Mental health resources for current issues

From Alert, Nunavut to Beaver Creek, Yukon to Pelee, Ontario to St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, there are people facing challenges and opportunities on a global, Canada-wide and community scale. Here, Kids Help Phone would like to share mental health resources, tools and info with you related to current issues, news and events so you can explore them on your own or with someone you trust.

In 2020 & 2021, around 6% of our service users reported media / current events as a main source of distress.

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You can scroll through the topics listed below and tap on the mental health resources you’re interested in / that are relevant to you at any time. We’ll update this space on occasion (noting it isn’t monitored 24/7) to share more info, tips and tools about current issues, news and events that may be influencing the well-being of folks from coast to coast to coast. And just because a topic isn’t listed here, doesn’t mean it’s not happening / affecting your mental health. Our aim is that these resources may help you learn, reflect, support yourself and find hope for this minute, this hour, this day, this week, this month and beyond.

We also want to acknowledge that people and the things they experience are more than just the “topics” listed here. We’re all human beings doing our best to navigate our mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health when dealing with current issues. We’ve also tried to include resources for kids, teens, young adults, parents / caregivers and anyone else who comes here, so there can be something for everyone. You can always choose to use the resources you think will be most helpful to you.

We want to let you know that this page contains content, topics and links to resources some folks may find upsetting. If you’d like to talk about how you’re feeling, or explore this page with someone you can trust, you can connect with Kids Help Phone for support.

You can tap on the resources below to explore supports for current issues, news and events.

Anxiety about war & conflict: 20+ ways to cope (Kids Help Phone)
News can be traumatizing. Here’s how to cope (CBC Kids News)
Canadian kids ask: Is Canada safe from the Russia-Ukraine war? (CBC Kids News)
Worrying about Russia and Ukraine (Childline, a U.K. resource)
Coping with tragedy (Kids Help Phone)
How to talk to your children about conflict and war (UNICEF)
War, Crisis, Tragedy: How to talk with kids when the news is scary (MindShift, a U.S. resource)
Tips for newcomers: How can I ease my transition to Canada? (Kids Help Phone)
Asking for Help When Things Are Not Right (factsheet) (The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH))
#ImmigrationMatters: Canada’s immigration system (Government of Canada)
I came to Canada as a refugee. What mental health services can I get? (Settlement.Org)

We’re here 24/7 to support anyone affected by suicide in Northwest Territories and across Canada (Kids Help Phone)
Understanding Suicide (Talk Suicide Canada)
Suicide: Important things to know (Kids Help Phone)
I’m Having Thoughts of Suicide (Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention)
Suicide Awareness (mindyourmind)
Losing someone to suicide: How to grieve and heal (Kids Help Phone)
Wall of Hope (Bridge the gapp)
Bridge the gapp is a new way to connect with guidance and support for mental health and addictions in Newfoundland and Labrador (Bridge the gapp)
I’m Concerned About Someone (Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention)
Support for People Living with Loss (Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention)
Preventing Suicide (Canadian Mental Health Association)

Free, confidential wellness support for youth in Saskatchewan (Kids Help Phone)
‘You’re not alone’: First Nations teens on healing after Sask. stabbings (CBC Kids News)
Support for First Nations, Inuit and Métis youth (Kids Help Phone)
Nuna (Inuktitut, English and French) (mindyourmind)
Indigenous Knowledge Portal (First Nations Child & Family Caring Society)
Coping with emotional reactions (Government of Canada)
Residential School History (The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR))
30 Books by Indigenous Authors to Read With Your Kids! (The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund)
Fact Sheet – Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women and Girls (Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC))
The Human Right to Water (Human Rights Watch)

Anti-Black racism: Support for Black people and allies (Kids Help Phone)
Resources (Asian Mental Health Collective)
To call out antisemitism we must know what it is (Canadian Human Rights Commission)
Sarah’s story on discrimination as a Muslim young person (Kids Help Phone)

Current wildfires in Canada: How to get mental health support (Kids Help Phone)
24/7, free & confidential mental health and wellness support for those affected by Hurricane Fiona (Kids Help Phone)
How Indigenous Communities Teach Us Nature’s Value (NowThis Kids, a U.S. resource)
Climate Kids (Government of Canada)
Climate change: 5 tips to get support and take action (Kids Help Phone)
Young people are ready to tackle climate ‘code red’ (UNICEF)
Ep 2: connections with nature (Shake Up The Establishment (SUTE))
Climate Change and Children’s Rights (UNICEF)
How can I cope with my feelings about the future? (Kids Help Phone)

I tend to stay away from social media and the news. But it sometimes sneaks in. Hearing about bad stuff going on elsewhere makes me feel horrible. It makes me feel useless and sad because I can’t do anything about it.
— young person contacting Kids Help Phone

How to cope with upsetting news stories (Kids Help Phone)
Break the Fake: How to tell what’s true online (MediaSmarts)
Social media: Resources to support your mental health (Kids Help Phone)
Protecting your mental wellness on social media (Mental Health Commission of Canada)
Get Cyber Safe Agency – Workbook for kids (Government of Canada)

What is sexual assault? (Kids Help Phone)
Sexual abuse: How to get help and heal (Kids Help Phone)
Sexual abuse: How to help a friend (Kids Help Phone)
Sexual violence: Ways to cope and get support (Good2Talk)
Consent: What it is and why it’s important (Kids Help Phone)
Trauma: What it is and how to cope (Kids Help Phone)
Sexual Assault (The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada)
Anti-Violence Centres (Canadian Association of Sexual Assault Centres)
I’m a bystander to bullying. How can I offer support? (Kids Help Phone)
Youth story: Peer pressure & my combat against conformity (Kids Help Phone)
Youth story: Bullying, masculinity and cultural perceptions (Kids Help Phone)

COVID-19 Awareness Toolkit (Public Health Agency of Canada)
COVID-19 vaccines general information (AboutKidsHealth)
How to cope with anxiety around COVID-19 reopening (Kids Help Phone)
Advice for the public: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) (World Health Organization)
A Post-Secondary Student’s Guide to Mental Health During Covid-19 (Mental Health Commission of Canada)
COVID-19 + ED: FAQs (National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC))
Masks or no masks? Kids share thoughts on dropping mask restrictions (CBC Kids News)
COVID-19: Harm Reduction and Overdose Response (B.C. Centre for Disease Control)
COVID-19 Mental Health Resources in ASL & LSQ (Bob Rumball Canadian Centre of Excellence for the Deaf)
COVID-19: Information for parents of immunocompromised children and children with chronic medical conditions (AboutKidsHealth)
Vaccine Hesitation & Benefits of Getting Vaccinated (Maad’ookiing Mshkiki—Sharing Medicine)

Kids Help Phone’s professional counsellors and trained, volunteer crisis responders know there’s a lot going on in the world that may be affecting how we’re all feeling. If you’re searching for support right now, you can connect with them 24/7 or check out our other e-mental health services. And if you or someone you know is in immediate danger / needs help with a safety plan, you can contact 911, the emergency services in your area or mobile crisis support (if it’s available near you) right away.