Resources
Growth and healing happen in community. Beyond our individual and group sessions, I always encourage exploring extra tools, insights, and community spaces. Below, you will find a curated collection of trusted websites, podcasts, and immediate helplines to support you or your family on your path forward.
Immediate Support and Helplines
If you or a young person needs immediate comfort, safety, or someone to talk to, please reach out to these confidential, free services.
Childline
📞 Call: 0800 1111
Free, private support for children and young people under 19.
Hopeline UK (Papyrus)
📞 Call: 0800 068 4141 | 📱 Text: 07860 039967
Support and practical advice for young people experiencing thoughts of suicide.
Samaritans
📞 Call: 116 123
Available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, for anyone going through a difficult time.
Shout Crisis Text Line
📱 Text: SHOUT to 85258
A free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone in crisis.
YoungMinds Crisis Messenger
📱 Text: YM to 85258
Free, 24/7 text support for young people experiencing a mental health crisis.
YoungMinds Parents Helpline
📞 Call: 0808 802 5544
Free, confidential advice and support for parents worried about a child’s mental health.
Mermaids
📞 Call: 0808 801 0400
Supporting transgender, non-binary, and gender-diverse children, young people, and their families.
Helpful Websites & Organizations For Youth & Families
YoungMinds – The UK’s leading charity fighting for children and young people’s mental health.
Anna Freud – A world-leading mental health charity for children and families, offering practical, research-backed resources.
The Mix – Essential support for under-25s, covering everything from mental health and relationships to exam stress.
Kidscape – Practical support, training, and advice for children, parents, and carers impacted by bullying.
Papyrus – Dedicated to the prevention of young suicide and promoting positive mental health in youth.
Hope (Hope Support Services) – Supporting young people aged 11 and over when a close family member is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness.
Specialist Support
Sleep Action – Formerly known as Sleep Scotland, outstanding resources and advice to help children, teenagers, and families achieve healthy sleep patterns.
Combined Minds – An app and resource platform designed to help families and friends support a young person’s mental health.
Podcasts
Meditative Story – Immersive first-person stories paired with beautiful music and mindfulness prompts to help you unwind.
Mindfully – A down-to-earth guide to mindfulness, teaching you how to settle a busy mind in daily life.
Headspace – A daily, bite-sized pause to take a deep breath, reflect, and step into your morning mindfully.
Like You: Mindfulness for Kids – A gentle, playful podcast using breathwork, affirmations, and music to teach children self-regulation and emotional awareness.
All in the Mind – Explores the fascinating, ever-changing limits and potential of the human mind, psychology, and mental health.
Mental Illness Happy Hour – A raw, honest, and often humorous weekly conversation exploring mental health, trauma, and addiction with guests from all walks of life.
She’s All Fat: A Positive Podcast – A warm, vibrant, and intersectional podcast exploring body positivity, self-worth, and modern culture.
Local Ayrshire Groups
CentreStage (Kilmarnock) – Based in the historic former Kilmarnock Academy, this incredible charity operates on the belief that anyone can gain life-changing benefits through the arts. They offer inclusive music, drama, and dance classes, a dedicated sensory room, and fully funded creative programs designed to break down barriers, reduce isolation, and build deep confidence for young people and adults of all backgrounds.
The Little Art Factory (Kilmarnock) – Located in the Burns Shopping Mall, they host brilliant CREATE Workshops where young people can explore self-expression using a vibrant range of studio materials and art techniques.
Ardrossan Community Drum Circle – Hosted at the Ardrossan Scout Group hall, this is a wonderful, equalizing wellbeing space that welcomes youth and adults alike to shake off stress and connect through rhythm.
The Inglenook Studio (Newmilns) – Hosts family-friendly, tactile workshops like Pizza & Pottery, offering a relaxed, non-traditional setting for older youth and parents to discover their creative side.
Youth Development & Neurodivergent Support
Kilmarnock Scouts (Ayrshire East) – Offering an inclusive, highly active environment where young people build lifelong friendships and vital skills for life. With local groups like the 21st Ayrshire on New Mill Road and the 91st Ayrshire at St. Joseph’s, Scouting provides structured, practical, and highly engaging team activities spanning outdoor adventures, camping, and youth leadership.
NEST Ayrshire (Neurodevelopmental Empowerment & Strategy Team) – A community initiative providing free, neuro-affirming workshops, stratagem support, and practical navigation advice for families dealing with Autism, ADHD, and FASD without needing a formal diagnosis.
Autism Support Ayrshire Social Groups – Organized by the National Autistic Society, they run dedicated social groups designed to reduce isolation and improve wellbeing. Includes the NAS Café for young adults (ages 15–24) and the NAS Coffee Club for adults.
South Ayrshire Family Focus Group – Run in collaboration with Aberlour, this network hosts localized meetups across places like Girvan and Ayr for parents and carers raising children with neurodevelopmental differences.
TouchBase Ayrshire (Ardrossan) – Run by Sense Scotland, they host Connect & Play sessions perfectly suited for children and young people with sensory and communication needs, alongside dedicated social programs for teens aged 16–19.
Salvesen Mindroom Centre – While operating across Scotland, they offer tailored advice, direct 1-to-1 support, and powerful educational advocacy for neurodivergent children and young people up to age 25
Disclaimer: While I highly recommend these external resources, my practise is not responsible for content hosted on third party sites.
