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Ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, and/or comics from your library are now available in Libby—the free, award-winning reading app from OverDrive.

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What is Libby?

Libby is a free, award-winning app where you can borrow and enjoy digital content from your public library. Learn more about Libby.

How do I use Libby?

Libby will guide you through the setup process and get you connected to your library in just a few minutes. All you need is your library card. For more help, visit Libby Help.

How can I read titles I currently have checked out through RBdigital?

Any current checkouts will be available in RBdigital through the remainder of their lending periods. Current checkouts will not be moved to Libby. This way, you can finish reading without disruption or risk of losing your place.

Can I keep borrowing titles in RBdigital?

Ebooks and audiobooks are no longer available to borrow in RBdigital. Magazines and comics will no longer be available to borrow in RBdigital after (international shutoff date). We recommend that you start borrowing magazines and/or comics in Libby now, so you're ready for the switch.

What happens to my holds from RBdigital?

Holds will not be moved to Libby. You'll need to place any holds again in Libby.

If you want a record of your RBdigital holds, you can export your Transaction History from RBdigital websites under My Account > Profiles.

What happens to my wish list from RBdigital?

Wish lists will not be moved to Libby. You can recreate your wish list using tags in Libby.

If you want a record of your RBdigital wish list, you can export your Transaction History from RBdigital websites under My Account > Profiles.

What will happen to my checkout history from RBdigital?

Checkout history will not be moved to Libby. If you like, you can mark titles you've already read using tags in Libby.

If you want a record of your RBdigital checkout history, you can export your Transaction History from RBdigital websites under My Account > Profiles.

How many magazines can I borrow in Libby?

In Libby, you can access over 3,000 digital magazines with a rolling 3 years of back issues (where available). There are no magazine checkout limits, so you can borrow as many as you like.

How long can I keep magazines borrowed through Libby?

Borrowed magazines will expire at the end of their lending periods, but you'll be able to renew them if you need more time to read.

Can I still access old issues of magazines and comics that I borrowed through RBdigital?

Yes, you can access any magazine or comic issues you borrowed through RBdigital by visiting the ZINIO app or website and registering a new ZINIO account using the same email address you used with RBdigital.

What if I can't use Libby?

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Zinio TC Transition · OverDrive: ebooks, audiobooks, and videos for libraries and schools

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What is Libby? Libby is a free, award-winning app where you can borrow and enjoy digital content from your public library. Learn more about Libby. How do I use Libby? Libby will guide you through the setup process and get you connected to your library in just a few minutes.

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Presently lets you:
⁕ Record daily entries of gratitude
⁕ Reflect back on your past moments of gratitude
⁕ Find motivation through quotes and prompts
⁕ Set daily reminders to continue your gratitude practice
⁕ Lock your entries with fingerprint or face id
⁕ Search your old entries
⁕ Share your entries with family and friends
⁕ Export/import your entries
⁕ Switch to your favorite color scheme

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Everyone

Practice gratitude with this simple, always free, and private gratitude journaling app.

Presently lets you:
⁕ Record daily entries of gratitude
⁕ Reflect back on your past moments of gratitude
⁕ Find motivation through quotes and prompts
⁕ Set daily reminders to continue your gratitude practice
⁕ Lock your entries with fingerprint or face id
⁕ Search your old entries
⁕ Share your entries with family and friends
⁕ Export/import your entries
⁕ Switch to your favorite color scheme

Presently is 100% free and ad free. All of your entries stay on your device and in your control.

What's New

Check out our new themes for Autumn 🍂 👻

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Presently: A Gratitude Journal - Apps on Google Play

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Everyone Practice gratitude with this simple, always free, and private gratitude journaling app. Presently lets you:⁕ Record daily entries of gratitude⁕ Reflect back on your past moments of gratitude⁕ Find motivation through quotes and prompts⁕ Set daily reminders to continue your gratitude practice⁕ Lock your entries with fingerprint or face id⁕ Search your old entries⁕ Share your entries with family and friends⁕ Export/import your entries⁕ Switch to your favorite color scheme Presently is 100% free and ad free.

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Coronavirus: How to manage anxiety and OCD during the pandemic

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Coronavirus: How to manage anxiety and OCD during the pandemic

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How are people with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and anxiety coping during the coronavirus outbreak?

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How are people with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and anxiety coping during the coronavirus outbreak?

Dr Andrew Iles is a consultant psychiatrist and expert on OCD at the Priory Group.
Video produced by Trystan Young. Listen to more stories on OS.

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Coronavirus: How to manage OCD and anxiety

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How are people with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and anxiety coping during the coronavirus outbreak? Dr Andrew Iles is a consultant psychiatrist and expert on OCD at the Priory Group. Video produced by Trystan Young. Listen to more stories on OS.

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Welcome to Mental Health Matters Wales (MHM Wales)

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We are an independent, non-profit and non-political charity which works with people who have a mental health related issue, other voluntary organisations and statutory services to promote mental well-being. We aim to ensure there is a comprehensive range of mental health services throughout Wales.

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If the current news on coronavirus (COVID-19) is making you feel anxious, concerned or stressed, here are some things you can do.
Feeling concerned or overwhelmed by the news is understandable, especially if you are struggling with your mental health or you have a physical illness. It might be that you're anxious about your own health, the health of someone in your family, or what impact the virus will have on your life. Here are some steps you can take if you are feeling anxious:

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What to Do if You're Anxious About Coronavirus | Blog

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If the current news on coronavirus (COVID-19) is making you feel anxious, concerned or stressed, here are some things you can do. Feeling concerned or overwhelmed by the news is understandable, especially if you are struggling with your mental health or you have a physical illness.

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Support for younger people

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Looking After Your Mental Health While Self-isolating

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If you are self-isolating or social distancing because of Covid-19, it is important to look after your mental health. Here are some tips that may help.

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This short guide from Mind explores some of the worries and difficulties you might experience due to the coronavirus pandemic, and some ways to ensure your mental health is protected.

Wellness action plans are an easy way to help support your own mental health at work and that of your team members. Mind has guidance and templates to get you started, for both employees and line managers.

Free Sign up to receive by e-mail

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Coronavirus and isolation: supporting yourself and your colleagues

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This short guide from Mind explores some of the worries and difficulties you might experience due to the coronavirus pandemic, and some ways to ensure your mental health is protected. Wellness action plans are an easy way to help support your own mental health at work and that of your team members.

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Updates from the NHS on the latest situation.

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Advice, tips and tools to help you make the best choices about your health and wellbeing.

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The official government website for information on COVID-19

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We use some essential cookies to make this website work.

We'd like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.

We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.

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Find information on COVID-19, including guidance and support.

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The latest from Public Health Wales

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Public Health Wales is the national public health agency in Wales and exists to protect and improve health and wellbeing and reduce health inequalities for people in Wales. We are part of the NHS and report to the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport in the Welsh Government.

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Visit BBC News for up-to-the-minute news, breaking news, video, audio and feature stories. BBC News provides trusted World and UK news as well as local and regional perspectives. Also entertainment, business, science, technology and health news.

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National charity helping people with Anxiety - Anxiety UK

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Become a Member of Anxiety UK. We pride ourselves on being user led, with many on our staff and volunteer team having personal experience of anxiety.

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Videos on how to help your anxiety.

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Anxiety UK is a national registered charity (Number 1113403) formed more than 40 years ago by Katharine Fisher, a sufferer of agoraphobia for those affected ...

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People talk to us any time they like, in their own way and off the record - about whatever's getting to them. They don't have to be suicidal. Whatever you're...

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Iechyd meddwl adnoddau yn yr gymraeg.

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Gall byw gyda salwch meddwl fod yn brofiad unig a heriol. Mae'r wefan hon yn lle i gael cefnogaeth, dysgu am anhwylderau gwahanol, a gwybodaeth am ble i gael...

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YoungMinds is the UK's leading charity committed to improving the emotional wellbeing and mental health of children and young people. Driven by their experiences we campaign, research and influence policy and practice. We also provide expert knowledge to professionals, parents and young people through our Parents' Helpline, online resources, training and development, outreach work and publications.

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We're the national charity dedicated to supporting everyone affected by bipolar, including carers, families and loved ones.

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Here you will find information about eating disorders, how to get help and how to help someone you know with an eating disorder.

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Time to Change Wales is the first national campaign to end the stigma and discrimination faced by people with experience of mental health problems in Wales.

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The mental health charity

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We're Mind, the mental health charity. We're fighting for better mental health - for support, for respect, for you.

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Online support

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This short guide from Mind explores some of the worries and difficulties you might experience due to the coronavirus pandemic, and some ways to ensure your mental health is protected.

Wellness action plans are an easy way to help support your own mental health at work and that of your team members. Mind has guidance and templates to get you started, for both employees and line managers.

Free Sign up to receive by e-mail

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Coronavirus and isolation: supporting yourself and your colleagues

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This short guide from Mind explores some of the worries and difficulties you might experience due to the coronavirus pandemic, and some ways to ensure your mental health is protected. Wellness action plans are an easy way to help support your own mental health at work and that of your team members.

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Iechyd meddwl adnoddau yn yr gymraeg.

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The government has announced unprecedented measures to contain the spread of coronavirus. This will have a profound effect on the country and in particular people affected by bipolar. It has never been more important that we come together as a community and help each other through this difficult time.We have produced a helpful guide that will be of value to you in these times of uncertainty. Our priority as a charity is to keep our staff, supporters, and volunteers safe and to continue to provide vital support for people affected by the condition.

We have taken the difficult decision to suspend our support groups until a time when the government says that group gatherings are safe again. We have suspended volunteering at our office and all staff are now working from home. Whilst we are taking all steps possible to minimise disruption to our operations, this does mean at the current time we have no access to our post and would encourage anybody reaching out, to do so by electronic communications where at all possible. Importantly though we are rolling up our sleeves and doing everything we can to help people affected by bipolar to get through this.

Our moderated eCommunity is free to use and open seven days a week. You can sign up anonymously here and talk to other people affected by bipolar who are going through the same as you.

We will continue to operate a call back and email service for people to get advice and guidance and to just have a chat to relieve some of the loneliness of self-isolation. To arrange a call back please email us.

We have many blogs which can be found in our pendulum section that have been penned by those living with bipolar that you may find helpful too:
Self Isolating With Bipolar Disorder Tips For Staying Well Staying Connected During Covid-19 Living Well In These Hard Times
Covid-19 Frequently Asked Questions

We will also be exploring other ways of using digital technology to facilitate more online peer support. Alongside this we will be providing regular advice on our website on how to self-manage during the emergency and working behind the scenes to ensure people can still access their medication. If you're struggling to get access to any medication please email as we can campaign on your behalf, but if you have questions about medication please contact your pharmacist or clinician in the first instance.

For all finance related queries, including payment of invoices or expenses, our staff are contactable on [email protected] .

