You’re more than what you’re going through.
Advice from psychologists who understand chronic illness, and mental health services in every province.
Helpful tips
Self care does not need to be earned.Listen to your body and rest when you need to, even before it is a need.
Be aggressive with your self care.Advocate for what feels right for your body. Self care also looks like self protection.
It takes a village.Being the only support person is not sustainable. Encourage your loved one to open up to other trusted people too.
Facilitate life.Help them stay connected to their lifelines: the people, places and values that refocus their sense of purpose and hope.
Find support near you
Not sure where to begin? Call 211 to be connected to local community, health and social services anywhere in Canada.
Open your province or region to see mental health services and community supports near you.
- 211 Alberta: call 2-1-1 or text INFO to 211, any time, for mental health and addiction support
- Recovery Alberta, formerly AHS Addiction and Mental Health: services and programs near you
- Africa Centre Counselling Clinic: short-term counselling in Edmonton, Calgary or online, 1-866-666-1330 ext. 223
- Alberta Black Therapists Network: find a Black therapist in Alberta
- For students: University of Alberta Counselling and Clinical Services and MacEwan University Counselling
- 310Mental Health Support: call 310-6789, no area code needed, any time
- Mental health and substance use services from Fraser Health, Interior Health, Island Health, Northern Health and Vancouver Coastal Health
- First Nations Health Authority: Mental health and wellness
- Klinic Crisis Line: 204-786-8686 or 1-888-322-3019, any time
- Shared Health Mental Health and Wellness Resource Finder
- ConnexOntario: 1-866-531-2600, any time
- Find mental health support on Ontario.ca
- CMHA Ontario: find your local branch
- BounceBack Ontario: free coaching for ages 15 and up, 1-866-345-0224
- Info-Social 811: call 811 and choose option 2, any time
- Find your local CLSC
- AMI-Quebec: support for families and carers, 514-486-1448
- CMHA Montreal: mental health education and training
- Nova Scotia: the Mental Health and Addictions Crisis Line, 1-888-429-8167, any time, and Nova Scotia Health Mental Health and Addictions
- New Brunswick: the Addiction and Mental Health Helpline, 1-866-355-5550, any time, and CMHA New Brunswick
- Prince Edward Island: Health PEI Mental Health and Addictions, 1-833-553-6983, any time
- Newfoundland and Labrador: 811 HealthLine for crisis support, any time, and Memorial University Student Wellness for students
- Saskatchewan: HealthLine 811 for mental health and addictions support, any time, and CMHA Saskatchewan
- Northwest Territories: the 811 Mental Health and Wellness Support Line, dial 811 and press 1 (it replaced the NWT Help Line)
- Nunavut: the Kamatsiaqtut Help Line, 1-800-265-3333, any time
- Yukon: free counselling from CMHA Yukon, and its Reach Out Support Line, 1-844-533-3030, call or text any time
Mental health guides
Mental HealthMay 14, 20262 min read
Sickle cell and mental health: you are not imagining it
Chronic pain wears on the mind. Anxiety, low mood and isolation are common, and support helps.
Mental HealthJul 16, 20264 min read
Caring for someone with sickle cell without losing yourself
Burnout builds quietly when one person carries every crisis. How to spot the signs, share the load and plan for crisis days, inspired by this year’s Cells for Caregivers meetings.
Living with SCDMay 4, 20264 min read
How to be heard in the ER and at appointments when you have sickle cell
Our April Cells meeting asked a hard question: is my doctor even listening? Scripts, tools and Canadian standards that help warriors and caregivers speak up for care.
As a relative to someone with sickle cell, I really appreciate NJY being so open about the effects of sickle cell on mental health, and providing tools to help.