Trauma
Explains what trauma is and how it affects your mental health. Includes tips for helping yourself, what treatments are available and how to overcome barriers to getting support. Also has tips for supporting someone else who has gone through trauma.
Useful contacts
Contacts if you're currently unsafe
If you are in immediate danger you can contact the police on 999. If it is not safe to talk, you can make a silent 999 call. If you have a mobile, call 999 and then dial 55. This page has more information on silent 999 calls.
Ask for Ani
enough.campaign.gov.uk/get-support/ask-for-ani
Ask for ANI (Action Needed Immediately) is a codework scheme. You can use it at pharmacies and jobcentres to let people know you're experiencing abuse. You can use the Ask for ANI postcode checker to find the nearest participating pharmacy or jobcentre.
National Domestic Abuse Helpline
0808 2000 247
nationaldahelpline.org.uk
Free 24-hour helpline for women who have experienced domestic abuse and violence, with all female advisors. Also offers a live chat and can help to find refuge accommodation. Run by the domestic violence charity Refuge.
Other organisations
ASSIST Trauma Care
assisttraumacare.org.uk
Information and specialist help for people who've experienced trauma or are supporting someone who has.
BAATN (The Black, African and Asian Therapy Network)
baatn.org.uk
Provides a list of therapists from Black, African and Asian backgrounds, and signposts to local mental health and advocacy services.
Bayo
bayo.uk
Bayo is a space to find collectives, organisations and services from across the UK that offer mental health and wellbeing support to the Black community.
Birth Trauma Association
birthtraumaassociation.org.uk
Support for anyone affected by birth trauma, including partners.
British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
bacp.co.uk
Professional body for talking therapy and counselling. Provides information and a list of accredited therapists.
British Medical Association (BMA)
bma.org.uk
Provides a wellbeing support directory for doctors and medical students.
Climate Psychology Alliance
climatepsychologyalliance.org
Information on climate change and mental health including how to get support for difficult feelings surrounding the climate crisis.
Combat Stress
0800 1381 619
combatstress.org.uk
Treatment and support for armed forces veterans who have mental health problems.
Disaster Action
disasteraction.org.uk
Information and support for people affected by major disasters in the UK and overseas.
FRANK
0300 123 6600
talktofrank.com
Confidential advice and information about drugs, their effects and the law.
Freedom Programme
01942 262 270
freedomprogramme.co.uk
Free support programme for people affected by domestic violence.
Galop
0207 704 2040 (LGBT+ hate crime helpline)
0800 999 5428 (LGBT+ domestic abuse helpline)
0800 130 3335 (Conversion therapy helpline)
[email protected]
galop.org.uk
Provides helplines and other support for LGBT+ adults and young people who have experienced hate crime, sexual violence or domestic abuse.
Hub of Hope
hubofhope.co.uk
UK-wide mental health service database. Lets you search for local, national, peer, community, charity, private and NHS mental health support. You can filter results to find specific kinds of support.
Jami
020 8458 2223
jamiuk.org
Provides mental health support for the Jewish community through online services, community hubs, recovery support plans and education.
Karma Nirvana
0800 5999 247
karmanirvana.org.uk
Supports victims of forced marriage and honour-based abuse. Also offers a face-to-face advocacy service for people in West Yorkshire.
Migrant Help
migranthelpuk.org
Information and support to people affected by displacement and exploitation.
Mind Recovery Net
mindrecoverynet.org.uk
Publishes information on recovery colleges, including a searchable list of providers.
MindLine Trans+
0300 330 5468
mindinsomerset.org.uk/our-services/adult-one-to-one-support/mindline-trans/
Free, confidential listening service for people identifying as trans or non-binary, and their friends and families.
Muslim Community Helpline
020 8908 6715 or 020 8904 8193
muslimcommunityhelpline.org.uk
Provides listening and emotional support for members of the Muslim community.
The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC)
0808 801 0331
[email protected]
napac.org.uk
Supports adult survivors of any form of childhood abuse. Offers a helpline, email support and local services.
National Survivor User Network (NSUN)
nsun.org.uk
Independent, service-user-led charity for people with experience of mental health issues. Provides information, networking opportunities and peer support.
NHS Services Finder
nhs.uk/service-search (England)
111.wales.nhs.uk/localservices (Wales)
Searchable database of NHS services.
Nurse Lifeline
0808 801 0455
nurselifeline.org.uk
Listening service for nurses, midwives, healthcare support workers, nursing student and their families.
One in Four
0800 121 7114
oneinfour.org.uk
Offers advocacy services, counselling, and resources for adults who have experienced trauma, domestic or sexual abuse in childhood.
Protect
020 3117 2520
protect-advice.org.uk
Advice and support for people concerned about wrongdoing in the workplace.
Rape Crisis England & Wales
0808 802 9999
rapecrisis.org.uk
Support for women and girls affected by rape, sexual abuse or any form of sexual violence. Provides details of local centres.
Rethink Mental Illness
0808 801 0525
rethink.org
Provides support and information for anyone affected by mental health problems, including local support groups.
Safe Spaces
0300 303 1056
safespacesenglandandwales.org.uk
Free and independent support service for anyone who has been abused by someone in the Church or as a result of their relationship with the Church of England, the Catholic Church of England and Wales or the Church in Wales.
Samaritans
116 123 (freephone)
[email protected]
Freepost SAMARITANS LETTERS
samaritans.org
Samaritans are open 24/7 for anyone who needs to talk. You can visit some Samaritans branches in person. Samaritans also have a Welsh Language Line on 0808 164 0123 (7pm–11pm every day).
The Survivors Trust
0808 8010 818
thesurvivorstrust.org
Lists local specialist services for survivors of sexual violence, including advocates and Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs).
Together UK
together-uk.org
Supports people with mental health problems, including through peer support.
UK Psychological Trauma Society
ukpts.co.uk
Forum for professionals to share ideas and knowledge about trauma, including a list of dedicated NHS and private trauma services in the UK.
Victim Support
0808 168 9111
victimsupport.org.uk
Provides emotional and practical support for people affected by crime and traumatic events.
This information was published in December 2023. We will revise it in 2026.
References and bibliography available on request.
If you want to reproduce this content, see our permissions and licensing page.