This is a fast moving situation and we will continue to keep you updated with further developments.

If you would like to donate to help keep these services going and to enable us to reach out to more people affected by bipolar who are currently self-isolating you can do so here.
Simon Kitchen, CEO Bipolar UK You may also like to see: Donate to Bipolar UK today
Your donationwill help provide a range of services offering the support people need, when they need it. You can make sure there's someone at the end of the phone to listen, a nearby group to share experiences, a 24-hour peer forum and more.

Together, we can support the person behind the diagnosis of bipolar.

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Coronavirus Emergency - How We Can Support You

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The government has announced unprecedented measures to contain the spread of coronavirus. This will have a profound effect on the country and in particular people affected by bipolar. It has never been more important that we come together as a community and help each other through this difficult time.We have produced a helpful guide that will be of value to you in these times of uncertainty.

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We also want to reassure you that our support services will continue to be here for you during this time, including putting extra provisions in place, such as our new online group open during helpline hours for anyone with an eating disorder.

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As I lay there in the middle of the night, coughing to the point my chest felt like it was going to explode until I literally vomited my guts up for the 5 th or 6 th consecutive night, my mind started to explore the possibility, what if I actually had coronavirus. "Don't be silly Fulwood" I thought, how could you have possibly caught coronavirus, which at that time was predominantly an overseas problem.

But when you suffer with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) the mind is already racing and boom within seconds it found a way, that international celebratory dinner at the University of Oxford you attended two weeks ago, "that's how you have coronavirus Ashley".

Thankfully these days I can quickly put OCD back in its box with logic or simply by daring OCD to do its worst. I realised that my gut-wrenching symptoms were not the same as coronavirus and that I was predominantly only ill at night when lying down. That meant the self-imposed isolation I had given myself for a few hours that day was unnecessary.

However, for many with health anxiety or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder when something like this latches on, it's hard to shake it off again. Sadly, history shows us that with every new pandemic there are unwanted intrusive thoughts that for a few morph into full blow Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

And guess what, this time is no different. During the last couple of weeks, we have started to see an increasing number of emails and calls about OCD and coronavirus (or to give it the official name, COVID-19).

It's actually not unique to OCD to feel anxiety about a possible pandemic.

It's actually not unique to OCD to feel anxiety about a possible pandemic. But of course, for those of us with existing anxiety, in particular around fears of contamination, our response to such a health crisis can be extreme.

But extreme problems are just that, problems, and there are always solutions to every problem.

During such global health issues, the advice from health professionals is usually (and rightly) to be careful not to touch our nose and mouth and regularly wash our hands to the tune of 'Happy Birthday' twice (around 20 seconds). All sound medical advice, but to OCD, particularly for those who have fears around contamination, this becomes open house to every unwanted intrusive thought OCD can throw at us.

The problem is the media all too frequently overemphasise the risks, resulting in many people with OCD having an increase in obsessions to the point their OCD severely impacts on their ability to function. With that comes an upsurge in calls and emails to OCD-UK from people suffering with OCD and a fixation on the new virus, which always seems scarier than previous flu epidemics.

You know what OCD is like, today's problem will be replaced by a new problem tomorrow, and today's problem won't be that significant tomorrow. But today that OCD worry is all you can focus on.

The latest coronavirus has sparked an obsession with germs - for many of our callers this is OCD rehashed in a new coronavirus shaped fear, but I have no doubt that the current emphasis to avoid shaking hands and repeated hand washing will lay seedlings for people yet to know the pain and misery of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

As we have seen across the news, many people, even those without OCD or health anxiety worries, have resorted to wearing paper face masks on public transport (which allegedly offer negligible benefits). That's a fear driven compulsion, but for now, at least, most likely won't be at obsessive levels.

But for those of us with OCD, we take things to a new level.
You're not alone
OCD makes us feel not only that it is incredibly likely we will contract this new virus but worse still, that we must take every precaution so not to pass it on to our loved ones. This inflated sense of risk and responsibility weighs us down with guilt for being potentially culpable for spreading this virus, and those intense feelings of guilt leads to significant behaviours beyond the norm for those not affected by OCD.

A key difference for those of us with anxiety problems compared to those without, is that we are unable to feel reassured by practical government advice or loved ones.

We start to avoid public places like shopping centres, we go to the supermarket late at night, avoid seeing other parents at the school gates, avoid physical contact with friends and loved ones and start to wash our hands much more frequently and for longer than the recommended advice.

This list goes on, we start researching the latest developments online, contacting NHS 111 at the first sign of a sniffle... all of which is understandable, because OCD is magnifying the severity of the problem.

Those fears most likely will be projected on to loved ones too, wanting them to avoid public places, wanting them to wash their hands more frequently, etc.

All of which is excruciatingly mentally and physically draining.
So what can we do?
Your only focus is on the latest government advice to wash your hands frequently.

Right now I suspect for many of you, your only focus is on the latest government advice to wash your hands frequently... and OCD is absolutely having a field day with that, yes?

The government advice is fairly sensible and measured, and we, as OCD sufferers with contamination fears, can still follow it without letting OCD adapt it to its own level of extremeness. If you're currently undergoing therapy for contamination fears, the therapeutic advice may be to not wash your hands at all for a few days (before coronavirus). In the short term however, you may need to follow the sensible and measured government advice to wash your hands as recommended. Your immediate challenge will be to not allow your hand washing to become excessive, and if you can manage that, then you will have actually successfully completed a therapeutic behavioural exercise. Keep it to the levels recommended, no more.

When the immediate danger from Coronavirus passes us by in a few weeks time, then you ramp up the therapy as originally planned to not washing your hands as guided by your therapist.

With OCD the avoidance and compulsive behaviour is driven by the fears and worries that bombard our everyday thoughts, which of course for many of us will have intensified these last few days.

The most important thing right now is that you look after both your physical health AND your mental health. So, here is a summary of how to cope in these challenging times without making your OCD worse.
OCD and Coronavirus Coping Summary
Giving OCD nowhere to go
In many respects OCD is about worrying about something that might be a problem, because it's got potential to be a problem. In an ideal world we will tell ourselves we will worry about it when it DOES become a problem and not a moment before.

In my experience allowing OCD some 'wiggle' room, such as I 'might' be contaminated from that toilet simply allows OCD to thrive on the uncertainty because of the word 'might'. But if I tell myself 'I am contaminated and I will get sick', whilst not a pleasant thought, it actually doesn't give my OCD much wiggle room, because I have already acknowledged the worst case scenario and carried on with my activity/day despite it.

This takes practice, but these subtle changes do help change our focus and can even make OCD lose the power to scare and worry us.

Don't Inflate the Risk (This paragraph updated 21st March.)
The media are doing their best to scare us, don't let them or your OCD inflate the risk. Like with most of our OCD fears, regardless of what they are, there is a risk, relatively small, but OCD will inflate that to make it seem significantly higher than it actually is.

At the risk of providing reassurance, let's look at the stats. Every single flu season, tens of thousands of people die globally every year. Public Health England told ITV News: "The average number of deaths in England for the last five seasons, 2014 to 2019, was 17,000 deaths annually''.

But so far, as of 09:00 GMT on Monday 20 th March, the Department of Health said a total of 66,976 people had been tested in the UK for coronavirus, of which 62,993 were negative.

Globally, around 284,534 people have been infected (from a population of 7.7 billion) and it's believed that thousands of people with coronavirus had such mild symptoms that those cases are not reported. In China, where the outbreak originated, they are now reporting zero new domestic cases and life is returning to normal.

Coronavirus is unpleasant and does pose a risk to the elderly and those with underlying health problems, but for the vast majority that develop the condition, they will experience mild to moderate illness, the symptoms not much worse than winter flu. But of course we understand that for many with OCD their obsessions become about protecting older family members.

In summary, right now winter flu is far more common and kills far more people every year, and whilst coronavirus is a significant cause for concern globally, the risk is still low for the majority and we should try not to allow our OCD to inflate that fact.

Doing CBT doesn't mean not washing your hands
If we have specific contamination fears, part of our therapy may be to not wash our hands or shower as mentioned previously. Short term you may need to follow the sensible and measured government advice to wash your hands occasionally. But if you follow government advice to wash your hands at the appropriate level (seek advice from a family member on what is considered normal), then you're still winning at your therapy!

CBT is hard, but living with OCD is much harder!

Washing your hands to the level of advice, rather than at the level OCD is demanding may not feel sufficient, but that's CBT right there, you're choosing not to do behaviour because of OCD and you're choosing to ride out the anxiety! You've got this, CBT is hard, but living with OCD is much harder!

If you've had CBT before then the skills and techniques you learned previously can be implemented if you're fears around coronavirus are spiralling. So, dig out your previous therapy notes and recordings, and refresh your memory about how you challenged other manifestations of OCD. The same basic principles will apply here.

Relaxation is important too, whatever works to help relieve your stress and reduce your anxiety is important to implement, be that exercise, meditation or something else. It's still important to continue with that in times like this, and don't wait for your intrusive thoughts to go before you engage in those activities.

Don't wait for intrusive thoughts to disappear before getting on with life
If we allow our OCD to dictate and we wait until our unwanted thoughts are gone, we will never do anything. This is vital to remember with OCD, it was relevant last year and remains relevant this week.

Don't wait for intrusive thoughts to go before focussing on the things you want to do. If you let it, OCD will stop you doing everything you care about and want to do in life, most significantly in building and developing relationship with friends and loves ones.

Because of OCD, right now we may be avoiding seeing family and friends, avoiding hugs, avoiding doing and going to the places we enjoy. It's important not to let OCD and the coronavirus limit our social circle, because that social circle is also your support circle!

Chances are your friends without OCD, may also be having a bad day (about anything), they may also be sharing some of the concerns you are, so focussing on them and their problems can sometimes be helpful in allowing us to focus away from our own problems and sometimes gives us perspective on our own concerns.
Summary
Coronavirus is a problem and a significant problem globally, and I cannot guarantee you will never, ever get it! But I assume you're reading this because you already have Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and that is impacting on your life.

So instead of implementing excessive strategies to prevent contracting coronavirus, start implementing practical short and long-term strategies to challenge your OCD.

That may involve engaging in techniques previously learned in CBT, or if you're new to OCD then start by seeking access to therapeutic treatment for OCD and in the meantime pick up a self-help book like the excellent ' Break free from OCD '.

Remember, right now OCD is your main problem, and OCD recovery is possible!

Wishing you good mental health.

Ashley Fulwood
Chief executive of OCD-UK and someone with lived experience of OCD.

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As I lay there in the middle of the night, coughing to the point my chest felt like it was going to explode until I literally vomited my guts up for the 5 th or 6 th consecutive night, my mind started to explore the possibility, what if I actually had coronavirus.

