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Websites & Books for Teens

In addition to our own Guide for Teens, we have put together a list of other websites, online support and books you may find helpful.

It is often good to just realise that you are not the only person who has felt this way.

Your school may have counsellors or pastoral teams who can help you. Even if you think it won’t help to talk, it is worth trying – you might be surprised how much better you feel afterwards, knowing you don’t have to cope alone.

Websites to help with bereavement
Websites and online support if you're struggling with your mental health

Boy looking at phone

Kooth - online chat, Monday – Friday 12pm – 10 pm and Saturday – Sunday 6 pm to 10 pm. Kooth.com. Safe and anonymous online chat support for young people – friendly counsellors, self-help and community support.

MIND - www.mind.org.uk.  Information and support for a huge range of mental illness including eating disorders, self harm, anxiety, and depression.

Young Minds - www.youngminds.org.uk. From eating disorders, to abuse, anxiety, and depression – suggests support for a huge range of difficulties for young people and their parents/carers.

Samaritans – for everyone, (24/7). Call 116 123 www.samaritans.org/branches/barnstaple. Provides confidential, non-judgemental emotional support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those that could lead to suicide. You can phone, email, write a letter or in most cases talk to someone face to face.

Childline – www.childline.org.uk. For children and young people under 19 (24/7).  Call 0800 1111 – the number won't show up on your phone bill. ChildLine is a private and confidential service for children and young people up to the age of nineteen. You can contact a ChildLine counsellor for free about anything - no problem is too big or too small.

SHOUT – for everyone, (24/7). Text ‘SHOUT’ to 85258.
Shout is the UK’s first 24/7 text service, free on all major mobile networks, for anyone in crisis anytime, anywhere. It’s a place to go if you’re struggling to cope and you need immediate help. A Texter will be put in touch with a trained Crisis Volunteer (CV) who will chat to them using trained techniques via text. The service is designed to help individuals to think more clearly and to take their next steps to feeling better.

Papyrus – for people under 35. Call 0800 068 41 41 – Monday to Friday 10am to 10pm, weekends 2pm to 10pm, bank holidays 2pm to 5pm. Text 07786 209697. Email [email protected]
PAPYRUS is the national UK charity dedicated to the prevention of young suicide. You can contact them for help and guidance for yourself or for someone else in your care.

Books for Teens

Girl reading book

The Grieving Teen: A Guide for Teenagers and their Friends – by Helen Fitzgerald.  Published by Simon and Schuster New York ISBN: 978-0-684-86804-2.

Straight Talk about Death for Teenagers: How to Cope with Losing Someone You Love – by Early A Grollman. Published by Beacon Press Boston ISBN: 0-8070-2501-1.

Healing your Grieving Heart – for teens – by Alan D. Wolfelt.Published by Companion Press – ISBN: 978-1-879651-23-4.

Sad Book – by Michael Rosen. Published by Walker Books – ISBN: 978-1406317848.

Activity Books for Teens

Out of the Blue - by Julie Stoke and Paul Oxley. Published by Winston’s Wish.

The Tough Stuff Journal: Someone has died – by Pete English. Published by Listening People – ISBN 978-1-9998653-2-0.