Contact us

When you phone 111 and choose the mental health option, you’ll be connected to a team of psychological wellbeing practitioners (PWPs). These are specially trained advisors who work in mental health. 

PWPs can offer advice on coping with mental health symptoms. They can also recommend and connect you with other services if needed. PWPs can access a range of both NHS and charity organisations to find the right support for you. People phone 111 for a lot of different reasons. 

The most common reasons include:

• thinking about suicide
• anxiety
• low mood and depression
• psychosis
• self-harm

You’ll speak to a PWP, and there are also mental health nurses available. If an immediate clinical response is needed, you might be referred to A&E or the emergency services. If you use a textphone you can contact NHS 24 on 18001 111 or you can use the Relay UK app.

A DBI connects people with local services to help them get through periods of distress or emotional pain. DBI’s offer short-term support, lasting up to 14 days. DBI is not something that people can refer themselves to. The 111 team can refer people over 16 to the DBI service.

The Edinburgh Crisis Centre is a service for people aged 16 and over who are using or have used mental health services and are resident in the City of Edinburgh when they are facing a crisis.

The Crisis Centre is open 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year and provides community based, emotional and practical support at times of crisis to those who need it.

Free phone: 0808 801 0414
Text phone: 0797 442 9075
Website: edinburghcrisiscentre.org.uk

Social Care Direct is the first point of contact for a range of social services for children, families, older people, people with disabilities, learning difficulties and poor mental health. They have several specialist teams and they also provide hospital based services.

Out of hours emergency phone: 0800 731 6969

The Royal Edinburgh Hospital is a psychiatric hospital providing acute psychiatric and mental health services, including specialist services in child and adolescent mental health and treatment for learning disabilities.

Free phone: 0131 537 6000, ask for the emergency team

Breathing Space is a confidential listening service for people over 16 experiencing low mood, depression or anxiety. You don’t have to give your name or any personal details unless you want to. 

When you phone Breathing Space, your call will be answered by one of the specialist advisors. They come from a range of mental health, counselling, and social work backgrounds. Breathing Space advisors understand that you might feel nervous about picking up the phone, and unsure about what to expect. You can talk at your own pace about what’s on your mind, or ask about helpful resources in your area. 

Phone Breathing Space on 0800 83 85 87, calls are free from landlines and mobiles. 

The Breathing Space phoneline is available:

• 24 hours at weekends (6pm Friday to 6am Monday)
• 6pm to 2am on weekdays (Monday to Thursday)

Webchat services are available at breathingspace.scot 

Samaritans provides confidential non-judgmental emotional support for anyone who is struggling to cope – you don’t have to be suicidal. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Call: 116 123
Text: 07725 90 90 90
Website: www.samaritans.org

Childline provide support for young people under 19 struggling with mental health issues, or any other problem.

You can phone 0800 1111 to speak to an advisor 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Calls are free from landlines and mobiles and calls can be made even if you have no credit on your mobile. Calls to Childline will not appear on your phone bill.

There’s also a one-to-one webchat service available on their website.

COSCA is Scotland’s professional body for counselling and psychotherapy seeking to advance and support all forms of counselling. They also provide services for people looking for counselling in Scotland.

Website: www.cosca.org.uk

Run by the Church of Scotland’s Social Cafe Council, CrossReach is one of the largest care providers in Scotland. They provide social care services, including counselling for adults, children and families, and specialist resources to support people facing challenging circumstances such as substance use and homelessness.

Website: www.crossreach.org.uk

Cruse Scotland provides compassionate bereavement support in Scotland. They help people to process their bereavement and learn to live with loss.

Website: www.crusescotland.org.uk
Free helpline: 0808 802 6161
Opening hours: 9am – 8pm Monday to Friday, 10am – 2pm weekends

Edinburgh Women’s Aid offers confidential support and advice for women experiencing abuse. They provide information on how you and your children can stay safe and can help you find temporary accommodation if you are unable to stay in your home.