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YoungMinds | Mental Health Charity For Children And Young People

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YoungMinds are a mental health charity for children, young people and their parents, making sure all young people can get the mental health support they need.

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Anxiety and me: Leo's mental health story

For as long as I remember, anxiety has been a constant feature in my life, waxing and waning throughout the years. From anxiety about body image, to the state of my health, anxiety has a habit of focusing on various parts of our lives and can be...

Find out more

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For as long as I remember, anxiety has been a constant feature in my life, waxing and waning throughout the years. From anxiety about body image, to the state of my health, anxiety has a habit of focusing on various parts of our lives and can be... Find out more

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Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM)

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It can be difficult to know what to do if you're worried that someone close to you is at risk of suicide. Our helpline is there for everyone, not only those in crisis, so you can call to find out more information on how you can help. You can also find support information on our worried about someone page, and our help section has information on particular issues.

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Get Help & Support With CALM's Helpline & Webchat

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Get help with CALM's helpline and webchat. We are here to listen, support, inform & signpost with our free, confidential and anonymous services. Contact us today.

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'Firebreak' lockdown

The Botanic Garden will be closed from 6pm on Friday October 23 in accordance with new coronavirus legislation.

After this " firebreak " lockdown, we will reopen on Monday November 9.

During this time, we will keep you updated with all the goings-on here and hope to see you all next month.
Stay Safe
You cannot visit the Garden but we do have plenty of garden-related ideas and activities for you to try your hand at . . .

Want to grow a mini meadow? Here's how

And why not plant now to make a perfect pollinator haven ready for spring?

If you are out in your garden, you'll need to know all about our Saving Pollinators Assurance Scheme. It will help you be more kind to pollinators and the planet - and is all backed by the research work of our brilliant Science Team.

There are more ideas on our Growing the Future resources pages. And don't forget to keep it Peat Free

To keep up to date with all the Garden's news, sign up to receive our newsletter and follow us on social media. We are @GardenofWales on Facebook, and @Walesbotanic on Twitter and Instagram.

For the latest health advice and guidance, please visit the government website.

Be safe, stay local - and keep in touch

Read more about the Garden

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Create a special spring haven for pollinators

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The Botanic Garden will be closed from 6pm on Friday October 23 in accordance with new coronavirus legislation. After this " firebreak " lockdown, we will reopen on Monday November 9. During this time, we will keep you updated with all the goings-on here and hope to see you all next month.

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Specialist support to families facing dementia - Dementia UK

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Dementia UK is a charity that provides Admiral Nurses for families affected by dementia. Call our Dementia Helpline to find out how we can support you. %

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Advice on helping those that struggle with Dementia

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Your care plan should include:

Getting a needs assessment

If you find you need help to manage everyday tasks like washing, dressing or cooking, it's advisable to get a needs assessment from the social services department of your local council.

Ideally, this assessment should take place face to face. It's a good idea to have a relative or friend with you if you're not confident explaining your situation. They can also take notes for you.

If the needs assessment identifies you need help such as a carer to help with personal care (washing and dressing), meals delivered to your home (meals on wheels), or a personal alarm, you will then have a financial assessment (means test) to see how much you'll contribute to the cost of your care.

If you're caring for someone with dementia, you may also be eligible for Carer's Allowance and support from your local council. Before you receive any help from your local council, you should ask for a carer's assessment.

Find out how to get a carer's assessment.

If a person with dementia has care needs that relate mainly to their health, they may qualify for free NHS continuing care, which will be assessed by NHS staff.

Read more about NHS continuing healthcare.

Care options for people with dementia
Living in your own home
Many people with mild-to-moderate dementia are able to stay in their own home and live well if they have adequate support. Being in familiar surroundings can help people cope better with their condition.

Read about caring for someone at home and find out how to make your home dementia friendly.
Moving into a care home
As the symptoms of dementia will get worse over time, many people eventually require support in a care home. Depending on their needs, this could be a residential care home or a nursing home that offers services for people with dementia.

If you've been caring for a partner or relative with dementia, this can be a difficult decision to take. Talk through your concerns with friends and family.

Remember that you will still be involved in the care and support of the person with dementia after they move to a care home. You may be able to arrange a trial period in a care home for the person you care for.

Your local council will have to carry out another needs assessment to confirm the need to go into a care home and a financial assessment to decide how much the person will have to pay towards their care home fees.

Find out more about choosing the right care home from Independent Age.

Residential and nursing homes are inspected by the Care Inspectorate Wales. You can read their reports of care homes in Wales.

Supporting a lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans person with dementia

People living with dementia will experience a range of challenges. Many of these will not be affected by the person's sexual orientation or gender identity. However, there are certain challenges that lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people with dementia are likely to face. The Alzheimer's Society factsheet has more information.

Admiral Nurses

Admiral Nurses are registered nurses and experts in dementia care. They give practical, clinical and emotional support to families living with dementia to improve their quality of life and help them cope.

Admiral Nurses work in the community, care homes, hospitals and hospices.

To talk to an Admiral Nurse, call the free Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline on 0800 888 6678 or email helpline@dementiauk.org.

The helpline is for carers, people with dementia, and health and social care professionals.

Charities for people with dementia

There are several dementia charities that offer advice and support.

One of the main dementia charities is Alzheimer's Society. Its website has information on all diseases that cause dementia, not just Alzheimer's disease, including how to live well with dementia and how to find help and support near you.

It also runs the National Dementia Helpline on 0300 222 11 22 for information and advice about dementia.

Wales Dementia Helpline supports people with dementia and their carers. Freephone 0808 808 2235.

Dementia UK is a national charity that aims to improve the quality of life for people with dementia. It offers advice and support to families who are living with dementia through its Admiral Nurses, who are registered nurses and dementia experts.

Alzheimer's Research UK carries out dementia research but also answers questions about dementia and dementia research, including how you and your family and friends can get involved. The charity's infoline - on 0300 111 5 111 - can provide help and guidance.

Age Cymru has advice on a range of topics, including advance care planning, benefits and choosing a care home, as well as information on local activities and services for those with dementia. You can call Age Cymru Advice on 08000 223 444.

The Carers Trust provides information and advice on its website for carers, including how to get support for yourself.

Carers Wales is a charity for carers, providing information and advice from benefits to practical support.

3 Nations Dementia Working Group. The 3NDWG is a working group of people living with dementia across England, Northern Ireland and Wales.

Join a forum

Online forums are a good way to share your experiences of living with dementia or caring for someone with dementia, as well as reading what others are going through.

Talking Point is the Alzheimer's Society's forum. It has people with dementia sharing their information and advice, and supporting each other.

Carers can also turn to online communities on the Carers UK forum.

Dementia books on prescription

Reading Well Books on Prescription for dementia offers support for people diagnosed with dementia, their relatives and carers, or for people who would just like to find out more about the condition.

GPs and other health professionals can recommend titles from a list of 37 books on dementia. The books are available for anyone to borrow free from their local library.

Read more about the Reading Well Books on Prescription for dementia.

Get dementia information emails

Sign up to the NHS website Dementia Information Service, which can help guide you through the often-difficult time after a dementia diagnosis.

You'll receive a weekly email for 6 weeks, each one covering a different need-to-know topic. This service is managed by NHS.UK therefore wouldn't be available in Welsh.

Find out more about the Dementia Information Service.

The information on this page has been adapted by NHS Wales from original content supplied by NHS website nhs.uk

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NHS 111 Wales is available 24 hours a day, every day. You can call if you are feeling ill and unsure what to do. You can also access a wide range of health information on conditions, treatments and local health services.

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The RSPB exists to help our natural places survive and thrive and we would like to capture these astonishing moments of ...

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This is the Samaritans homepage, for any support you may need.

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Samaritans works to make sure there's always someone there for anyone who needs someone. Read more.

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Samaritans advice specifically for the current period.

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Many of us have faced difficult personal, financial or physical challenges during the pandemic, and it's natural that this can have an impact on our mental health.

⚠️ We're updating the information on this page in relation to the coronavirus pandemic. The advice on this page may change significantly as the situation continues to develop.

Page last updated: 30 March 2022

As we adjust to the end of restrictions, it's normal that we may each feel differently about how this affects our lives. You could be feeling uncertain about what you should or shouldn't be doing, or worried about what may happen in the future. You might be feeling nervous about what new pressures or expectations the end of restrictions has brought, even if you are looking forward to being able to do more this year.

Whatever you are feeling is OK. There is no right or wrong way to react. Coronavirus has impacted all of our lives and it's natural that these uncertain and challenging times are continuing to affect people's mental health and wellbeing.

It's important to be kind to yourself and take things at your own pace. We've all faced challenges over the past two years and it's OK if you still need time to readjust. If you're finding things tough, try to talk about how you are feeling with others. You're not alone.

At Samaritans, we're committed to helping you if you're struggling to cope, however we can. Our volunteers are always here to listen and won't judge or tell you what to do. Find out more about contacting a Samaritan here.

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If you're worried about your mental health during the coronavirus pandemic

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Many of us have faced difficult personal, financial or physical challenges during the pandemic, and it's natural that this can have an impact on our mental health. ⚠️ We're updating the information on this page in relation to the coronavirus pandemic. The advice on this page may change significantly as the situation continues to develop.

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Every year, it's estimated that more than £200m worth of Pension Credit and other state benefits goes unclaimed by older people in Wales. Are you claiming everything you're entitled to?

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Age Cymru | We are the national charity for older people in Wales

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Age Cymru is the largest charity working with and for older people in Wales. Our vision is a society which offers all people in Wales the best experience of later life.

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Support in Welsh

If you speak Welsh, call our Welsh-speaking support line on 03300 947 400.

Our dementia advisers will listen and give you support and advice, including coronavirus advice, connecting you to help you need.

Our English- speaking line is 0333 150 3456

Opening hours

Calls charged at standard local rate.

Publications in Welsh

If you'd like written or online information that you can read at your own pace, we produce information in Welsh. For a printed copy, email [email protected]

This is me - Dyma fi (bilingual)

'This is me' is a simple leaflet for anyone receiving professional care who is living with dementia or experiencing delirium or other communication difficulties
Read online/Printable version
The dementia guide (Welsh)

The dementia guide is for anyone who has recently been told they have dementia. It will also be useful to the friends and family of someone with a recent diagnosis.
Read online/Printable version
Factsheets in Welsh

Beth yw dementia? / What is dementia? (400WEL)
PDF printable version

Beth yw Clefyd Alzheimer? / What is Alzheimer's disease? (401WEL)
PDF printable version

Beth yw dementia fasgwlaidd? / What is vascular dementia? (402WEL)
PDF printable version

Y dreth gyngor / Council Tax (414WEL)
PDF printable version

Newidiadau mewn ymddygiad / Changes in behaviour (525WEL)
PDF printable version

Gofal seibiant yng Nghymru / Respite care in Wales (W462WEL)
PDF printable version

Talu am ofal a chymorth yng Nghymru / Paying for care and support in Wales (W532WEL)
PDF printable version

Factsheets for Wales, in English
Assessment for care and support in Wales Respite care in Wales Paying for care and support in Wales

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If you speak Welsh, call our Welsh-speaking support line on 03300 947 400. Our dementia advisers will listen and give you support and advice, including coronavirus advice, connecting you to help you need. Our English- speaking line is 0333 150 3456 Calls charged at standard local rate.

