Resources

• Lifeline provides confidential crisis support for any person who is contemplating suicide, experiencing emotional distress, or caring for someone in crisis. Lifeline’s phone line 13 11 14 is available 24 hours a day. You can also text 0477 13 11 14 or use the chat feature on their website to talk to a trained Crisis Supporter.
• Beyond Blue offers free telephone counselling on 1300 224 636, information on anxiety, depression and suicide, and detailed guides to help you understand the services offered by different mental health professions.  They also have an online forum where you can discuss your experiences with other people.
• Black Dog Institute is a medical research institute which investigates mental health. Their easy-to-navigate website provides resources on a range of topics including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicide. This site also has an easy-to-use mental health tool that screens for ten different mental health conditions and provides the user with a report with recommendations and resources for ways to access help.
• ReachOut is designed for young people, offering one-to-one peer support and moderated online communities, as well as tips, stories and resources. Their website has information on a wide range of topics including mental health, trauma and identity.

• Full Stop Australia is an accredited, not-for-profit organisation that provides counselling for people whose lives have been impacted by violence and abuse. Their helpline 1800 385 578 is staffed by trauma specialist counsellors and is open 24/7.
• 1800RESPECT is the national domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support service. They recognise that domestic and family violence includes but is not limited to physical and sexual violence, and can involve financial abuse, social abuse and spiritual abuse. Spiritual abuse can occur in situations where spiritual or religious beliefs are used to hurt, scare or control someone. Social abuse is behaviour which may include stopping you from seeing your friends and family, controlling who you are allowed to interact with, and monitoring your communication with others. You can call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, 24 hours a day for confidential phone counselling.

Leavers may not initially consider accessing grief, loss and trauma support in their journey as people can tend to think of these terms or resources as only being relevant to bodily death or physical disaster. However, there is an increasing body of research to show that disaffiliation and/or excommunication from a high-demand religious group can be experienced by the leaver as harmful or traumatic to their well-being, and it has been termed a kind of social ‘death’. Therefore we recommend you check out information and resources on these topics to see if aspects of them are relevant to any possible grief, loss or trauma in your own journey.

• Griefline provides resources, information, and telephone support for people experiencing grief, including grief caused by loneliness, isolation and the loss of relationship. Their number 1300 845 745 is available 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week.
• Blueknot supports survivors of complex trauma as well as parents, partners, family, friends and the professionals who work with survivors. Blueknot’s helpline 1300 657 380 operates from 9am-5pm, 7 days a week including public holidays. Their website offers information and resources, as well as webchat for people seeking information, education or support around referrals
• Mensline Australia has a free support line for men with qualified counsellors who specialise in family and relationship issues, including relationship breakdown, separation and divorce, parenting, family violence, suicide prevention and emotional well-being. They can be contacted 24/7 on 1300 789 978.

• QLife provides Australia-wide anonymous, LGBTIQ+ peer support and referral. QLife services are free and include both telephone and webchat support, delivered by trained LGBTIQ+ community members across the country.
• Headspace is the National Youth Mental Health Foundation. They offer resources and support for LGBTIQ+ young people between 12 and 25, including 1-on-1 phone and online chats with mental health professionals and weekly online community discussions.
• LGBTIQ+ Health Australia is the national peak health organisation in Australia for organisations and individuals that provide health-related programs, services and research focused on supporting LGBTIQ+ people and communities. Their website provides a list of services and supports operating in each state.

•  National Alcohol & Other Drug Helpline is available 24/7 on 1800 250 015. This number automatically directs to the Alcohol and Drug Information Service in your state or territory. These local alcohol and other drug telephone services offer support, information, counselling, and referral to services.
• Alcohol and Drug Foundation provides evidence-based information about a wide variety of drugs, their effects and potential harms. Their DrugInfo helpline 1300 858 584 is answered by trained advisors who can give you information and help you connect with services.
• Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous (SLAA) is open to anyone who believes they have a problem with sex addiction, porn addiction, love addiction, romantic obsession, co-dependent relationships, fantasy addiction as well as sexual, social and emotional anorexia. They have in-person, online and phone meetings that are open to anyone who wishes to deal with one of these addictions in a safe, confidential space.