Illness from the Inside - Elyn Saks https://www.ted.com/talks/elyn_saks_a_tale_of_mental_illness_from_the_inside?language=en

TED Talk - Depression: the secret we share - Andrew Solomon https://www.ted.com/talks/andrew_solomon_depression_the_secret_we_share?language=en

TED Talk - The worst moments in our lives make up who we are - Andrew Solomon https://www.ted.com/talks/andrew_solomon_how_the_worst_moments_in_our_lives_make_us_who_we_are?language=en

TED Talk - What you don't see about depression - Jayne Hardy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRvRTbXLOGc

Video - Emotional Freedom Technique - “The Emotional Freedom Techniques, or EFT, is the psychological acupressure technique used to optimize emotional health” https://eft.mercola.com/


App and website: Headspace - a meditation app. Also available online at https://www.headspace.com


App and website: Calm - an app for meditation and sleep. Also available online at https://www.calm.com

App: Tao Mix 2 - a relaxation, sleep sound and mediation app

App: MoodTools - is an app designed to help you combat depression and alleviate your negative moods, aiding you on your road to recovery.


App: Daylio Journal - self care journal, mood and activity tracker app