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Mind - Supporting your mental health during self isolation

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Mind - Supporting your mental health during self isolation

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Video support on your current feelings around Covid -19

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Video support on your current feelings around Covid -19

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Click for accurate and up to date information on Covid-19

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Advice, tips and tools to help you make the best choices about your health and wellbeing.

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Video call using your Gmail account over Wifi. This link allows you to access a step-by-step guide for setting up Google Hangout on your computer or phone.

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You can send and receive messages with one person or multiple people.

Start a conversation

1. On your computer, go to hangouts.google.com or open Hangouts in Gmail. If you have the Hangouts Chrome extension, Hangouts will open in a new window.

2. At the top, click New conversation .

3. Enter and select a name or email address.

4. Type your message. You can also add emojis and photos.

5. On your keyboard, press Enter.

Get messages

You can control who can send you messages. Learn how to change your invite settings.

When you select your Hangout window:

The message will be marked as read. This means that the message will no longer appear as bold and your profile image shows up under the last message sent in the conversation.

If you close or minimize your Hangout window, your profile photo will not appear.

People can also see the type of device you use and if you're online. Learn how to change these settings.

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You can send and receive messages with one person or multiple people. On your computer, go to hangouts.google.com or open Hangouts in Gmail. If you have the Hangouts Chrome extension, Hangouts will open in a new window. At the top, click New conversation . Enter and select a name or email address.

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Facetime Groups allows us to video call multiple people from our Apple device, using Wifi. Follow this link for information on how to setup a Facetime Group on your iPad or iPhone.

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Group FaceTime makes it easy to chat with multiple people at the same time. You can start a Group FaceTime from the FaceTime app or from a group conversation in the Messages app - and you can add up to 32 people. The tile of the person speaking gets larger automatically, so you'll never lose track of the conversation.

To use Group FaceTime video calls, you need iOS 12.1.4 or later, or iPadOS on one of these devices: iPhone 6s or later, iPad Pro or later, iPad Air 2 or later, iPad mini 4 or later, iPad (5th generation) or later, or iPod touch (7th generation). Earlier models of iPhone, iPad and iPod touch that support iOS 12.1.4 can join Group FaceTime calls as audio participants.

FaceTime isn't available in all countries or regions.

Start a Group FaceTime call from the FaceTime app

1. Go to Settings > FaceTime and make sure FaceTime is on.

2. Open FaceTime and tap the Add button in the top right-hand corner.

3. Enter the name of your contacts, phone numbers or email addresses.

4. To start your FaceTime call, tap Audio or Video.

You can add up to 32 people to a Group FaceTime call.

Start a Group FaceTime call from the Messages app

In a group conversation in Messages, you can start Group FaceTime directly from the group conversation. Follow these steps:

1. Open Messages and start a group conversation. Or go to an existing group conversation.

2. Tap the contacts at the top of the group conversation.

3. Tap FaceTime , then start your call.

You can add up to 32 people to a Group FaceTime call.

Join a Group FaceTime call

There are a few ways to join a Group FaceTime call that someone else started:

Tap the notification from the Notification Centre or the Lock screen, then tap .

To join a Group FaceTime call from Messages, tap the notification at the top of your screen or tap Join from the group conversation in Messages. After you tap Join, you're connected automatically.

To join a call from the FaceTime app, just go to the active call in FaceTime, then tap .

From a notification

From a group message

Add a person to a Group FaceTime call

1. From the call, tap the Add button .

2. Tap Add Person.

3. Enter the contact's name, phone number or email address.

4. Tap Add Person to FaceTime.

When you add someone to your call, you can tap Ring next to their name so their device alerts them of the incoming call.

When someone is added to a Group FaceTime call, they can't be removed from the call. The person who was added to the call needs to end the Group FaceTime call.

Add camera effects to your Group FaceTime calls

If you have an iPhone X or later, or an iPad Pro 11-inch (1st and 2nd generation) or iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later), you can use Animoji and Memoji in your Group FaceTime calls. On devices without Face ID, you can use other camera effects, such as filters, text and shapes, in your Group FaceTime calls.

To use an Animoji or Memoji:

1. During a FaceTime call, tap .

2. Tap , then pick your Animoji or Memoji.

To use other camera effects:

1. During a FaceTime call, tap the Effects button .

2. Tap Filters , Text or Shapes , Memoji stickers, * and Emoji stickers *.

You need an iPhone X or later, or an iPad Pro 11-inch (1st and 2nd generation) or iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later) to use Animoji and Memoji. Not all filters and effects are supported on all devices. You need iOS 13 or iPadOS to use Memoji stickers and Emoji stickers.

Change FaceTime audio and video settings

You can change the audio and video settings in the FaceTime app at any time during a call. To change your settings, tap the screen, then swipe up to see more options or tap one of these options:

Tap Camera off to turn the camera off. Tap it again to turn it back on* .

Tap Flip to switch to the rear camera. Tap it again to switch back to the front-facing camera.

Tap Mute to turn off the sound. Tap Mute again to turn the sound back on.

Tap Speaker to switch between mute and the speaker.

If you can't see the Camera button , check to see if your device is compatible.

The tile of the person speaking automatically gets larger during a Group FaceTime call. To disable this, go to Settings > FaceTime. Under Automatic Prominence, turn off Speaking.

* To use Group FaceTime video calls, you need iOS 12.1.4 or later, or iPadOS on one of these devices: iPhone 6s or later, iPad Pro or later, iPad Air 2 or later, iPad mini 4 or later, iPad (5th generation) or later, or iPod touch (7th generation). Earlier models of iPhone, iPad and iPod touch that support iOS 12.1.4 can join Group FaceTime calls as audio participants.

Get help

If you see a triangle with an exclamation mark , it might mean that the connection is slow or other users are streaming audio or video on the same network. You and your recipients need a strong mobile or Wi-Fi connection in order to use Group FaceTime. Over Wi-Fi, FaceTime requires a broadband connection.

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Use Group FaceTime on your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch

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Group FaceTime makes it easy to chat with multiple people at the same time. You can start a Group FaceTime from the FaceTime app or from a group conversation in the Messages app - and you can add up to 32 people.

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From helping you relax to boosting productivity, listening to bird song has so many benefits

You could use it:

To help you switch off and de-stress

As an alarm clock, for a gentle way to start the day

To help you focus while studying or working

As a soundtrack for meditation

To bring some calm to your daily commute

However you choose to listen, we hope that bird song will brighten your day.

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Birdsong Radio | Bird Song mp3 to Download or Stream - The RSPB

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From helping you relax to boosting productivity, listening to bird song has so many benefits You could use it: To help you switch off and de-stress As an alarm clock, for a gentle way to start the day To help you focus while studying or working As a soundtrack for meditation To bring some calm to your daily commute However you choose to listen, we hope that bird song will brighten your day.

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Hang out wherever, whenever! Messenger makes it easy and fun to stay close to your favourite people.

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WhatsApp | Secure and Reliable Free Private Messaging and Calling

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Use WhatsApp Messenger to stay in touch with friends and family. WhatsApp is free and offers simple, secure, reliable messaging and calling, available on phones all over the world.

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A fun app to creatively design things with sand.

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Thisissand is a unique playground for creating and sharing amazing sandscapes on your computer or mobile device. Start pouring away to experience this special sand piling on your screen!

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The Wildlife Trusts are a federation of 46 independent wildlife conservation charities covering the whole of the UK. We manage nature reserves, help children to learn about nature and campaign to protect our seas.

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A youtube video on how to start gardening.

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Videos on how to do Yoga

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Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

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Borrow eBooks and eAudiobooks free from your library using the BorrowBox app. Say hello to your future library, wherever you are, whenever you are free.

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Free with Amazon Prime

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Amazon Music Unlimited | 60 million songs ad-free‎

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60 million songs with new releases from today's most popular artists. Download songs and albums to listen offline wherever you are. Always ad-free.

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Free with adverts.

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Spotify - Web Player: Music for everyone

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Spotify is a digital music service that gives you access to millions of songs.

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Listen without limits, with BBC Sounds. Catch the latest music tracks, discover binge-worthy podcasts, or listen to radio shows - all whenever you want.

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Keep your brain active

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The MindMate app offers free brain games and personalized daily workouts that help sharpen cognitive skills for seniors and baby boomers.

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An emotional support animal (ESA) is any animal that provides comfort to a person with a disability through companionship. Most ESAs are commonly kept domestic animals such as dogs and cats, however, they can also be any species as long as they support a disability-related need.

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A free mindfulness meditation app to help you relax, and reduce anxiety.

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Simple Habit | The Best Meditation App for Busy People

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Simple Habit is a 5-minute meditation app designed to help busy people stress less, achieve more, and live better.

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Staying in contact with friends and family with video games

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Staying in contact with friends and family with video games

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An app that lets you draw. Great for kids!

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Memopad is one simple idea: make the simplest and fastest drawing notepad possible.
Our motto : open, draw, share and it's done!
It's quick to open, easy to draw, fast to share.

The app always opens to a blank canvas ready to draw. All the tools, colors, and share options are one tap away.
Your drawing is automatically copied and ready to be pasted whenever you exit the app.
Everything is fast. Really fast! Yet Memopad is also gorgeous to look at in its minimalist way and carefully animated.

We tirelessly polished the user experience with dozens of animations to make it a joy to use daily. And we tested it for weeks with experienced artists to perfect it.

The user interface has been designed to scale very nicely from the iPhone 4 to 6+ to iPad, offering the same look and feel on every device.

And the UI blends superbly in iOS 12 and scales nicely from iPhone SE to iPad Pro offering the same overall User Experience across devices.

Features :
* 9 highly realistic tools
* Automatically saves to Photo Library
* Automatically copies the drawing to paste into other apps
* Super fast Share menu
* Quickly imports a photo as a background
* Minimalist yet gorgeous interface

Basic Share: Mail, Facebook, Twitter.

MemoPad Pro IAP unlocks this features :
* Layers
* Edit Tip Size and opacity
* PSD (photoshop) file format
* iCloud Sync
* More colors
* Pattern Editor/new patterns

Adds these Tools :
* Wet watercolor
* Text
* Smart Shapes
* Cutter
* Ink Pen
* Acrylic paintbrush
* Ruler

Great additional features :
Multiple layers, making it far easier to create complex drawings
Psd (photoshop) file format is our native format
Save with iCloud sync so all your devices share the same drawings
More options to toolset
improvement of the UX across the board

Editors' Notes

Inspiration can strike quickly, and Memopad is always ready to respond. This perceptive and powerful app offers a wealth of drawing tools to create fast, fun notes and doodles, which it instantly saves to your device or transfers to other apps. With a focus on speed, simplicity, and intuitive interactions, Memopad is a fantastic way to capture your best "eureka!" moments.