Website: edinwomensaid.co.uk
Phone number: 0131 315 8110
24-hour national helpline: 0800 027 1234

Health All Round is a registered charity and voluntary sector agency supporting people living in Gorgie, Dalry, Saughton, Stenhouse and surrounding areas of Edinburgh to live longer, healthier lives. They use a community development approach to provide services focusing on physical, social and emotional wellbeing.

Website: www.healthallround.org.uk

Health in Mind is a Scottish mental health charity. They build hope, resilience and understanding of mental health and wellbeing in Scotland and provide various pathways of support including counselling, trauma support, individual support and group support.

Website: www.health-in-mind.org.uk

Hope Park Counselling Centre is a practice and research centre for counsellors in training at the University of Edinburgh. The centre offers person centred and psychodynamic counselling to people over the age of 16 living in the Edinburgh area.

Website: www.hopepark.org.uk
Phone number: 0131 650 6696

Lothian Deaf Counselling Service is a free, confidential counselling service provided by Health in Mind in association with NHS Lothian. The service is for people over the age of 18 who are Deaf, deafened, hard of hearing or deafblind in Lothian.

The service offers counselling in British Sign Language (without an interpreter) and English. A personal loop system and communication in written English are available for people who are deafened or hard of hearing. They also offer telephone and video counselling.

Website: health-in-mind.org.uk/news/lothian-deaf-counselling-service/
Phone number: 0131 225 8508

PF Counselling Service provides counselling and psychotherapy for people over the age of 18. Their volunteer counsellors offer a professional service to individuals regardless of ability to pay, with their clients contributing what they can afford.

Website: www.pfcounselling.org.uk
Phone number: 0131 447 0876

Pilton Community Health Project works with people in North Edinburgh to take steps towards better health. They empower people to take control of their own health and wellbeing.

Website: www.pchp.org.uk
Phone number: 0131 551 1671

Rape Crisis Scotland is Scotland’s leading organisation working to improve responses and end sexual violence in all its forms. They help survivors to access specialist support.

Website: www.rapecrisisscotland.org.uk
Helpline: 08088 010 302

Relationships Scotland provides relationship counselling, family mediation and child contact centre services in Scotland.

Website: www.relationships-scotland.org.uk
Phone number: 0345 119 2020

Saheliya is a specialist mental health and wellbeing support organisation for black, minority ethnic, asylum seeker, refugee and migrant women and girls over the age of 12 in the Edinburgh and Glasgow areas. They offer services in counselling, complementary therapies, groupwork, and practical and emotional support.

Website: www.saheliya.co.uk
Phone number (Edinburgh): 0131 556 9302
Phone number (Glasgow): 0141 552 6540

Simpson House Counselling & Recovery Service is a confidential recovery and counselling service for adults affected by drug use. They offer services in counselling and recovery, one-to-one counselling and group support.

Website: www.crossreach.org.uk/our-locations/simpson-house-counselling-recovery-service
Phone number: 0131 225 6028

A friendly user-led support group open to adults affected by depression, low mood, stress or anxiety. The group offers the opportunity for confidential local support, contact with others in similar situations and the opportunity to explore positive ways of coping with depression, stress and anxiety.

The group meets fortnightly on Tuesdays, from 7.00 pm to 8.45 pm, at the Methodist Church, 25 Nicholson Square, Edinburgh EH8 9BX.

For more information email edinburghselfhelp@health-in-mind.org.uk

The Junction works with young people aged 12-21 living in Leith and North East Edinburgh. They support young people with creative sessions to express themselves and create wellbeing routines.

Website: www.the-junction.org

VOCAL works with unpaid carers to identify the issues affecting them.. They offer services in counselling and create plans of support to help achieve the best possible outcome for carers.

Website: www.vocal.org.uk

Phone number (Edinburgh): 0131 622 6666

Phone number (Midlothian): 0131 663 6869