Great App

I like this app, as often I find it far easier to jot a note, rather than place it on "Notes" or placing it within an app which I find difficult or somewhat 'fiddly' and this complicated to use. It is also great to use when I am feeling stressful or agitated! It did not get the full five stars, since there were many other "bits and bobs" which needed paying for. I refuse to do that, but I would think that quite a number of users would expect these 'add on apps' to come free with this! I am happy though, and many users no doubt would feel the same way as I do! 👌

So Easy!!

This app is so quick and easy to use and allows me to make quick, good and clean drawings on my phone.

I think the quality is just as good as a professional art app! I use it instead of FireAlpaca, a software I used to use, however it would be nice if they added layers- that could help a lot!

Thanks for the clean, simple and amazing app Xx

Information

Provider

yann le coroller

Compatibility

Requires iOS 9.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

Languages

English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Swedish, Traditional Chinese

Family Sharing

Up to six family members will be able to use this app with Family Sharing enabled.

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‎Memopad is one simple idea: make the simplest and fastest drawing notepad possible. Our motto : open, draw, share and it's done! It's quick to open, easy to draw, fast to share. The app always opens to a blank canvas ready to draw. All the tools, colors, and share options are one tap away.

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An NHS free self-assessment tool to measure your health.

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Add to Your Life is a free NHS Wales service to help you live longer, feel better, and stay healthy and active into the future.

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WhatsUp? provides daily tools that promote positive mental health and wellbeing for everyone in your organisation.

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WE PUT

YOUR

WELLBEING

TEAM

INTO

YOUR

PEOPLE'S

POCKETS

APP FEATURES

Add thoughts, feelings, or context to your own diary and mood ratings.

HERE'S HOW IT WORKS

There are 2 parts to WhatsUp? The app and a cloud based administration system that collects data from the app. Your organisation controls the cloud based administration platform allowing your Wellbeing Team to monitor and instantly communicate directly with your users via the app. Support and advice can be given individually, to specific groups or to everyone using the app once they are registered to your organisation.

​

We put your wellbeing team into your people's pockets.

WhatsUp? is secure and easy to use. It is passcode protected with multiple language options so anyone can use it.

Big data insights provide key information to help accurately monitor, review, and improve HR services.

Provides proactive self help support and instant communication that's both confidential and non judgmental.

Connects and enhances your existing systems and services under a single manageable platform.

Utilises the one device everyone now has placing your people at the centre of your organisations' wellbeing circle.

PROVIDING SAFEGUARDING, WELLBEING AND MENTAL HEALTH SOLUTIONS

Sport Clubs & Governing Bodies

Please note. To use the WhatsUp? app you will need to be registered to an organisation that holds a Licence for the WhatsUp? service platform

GET A FREE 12 WEEK TRIAL

Simply click the button below for a free no obligation trial

to see how WhatsUp? can improve your organisations wellbeing services.

If you are looking to provide a modern proactive approach to addressing the wellbeing and mental health needs of the people within your organisation then WhatsUp? is the solution you have been looking for.

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WhatsUp? home mental health wellbeing app

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WE PUT YOUR WELLBEING TEAM INTO YOUR PEOPLE'S POCKETS APP FEATURES Add thoughts, feelings, or context to your own diary and mood ratings. HERE'S HOW IT WORKS There are 2 parts to WhatsUp? The app and a cloud based administration system that collects data from the app.

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Mindfulness resources, but they're all free.

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The Free Mindfulness Project - Free Resources

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Thank you to those who have collaborated with the Free Mindfulness Project by allowing us to share these resources. The focus of this site is mindfulness as practiced in mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) and other closely related approaches. All

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A free meditation app to help you to learn to meditate, and meditate using a timer.

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Insight Timer - #1 Free Meditation App for Sleep, Relax & More

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The best meditation app with the world’s largest FREE library of more than 190k guided meditations, 17k teachers & the world’s most loved meditation Timer.

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Advice tailored specifically for students.

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General mindfulness resources

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In this workshop on 18 February, Breathworks Co-founder Vidyamala Burch and Professor Dominic (Mahaprabha) Houlder from the London Business School will dive into understanding how a state of permacrisis is impacting us and how we can equip ourselves to navigate challenges of our time.

Become a mindfulness champion through learning how to lead mindfulness and meditation practices that can brought to your workplace or your work with clients. This practical and comprehensive five-week course is held online with live sessions and group learning. FIVE FRIDAY MORNINGS

Join our free online mindfulness community for free events, courses, resources to support your practice and a chance to connect with a world-wide community of like-minded people.

Our Impact

MANAGE YOUR HEALTH CONDITION

85% of people said they felt better able to manage their health condition since taking part in a Mindfulness for Health course

INCREASE QUALITY OF LIFE

80% of people reported an increased quality of life following a Mindfulness for Health course.

REDUCE DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY

77% of people reported a reduction in depression and anxiety following a Mindfulness for Stress course

Our goal is to make mindfulness accessible to everyone. A third of places on our courses and teacher training are subsidised by our charity, and we also develop partnerships to make mindfulness accessible to the wider community.

Introduction to the Breathworks Approach

This short video gives you a powerful insight into the Breathworks approach to mindfulness and compassion, demonstrating the far reaching benefits it is having on many peoples lives.

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Breathworks - Mindfulness and Compassion Training

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In this workshop on 18 February, Breathworks Co-founder Vidyamala Burch and Professor Dominic (Mahaprabha) Houlder from the London Business School will dive into understanding how a state of permacrisis is impacting us and how we can equip ourselves to navigate challenges of our time.

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If you're feeling very low, or are worried about someone, please get this app.

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Stay Alive App - Grassroots Suicide Prevention

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Stay Alive is a suicide prevention app for the UK, packed full of resources, useful information, and tools to help you stay safe or help someone else.

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Brain training on an iPhone or iPad.

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Train your brain the relaxing way with Brain Yoga. Eleven puzzle games train your memory, vocabulary, numeracy, spatial ability and pattern matching. It only takes a few minutes a day!

No timer pressure, no high scores, just diverting puzzles. Reduce your stress and wind down before bedtime.

- Eleven puzzle types
- Ten difficulty levels from beginner to advanced
- High-quality retina graphics in every game.
- Relaxing background music to help you focus.

Here's what our users are saying:
"Better than a stress ball & longer lasting too. I can tell my memory is improving and I'm not as stressed with other pressures on the days that I play..."

"I love that this game is not timed, and the background music is so relaxing. After playing the games for about a week, I can feel a difference in how quickly I can solve problems and puzzles."

"This app has an amazing UI - very smooth and relaxing. It lets you take your time and gently nudges you in the right direction when you get something wrong"

"I just wanted to tell you that Brain Yoga is better than Lumosity.com keep up the good work!!"

What's new:
- Improved support for all screen sizes
- Bug fixes

Thanks so much to everyone who has sent me feedback! Your comments are so, so helpful, and I really appreciate when people take the time to send in bug reports and other ideas. If you notice any new issues please let me know. I hope you enjoy the update! -Sarah

Best Meditative Developer!

I've been playing Sarah's brain yoga app for several years and it always helps me to calm down and refocus my brain. It's a must have on turbulent flights! I've downloaded her other games for the high quality of graphics, simplicity of use, outcome of brain stimulation, and meditative quality without adding to screen addiction temptation. Sarah truly creates games that feel healthy and helpful to use, bringing back the true joy of entertainment rather than creating impulsive addiction issues through psychological warfare on players like some big name developers do in the name of profit. Thanks for keeping integrity and true fun at the heart of your games! A++

Programming Needs to Follow Descriptions

Pattern matching. Seems simple. In programming, though, I expect it's quite complicated. The definition in game is a bit ambiguous, but the programming does not match the definition. The definition does not specify that ALL attributes must be the same or different, so clearly at least one set of attributes must be different in order to form a set. But what if 3 attributes are different? The programming doesn't recognize this. I'll give an example from level 4. Colors are magenta, teal, and green. Patterns are striped, blank, and filled. Shapes are triangle, square, and circle. Only the number is the same for each in the set: two. But the programming doesn't recognize this set, even though it fits the definition.

By the way, the definition implies that it is possible to match cards that are completely identical in every way (all four attributes match) but clearly the game doesn't provide such opportunities. So perhaps the definition should be revised to clarify how the programming actually handles sets internally.

Sets

Love the app! The recent changes make it even better. However, the solution for the Sets is not displayed long enough. The busy background and the almost instantaneous removal of the solution makes it very difficult to determine what I did not get correct. The addition of even two seconds or so would help. The light shades of some of the figures on white, especially when the centers of the figures are white, make it hard to assess very quickly. The app is my go to app daily for relaxation.

Information

Compatibility

Requires iOS 8.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

Copyright

© 2013 Megafauna Software

In-App Purchases

1. Brain Yoga Premium $4.99

2. 30 Workouts $0.99

3. 90 Workouts $1.99

Family Sharing

With Family Sharing set up, up to six family members can use this app.

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‎Train your brain the relaxing way with Brain Yoga. Eleven puzzle games train your memory, vocabulary, numeracy, spatial ability and pattern matching. It only takes a few minutes a day! No timer pressure, no high scores, just diverting puzzles. Reduce your stress and wind down before bedtime. - Ele...

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A list of 22 apps that help out with mental health.

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Although we love our phones, many of us find them a source of stress. Scrolling through insta-perfect images can impact on our self-esteem, and constant notifications are overwhelming and tiring.

However, our phones can also be super self-care tools. There are lots of apps out there designed to help us manage our mental health. In a past post, we found 21 apps that help with well-being, and in this post we share 22 more.

Available: iOS, Android
Cost: Free for basic app, £3.99 for upgrade

Such optimistic words; reminds you to help yourself rather than just check things off a meaningless list.

Using Balanced is like having a little person in my phone that acknowledges what I'm doing - A little record witnessing and encouraging.

Balanced helps with staying in control, knowing what to do next, becoming more mindful, finding inspiration, and leading a happier, more fulfilling life.

Available: iOS, Android
Cost: Free

I 've used booster buddy and I find it quite good for motivating me to do small things to distract me or to improve my mood when I'm feeling low in the morning.

I've been using Booster Buddy for a few weeks and I quite like it, especially that the tasks depend on how you're feeling, so if you're feeling awful it will just be something small like 'put one item of rubbish in the bin'. It makes you feel like you have actually achieved something, however small.

Booster Buddy gives us a virtual animal friend to help manage your mental health. Each day, you check-in with how you're feeling, and then complete a number of daily 'quests'. It can be used to help keep track of appointments and medications, get started on tasks, develop healthy coping skills, follow self-care routines, and socialise.

Available: iOS, Android
Cost: Free

Fantastic, I use it regularly... Being able to personalise inhilation/exhalation times makes it good.

Absolutely brilliant, I use this app when I'm having anxiety attacks and it works brilliantly, calms you right down!

Breathe2Relax is a stress management tool. It provides detailed information on the effects of stress on the body, and instructions and practice exercises to help users learn to manage stress using diaphragmatic breathing.

Available: iOS, Android
Cost: Free

I find it really useful especially the surf the urge option.

It has a breathing countdown feature that helps you focus on breathing that I use sometimes. Also has features that can distract you.

Calm Harm is designed to help us resist and manage the urge to self-harm, containing four types of activity: distract, comfort, express and release. It stems from ideas involved in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT).

Available: iOS, Android
Cost: Free for the basic app, £2.99 for premium app

Brilliant. Everything a tracker app needs. Daily reminders, activity edits, simple mood tracking. Helps you figure out what your poor mental health triggers are. You can edit the things you've been doing & there's loads of icons to choose from.

Daylio can help you to understand your habits and factors that might influence your mood. You can keep a private diary selecting your mood and activities you've been doing during the day. You can also add notes if you want to. It will then provide you with statistics and calendars to help you identify your habits.

Available: iOS, Android, Amazon
Cost: Free for basic app, various costs for app additions

I love flow free for distraction. And you can just pick a level to match how well your brain is working.

Flow free is a very relaxed game where you connect matching dots with coloured pipe. It can be used to chill out a little bit, or to distract from scary thoughts.

Available: iOS
Cost: Free

Easy to use and input data and see how you are progressing day by day, with great advice on improving certain areas.

This app allows you to rate ourselves on lifestyle, exercise, nutrition and sleep, which can begin to show you any patterns in things that might influence your mood.

Available: iOS
Cost: Free for basic app, £3.99 or £25.49 to upgrade to pro

I find Hear and Now really good. I'm really busy at work during the day and I get random notifications from it to stop and breathe to help me relax. It helps to reduce my anxiety and stress levels.

Hear and Now is designed to help with stress. It teaches clinically proven deep breathing techniques. You can set reminders to quickly regain focus. It can also provide an overview of your breathing exercise history in order to monitor patterns and improvements.

Available: iOS, Android
Cost: Free for basic app, £1.99, £1.99, £2.99 for collection additions

Great little app with a simple easy to use interface. There is a selection of guided meditations to choose from but the app really shines with the simplicity of the timer. It also fosters a sense that there is a community out there meditating with you.

Insight Timer is a meditation app, containing 4500 free guided meditations, 750 meditation music tracks, and 35 meditation playlists. It also has 4300 groups where people can come and discuss topics ranging from humour and compassion to spirituality and support.

Available: iOS, Android
Cost: Free

If you are suffering with anxiety, this is a great app to help yourself. As a mental health practitioner I recommend this to my patients and would recommend this for everyone!

MindShift is designed to help you cope with anxiety. It includes strategies for making sleep count, riding out intense emotions, perfectionism, test anxiety, social anxiety, performance anxiety, worry, panic, and conflict.

Available: iOS, Android
Cost: Free

It has very nice messages for you to motivate you and help you. Very helpful.

This app is good for keeping track of your moods and provides a clear vision of the pattern of your moods.

Moodfit is a companion to help you achieve your goals. Track your mood, to see what can cause it to lift and drop. Understand how sleep and exercise affect you, practice gratitude, get your zen on, and understand medications and therapy.

Available: iOS
Cost: £3.99

I would highly recommend for checking in with feelings and noting positive achievements.

With Moodnotes, you record how we feel each day and Moodnotes responds with gentle encouragement, poses questions, and shows us patterns. It also highlights possible thought traps we might fall into.

Available: iOS, Android
Cost: Free, with optional donations of £4.99 and £19.99

I found this app at a very low point in my life and it has lifted my mood significantly in a very short space of time. I feel as if I have some control back and can see a light at the end of the tunnel.

MoodTools contains six evidence-based tools to aid against clinical depression and negative moods. It contains information on depression, a depression test, videos, a thought diary, activities, and a safety plan.

Available: iOS, Android
Cost: Free for basic app, various costs for app additions

Great experience whether you're a beginner or an expert, there is something for everyone.

Omvana provides meditation tracks for focus, sleep, peace and more. It can be great for relaxing and practising meditation and mindfulness.

Pacifica

Available: iOS, Android, Web
Cost: Free for basic app, various costs for app purchases

I'm a big fan of the Pacifica app. It's the only app I've seen that takes an holistic look at someone's emotional well-being. Not only does it have all the basics to help people with their thinking, it can also be used to record and monitor other important information such as exercise, water intake and sleep. It's useful tool while someone is in treatment and for relapse prevention.

Pacifica is based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and meditation. It contains daily tools for managing stress and anxiety alongside a supportive community. The tools include guided self-help paths, mood/health tracking, challenges to help you reach your long-term goals, relaxation techniques and a peer-support community. It allows you to see our progress over time, make connections, and recognise patters we might fall into.

Available: iOS, Android
Cost: Free

Panic shield is great for if you want to map your own step ladders of graded exposure, it also has exercises to help you combat the fear of physical signs of anxiety.

Panic Shield can help to train your minds not to be afraid by the sensations you typically associate with panic attacks, and not to fear external situations or activities that you avoid in case they trigger a panic attack. It also contains a paced breathing tool which can help you to calm down when you begin to feel particularly anxious.

Available: iOS, Android
Cost: Free for basic app, various costs for app additions

Every morning I wake up and complete the 15 minute brain 'workout' peak create for me and at the end of those 15 minutes. I already feel like I've achieved something positive- especially when I beat my highest scores!

Peak is a brain training app. Each day, you complete a couple of short games to challenge and stretch different areas of your brain, including focus, memory, problem solving, and mental agility. The app shows us how we're improving, and how we compare to other players.

Available: iOS, Android
Cost: Free for basic app, various costs for app additions

This is a great little app if you want to keep a digital diary or journal. It' intuitive and easy to use and can be as visual or simple as you want.

Penzu is a place to keep our private thoughts safe and secure. You can journal, customise your journal cover, and add photos.

Available: iOS, Android
Cost: Free for basic app, various costs for app additions

Sleep Cycle is great - helps me to understand why I'm feeling tired, and uses data it gathers so you can see what affects your sleep.

I used sleep cycle last night for the first time had the best nights sleep I've had in nearly a week a lot more relaxed, no vivid dreams and I woke up on time in a fairly decent mood.

Sleep Cycle tracks your sleep and wakes you up during the lightest part of your sleep cycle, which can help you to feel better rested. It can also track your sleep during the night which can allow you to see how well you're sleeping, and where any problems might lie.

Available: iOS, Android
Cost: Free

What a great app, long overdue, if you are feeling in that dark place this app may just help you to feel able to choose life and find reasons for living.

Amazing app for help and advice for those struggling with suicidal thoughts of advice if you're worried about someone.

Stay Alive is designed to support both people with thoughts of suicide and to people concerned about someone else. It has quick access to UK national crisis support helplines. You can use it to create a mini safety plan, and it contains a LifeBox for photos reminding you of your reasons to stay alive. It also contains strategies for keeping safe, information of helping a person thinking about suicide, suicide myth-busting, research-based reasons for living, suicide bereavement resources, and links to online support services and to other helpful apps.

Available: iOS, Android
Cost: Free for basic app, various costs for app additions

I love this game - it makes me feel relaxed when I play it. I love all the different colours you can get.

ThisIsSand is a relaxing app which allows us to make sandscapes. It's good for chilling out and being a little creative in really simple way.

Available: iOS, Android
Cost: Free (can donate £0.99, £1.99, or £3.99)

What's Up? Is really the only mental health app I use, it's helpful in many situations and I honestly cannot recommend it enough! It is divided into four sections: - Help Right Now - Coping Strategies - Information - Personal Overall, I really find this app so helpful when in stressful, highly emotionally charged situations and also generally just for reference or information or to write notes and keep track of habits. I find the grounding techniques section most helpful.

What's Up? uses Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) methods to help us to cope with depression, anxiety, anger and stress.

A Final Note on Apps

While these apps can help us help ourselves, no app is a replacement for medical help. If we're struggling, getting support from our GP or mental health team should always be our first priority.
Sharing is caring: please share this post to help others, you never know who might need it.

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Although we love our phones, many of us find them a source of stress. Scrolling through insta-perfect images can impact on our self-esteem, and constant notifications are overwhelming and tiring. However, our phones can also be super self-care tools. There are lots of apps out there designed to help us manage our mental health.

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A guided meditation service to help you to become present again.

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A 10 day free course on learning to meditate.

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Unlock hundreds of mood-boosting meditations, relaxing sleep exercises, focus music, and more with our biggest offer of the year.

It's the healthiest, happiest deal you'll find this Black Friday, and it won't last long.

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Meditation and Sleep Made Simple - Headspace

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Live a healthier, happier, more well-rested life in just a few minutes a day with the Headspace app.

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A meditation app to help you learn to meditate, or a timer to help you if you already know how.

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Calm is the #1 app for sleep and meditation. Join the millions experiencing better sleep, lower stress, and less anxiety.

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Free courses to help your mental health

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Living Life to the Full | helping you help yourself

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Online therapy sessions to help.

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Whether you're looking for a therapist or just someone to talk to right now during some difficult times, 7 Cups is a place where you can be heard. Start for free today.

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Mind

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Advice on how to keep you gadgets clean to reduce transmission

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While you may want to clean your smartphone, some substances can damage the device.

Dr Lena Ciric, a microbiologist from University College London, says you can effectively clean your phone using just household soap and water.

Video journalist: Chris Fox

EASY STEPS: What can I do about the virus?

A SIMPLE GUIDE: What are the symptoms?

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Here’s how to clean your device effectively using household soap and water.

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Advice from the BBC on how to help your anxiety right now.

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Anxiety UK have experienced a big rise in callers since the outbreak of coronavirus.

David Smithson, the charity’s operations director, gives his advice on how to deal with anxiety during this difficult time.

And we hear from three women with pre-existing anxiety disorders about why coronavirus has been especially challenging, and the strategies they have been using to cope.

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Anxiety UK have experienced a big rise in callers since the Covid-19 outbreak.

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Read with your Favorite Java ☕ Property Improvement & Home Remodeling Advise. How to turn any house into a home.

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From alcohol to anxiety, panic attacks to PTSD, our A-Z guide gives you useful information about a range of topics related to mental health.

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From the Telegraph

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Coronavirus: How to look after your mental health during lockdown

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General advice from the Samaritans if you're struggling.

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What to do if you're not feeling okay.

You can get in touch about anything that's troubling you, no matter how large or small the issue feels.

We're here to listen, no judgement, no pressure, and help you work through what's on your mind. We'll never tell you what to do.

If you need advice or specialist support for a specific issue, such as a bereavement or domestic abuse, we've put together a list of specialist organisations, including their contact details, which you may find helpful.

Whatever you're going through, call us free any time, from any phone, on 116 123.

Sometimes writing down your thoughts and feelings can help you understand them better.

Welsh language
If you would like emotional support in Welsh, we have a Welsh Language Line which is free to call. We also have a letter writing service in Welsh.

Self-help app
Keep track of how you're feeling, and get recommendations for things you can do to help yourself cope, feel better and stay safe in a crisis

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What to do if you're not feeling okay. You can get in touch about anything that's troubling you, no matter how large or small the issue feels. We're here to listen, no judgement, no pressure, and help you work through what's on your mind. We'll never tell you what to do.

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Another page similar to this one, with more guidance on staying in touch with people.

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Breadcrumb

1. Home |

2. COVID-19: Guides & resources

Here are some of our most relevant guides to help you and your learners stay connected when you can't be together.

If are helping someone with technology remotely, then visit our Remote Digital Champion guides for lots of practical advice.

Would you like these guides on your website? It’s free and easy to do. Find out more here.

Staying connected

Email & Skype

Staying in touch with family, friends and loved ones has never been so important. Here are some guides that you might find useful yourself but which are also great for sharing with those who are not too confident online.

Social media

We all know that social media can be a great way to stay in touch with family and friends but's also great for finding out what's happening locally and for plugging in to local support networks.

Video calling with Zoom

Zoom is one of the most popular video calling applications.

Our range of resources show you how you can use Zoom to connect with others and help them with their digital skills .

Health & wellbeing

Finding reliable COVID-19 news & information

It can be hard to know where to go. This guide helps!

Healthy living & fitness

If your normal fitness routine is disrupted, here are some great ideas for keeping fit: the best online home workouts and more!

Mental health

Times like these are scary and can affect our mental health. This great guide from The Mental Health Foundation offers expert reassurance and advice.

Hobbies & interests

We've got lots of ideas for things to do while holed up and home - from online reading and learning to activities and interests, games and more.

Online shopping

This is a good time to explore the world of online shopping. These guides will show you how! They're also good for sharing with friends or relatives who could benefit from being able to shop online.

Indoor activities with kids

With the kids off school we've got a fantastic list of websites to help you keep them educated and entertained!

We hope that you'll find these guides useful - for yourself and for anyone that you are helping to stay connected.

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We hope that you'll find these guides useful - for yourself and for anyone that you are helping to stay connected.

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Evidence suggests there are 5 steps you can take to improve your mental health and wellbeing. Trying these things could help you feel more positive and able to get the most out of life.
1. Connect with other people

Good relationships are important for your mental wellbeing. They can:

help you to build a sense of belonging and self-worth

give you an opportunity to share positive experiences

provide emotional support and allow you to support others

There are lots of things you could try to help build stronger and closer relationships:

2. Be physically active

Being active is not only great for your physical health and fitness. Evidence also shows it can also improve your mental wellbeing by:

raising your self-esteem

helping you to set goals or challenges and achieve them

causing chemical changes in your brain which can help to positively change your mood

Read about exercise guidelines and workouts to help improve your fitness and wellbeing

3. Learn new skills

Research shows that learning new skills can also improve your mental wellbeing by:

boosting self-confidence and raising self-esteem

helping you to build a sense of purpose

helping you to connect with others

Even if you feel like you do not have enough time, or you may not need to learn new things, there are lots of different ways to bring learning into your life.

Some of the things you could try include:

4. Give to others

Research suggests that acts of giving and kindness can help improve your mental wellbeing by:

creating positive feelings and a sense of reward

giving you a feeling of purpose and self-worth

helping you connect with other people

It could be small acts of kindness towards other people, or larger ones like volunteering in your local community.

Some examples of the things you could try include:

saying thank you to someone for something they have done for you

asking friends, family or colleagues how they are and really listening to their answer

spending time with friends or relatives who need support or company

offering to help someone you know with DIY or a work project

volunteering in your community, such as helping at a school, hospital or care home

5. Pay attention to the present moment (mindfulness)

Paying more attention to the present moment can improve your mental wellbeing. This includes your thoughts and feelings, your body and the world around you.

Some people call this awareness "mindfulness". Mindfulness can help you enjoy life more and understand yourself better. It can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges.

Read more about mindfulness, including steps you can take to be more mindful in your everyday life.

Further information

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Read about 5 steps you can take to improve your mental health and wellbeing.

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Gwaith ymgynghori a chynnwys

O'r cychwyn cyntaf, mae prosiectau wedi'u cynllunio ar y cyd gyda'r cleient. Yr ydym yn ymgynghori, dylunio a chreu cynnwys pwrpasol.

Dylunio a chyflenwi prosiectau

Darparu amgylcheddau 360 ° VR pwrpasol, a gynhyrchir ar gyfer y cleient mewn 4k gyda sain gofodol.

Hyfforddiant a chefnogaeth

Rhoddir hyfforddiant a chymorth i ofalwyr a gweithwyr gofal iechyd proffesiynol.

Mae'r pecyn yn cynnwys y canlynol

Amlinellir y pecyn a ddarparwn yn y llif gwaith a ddangosir uchod, ond yn y bôn mae'n cynnwys tair prif elfen fel y dangosir isod

Cynnwys wedi'i deilwra

Fe fydd y cynnwys wedi ei deilwra at eich anghenion chi. Yr ydym wedi creu llyfrgell enfawr o gynnwys 360° ymdrochol. Mae hyn yn cynnwys golygfeydd o bob rhan o Gymru. Mae'r rhain wedi eu creu yn benodol ar gyfer defnyddwyr iechyd a lles.

Cefnogaeth ac hyfforddiant

Mae'r gefnogaeth y byddwch yn ei derbyn yn cael ei darparu fel rhan o raglen Cynhwysiant Digidol a
gyflwynir gan Gymunedau Digidol Cymru. Byddant yn darparu hyfforddiant i'r staff ac yn dangos y
defnydd o VR i'ch cleientiaid yn eich lleoliad.

Caledwedd ac meddalwedd

Yr ydym yn awgrymu eich bod yn prynu'r penwisg Oculus Go sy'n costio ychydig o dan £200 yr un gyda digon o le arnynt i 20 ffilm. Fe wnawn lwytho'r cynnwys yn ól eich angen. Mae'r penwisg Android hwn yn gallu cysylltu gyda'r rhyngrwyd gan roi mynediad i filoedd o Apiau.

Ein gweledigaeth

Darllen mwy

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Atgofion Melys - Amgylchedd 360 ° Rhithwir ar gyfer Gofal Iechyd a Lles yng Nghymru

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Gwaith ymgynghori a chynnwys O'r cychwyn cyntaf, mae prosiectau wedi'u cynllunio ar y cyd gyda'r cleient. Yr ydym yn ymgynghori, dylunio a chreu cynnwys pwrpasol. Dylunio a chyflenwi prosiectau Darparu amgylcheddau 360 ° VR pwrpasol, a gynhyrchir ar gyfer y cleient mewn 4k gyda sain gofodol.

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Pre-warning signs to look out.

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Things to look out for in yourself when you're finding everyday life hard.

Maybe you can't quite put your finger on it, but you're not feeling okay.

You might be feeling tired more often, be feeling emotional, and you might not want to do the things that you usually enjoy right now.

Struggling to cope with everyday life doesn't look or feel the same in everyone. We can't generalise about how it'll make you feel or act.

Samaritans are here to listen. You can call us on 116 123, email us at [email protected] or write us a letter.

You don't have to feel suicidal to get in touch. Only 1 person in 5 who calls Samaritans says that they feel suicidal.

Read our tips

Practical ways to help yourself cope

Signs to look out for

Lacking energy or feeling tired

Feeling exhausted all the time

Experiencing 'brain fog', find it hard to think clearly

Finding it hard to concentrate

Feeling restless and agitated

Feeling tearful, wanting to cry all the time

Not wanting to talk to or be with people

Not wanting to do things you usually enjoy

Using alcohol or drugs to cope with feelings

Finding it hard to cope with everyday things and tasks

Experiencing 'burn out'

If you don't see what you're feeling on this list, please still get in touch. You might also find our suggestions and tips for ways to help yourself cope useful.

And if you do think these symptoms sound like you, or someone you know, please still get in touch on 116 123, at [email protected] , or in another way that suits you.

If you're worried about someone else, we can help too.

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Things to look out for in yourself when you're finding everyday life hard. Maybe you can't quite put your finger on it, but you're not feeling okay. You might be feeling tired more often, be feeling emotional, and you might not want to do the things that you usually enjoy right now.

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Listen online to relaxing sound atmospheres, ambient music or chilling sound effects. You can even create and mix your own moods, all for free.

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Created by young people for young people

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Created by young people for young people

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This hub has been created by young people for young people, it provides information and links to services in relation to your emotional health and well-being.

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Grief can be overwhelming - you don’t have to deal with it alone. Cruse Bereavement Support is here. Call our helpline or chat online.

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Online Meditation Timer is a free online meditation timer you can use from any computer. It is fully configurable to your desired settings. Use Online Meditation Timer to time your meditations.

Set-Up:

Press the component buttons (Prepare, Meditation, Interval) you want to set. Press the up or down arrow to change the value of the component. You can set meditation time, and interval time. When your ready to meditate press the meditate button.

Prepare: The preparation time before your session begins.
Meditation: The total time of your meditation session.
Interval: Set this if you would like a periodic chime throughout your session.

Using:

To begin your session press the "Meditate" button.
To pause your session press the "Pause", and to resume press the "Resume" button.
To Stop your session press the "Stop" button.

About Us:

Online Meditation Timer is brought to you by Zencast.org , and SimpleTouch software.

Site developed by: Chris Biron
Artwork by: Kayla Vaughan
Sound Recording by: Amber Star

copyright © 2011 onlinemeditationtimer.com

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Online Meditation Timer is a free online meditation timer you can use from any computer. It is fully configurable to your desired settings. Use Online Meditation Timer to time your meditations. Press the component buttons (Prepare, Meditation, Interval) you want to set. Press the up or down arrow to change the value of the component.

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Welcome to the 'Words to Sit With' space! The intention is to provide a platform for sharing contemporary mindfulness poetry. We hope that you find poetry or stories that resonate with your experience. Feel free to dive into the . If you feel inspired to write or already write your own mindful poetry then you are welcome to collection contribute.

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Welcome to the 'Words to Sit With' space! The intention is to provide a platform for sharing contemporary mindfulness poetry. We hope that you find poetry or stories that resonate with your experience. Feel free to dive into the . If you feel inspired to write or already write your own mindful poetry then you are welcome to collection contribute.

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A lot of businesses are giving services away for free or reduced prices, take a look.

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Too Many Requests(6)

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Coronavirus: Tech offers available to charities

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During the current crisis, a number of tech vendors are making their services available for free or at discounted rates. This live article will be updated as new offers become available.

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Online Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
This online MBSR training course is 100% free, created by a fully certified MBSR instructor, and is based on the program founded by Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

I'm so glad you found this website! Here you will find a complete MBSR course, designed for people who are not able to take a live MBSR course for financial or logistical reasons. All of the materials used in the live courses I taught, including guided meditations, articles and videos, are freely available here. - Dave Potter

Offering something for nothing does seem a little suspicious these days and I get many emails about this free online MBSR course, many of which ask one or more of the following questions:

The short answer is "yes". There is no catch: no fees, no spam, no cookies, you don't even need to identify yourself or give an email address. I receive no income personally from the site, not even indirectly. Contributions make the course even more accessible to people around the world, but this is not expected nor required - see About Contributions. (NOTE: Some of the videos have advertising, but the ad revenue goes directly to the creator of the videos and not to me or Palouse Mindfulness.)

I am fully certified as an MBSR instructor by the University of Massachusetts Medical School and I taught live, in-person MBSR classes in my community for 12 years. I'm also a retired professional psychotherapist who has had a daily meditation practice for over 30 years, and when I discovered MBSR, I wanted to offer it to my clients and my community. I started teaching my twice-yearly in-person classes in 2004 and, as a service to my students, began to put some parts of the class online. I soon realized that with a little work, the material could be useful to people who are not able to attend a live MBSR class, either because of financial or geographical limitations..

Creating and incrementally improving this resource has been a labor of love, and I'm happy to provide these materials without asking for a fee, something that is made possible given the economies of the internet, how the course is structured, and the generosity of other teachers* who have given their permission to make their teachings freely available on this website. It pleases me to know that anyone with an internet connection, whether they live in Moscow, Idaho or Moscow, Russia, can find and use the rich set of materials here. There is even a way for people without internet to have access to the course.

After reading the letters of completion and practice sheets of more than 6,000 online students from over 100 countries (see Map of Graduates) and having previously taught MBSR to 400 people live and in person, I've concluded that students who complete the Palouse Mindfulness course typically have just as deep an experience as those who complete a live MBSR course (see Testimonials / Gallery of Learning).

One of the reasons Palouse Mindfulness can be as effective as a live course is because you are not limited to eight weeks of learning since you can take as long as you like to fully absorb the teachings and practices of each "week", and much more material is available.

Also, a live course, even one taught by a single gifted teacher, will necessarily be limited in range in terms of teaching style and content, but with the Palouse Mindfulness course, you will be taught, through videos and readings, by a variety of world-renowned teachers such as Jon Kabat-Zinn, Thich Nhat Hanh, Pema Chodron, Sylvia Boorstein, Tara Brach, Jack Kornfield, Sharon Salzberg, Kristin Neff, and Shauna Shapiro (see the NOTE about other teachers* at the bottom of this page).

That being said, you can expect to receive everything Palouse Mindfulness has to offer only if you complete the entire course. This is challenging because it's easy to start a self-paced online course but difficult to finish without regular, live, encouragement. It is for this reason that, for those who can afford it and can fit it into their schedule, a live MBSR course may be a better option than the Palouse Mindfulness course because a regular live MBSR course increases the odds that a student will finish what they have begun (see Live MBSR Courses for alternatives to Palouse Mindfulness which are taught by qualified instructors).

A distinct advantage of the Palouse Mindfulness course is that you don't have to wait for a once-a-week meeting to ask a question or share a concern. There are optional weekly and monthly zoom meetings (see Zoom Meditation & Discussion Meetings) where students can join a zoom meeting that includes a live meditation and time for sharing experiences and/or asking questions about the practices that are part of the course. There are experienced graduates and senior students in all the Palouse Mindfulness forums who can answer specific questions. There is also the option to join the Palouse Mindfulness Facebook group, through which questions can be asked any time, day or night, and there is usually a response within a few hours,
Whether or not you plan to participate in any of the online forums, be sure to check out the Frequently Asked Questions page (see on menu above). The questions on the FAQ page are the ones that have been asked most often in the online forums.

If your native language is represented by a flag in the upper-left corner of this page ( Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, or Russian), you are in luck! All of the core readings, worksheets, subtitles for videos, and audio recordings have been carefully translated by Palouse Mindfulness graduates who are native speakers of that language. By clicking on the row of flags, you will be given an option to go to one of these translated versions.

If your native language is not one that we have translated, it's possible to use Google Translate to convert the course to another language, but the translation is not perfect, especially since the concepts presented in a mindfulness course are subtle and present a challenge even for experienced human translators. That being said, if you'd like to use Google Translate with this course, go to Other Languages for suggestions about how best to do this.

The Introduction is designed to give you a sense of mindfulness and an idea of how this course is structured. For each of the eight weeks, videos, readings and practices help you build a base of both knowledge and experience. MBSR "At a Glance" provides a brief outline of the MBSR course.

All of what you will need is accessible through this website, and whether or not you actually take yourself through the course, the wealth of material here, including videos and writings by the teachers mentioned above and others,is freely available to you.

This course is completely self-guided (there is no registration and only you will be monitoring your progress, using the provided practice sheets). If you successfully complete the eight weeks of practice and study and send the materials indicated inRequesting a Certificate of Completion, we will send you a personal note of congratulations along with a certificate of completion. There is no cost for this. You simply submit your practice sheets and a one page description of what you've learned and how you will be incorporating what you learned into your life.
If you are ready to begin, or if you'd just like to know more about mindfulness or this program, go to the Introduction.
* NOTE about other teachers: Much of the material in this course is drawn from the public works of other teachers and writers who share our passion for making mindfulness available to all. We're grateful to them for helping to make this free Online MBSR course possible. Those who have given their explicit written approval of how we've used their materials include Jon Kabat-Zinn, Thich Nhat Hanh, Tara Brach, Shauna Shapiro, Kristin Neff, Michelle Maldonado, Vidyamala Burch, Lynn Rossy, James Baraz, Ann Weiser Cornell, Daron Larson, and the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

All videos needed to complete the course, including the guided meditations, have accurate closed captions, with the exception of some that are in the "supplementary" sections or on the "Graduate" pages.

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Online Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) This online MBSR training course is 100% free, created by a fully certified MBSR instructor, and is based on the program founded by Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. I'm so glad you found this website!

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Advice on how to help others, and what to do if you're concerned about someone else.

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What to do if you think someone isn't OK

If you think it's an emergency

What to do if you think someone is in immediate danger.

How to support someone you're worried about

What to do if you think someone you know isn't OK.

Supporting someone with suicidal thoughts

What to do if you think someone is considering taking their own life.

How can I support someone who has self-harmed?

It can be hard to know what to say when someone you care for is hurting themselves.

Myths about suicide

Understanding the facts can help you to help someone struggling to cope.

If you're worried about someone else during the coronavirus pandemic

Reaching out to someone can make a big difference if they’re going through a tough time.

Little tips for helping someone open up when something’s up

You don’t have to be an expert to help someone open up when something’s up. The fact that you care is what matters.

How to recognise and support someone who may be lonely

If you think someone might be lonely, there are things you can do to help ease some of those feelings.

Myths about loneliness

By challenging common myths about loneliness, we can help tackle the stigma that’s often attached to it.

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What to do if you think someone isn't OK.

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Advice for if you need to have a difficult conversation with someone about their wellbeing.

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Show you care

Focus on the other person, make eye contact, put away your phone.
To really listen to somebody, you need to give them your full attention, maintain eye contact and be engaged.

Getting into this habit takes practice so don't be too hard on yourself and keep using these handy tips:

When starting the conversation resolve not to talk about yourself at all.

Keep a listening diary - just for a week. Record how many times you listened really well, note what challenges and distracts you and what you think went well.

Aim to learn at least one new thing about the person who is talking to you.

Have patience

It may take time and several attempts before a person is ready to open up.
Effective listening is about creating trust with the other person. The person sharing shouldn't feel rushed, or they won't feel it's a safe environment.

If they've paused in their response, wait, they may not have finished speaking. It might take them some time to formulate what they are saying, or they may find it difficult to articulate what they're feeling.

Through non-judgemental listening, you are allowing the person to relax into the conversation and to use it as a place to reflect or work through difficult emotions.

Use open questions

Use open questions that need more than a yes/no answer, and follow up with questions like 'Tell me more'.
An open-ended question means not jumping in with your own ideas about how the other person may be feeling.

These questions don't impose a view point and require a person to pause, think and reflect, and then hopefully expand.

Avoid asking questions or saying something that closes down the conversation. Open-ended questions encourage them to talk, the conversation is a safe space that you are holding for them and nothing they say is right or wrong. Try asking, 'how are you feeling today'?

Say it back

Check you've understood, but don't interrupt or offer a solution.
Repeating something back to somebody is a really good way to reassure them that they have your undivided attention. And you can check to see that you're hearing what they want you to hear, not putting your own interpretation onto the conversation.

Have courage

Don't be put off by a negative response and, most importantly, don't feel you have to fill a silence.
Sometimes it can feel intrusive and counter-intuitive to ask someone how they feel. You'll soon be able to tell if someone is uncomfortable and doesn't want to engage with you at that level.

You'll be surprised at how willing people are to listen and how, sometimes, it is exactly what somebody needs to be able to share what is going on their mind.

How to support someone with suicidal thoughts

Read more

What Mike found helpful

Mike found it helpful when his wife, Linda, used humour when she was supporting him

Mike, was supported by his wife, Linda

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What to do if you think someone is struggling

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Show you care Focus on the other person, make eye contact, put away your phone. To really listen to somebody, you need to give them your full attention, maintain eye contact and be engaged. Getting into this habit takes practice so don't be too hard on yourself and keep using these handy tips: When starting the conversation resolve not to talk about yourself at all.

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The latest advice from citizens advice.

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Here's our latest list of recommended resources we've gathered from around the web to help you stay in touch with family, friends or colleagues during the coronavirus outbreak - or to help you to help others!

Contents:

General support for older people

The Silver Line operates the only confidential, free helpline for older people across the UK that's open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days of the year.

They also offer telephone friendship where they match volunteers with older people based on their interests, facilitated group calls, and help to connect people with local services in their area.

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Covid-19 (Coronavirus) support resources - Citizens Online

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Here's our latest list of recommended resources we've gathered from around the web to help you stay in touch with family, friends or colleagues during the coronavirus outbreak - or to help you to help others!