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If you have reached this page, you may be experiencing a mental health crisis.

If your life is in danger, call 000 immediately.

Call 0434 415 575 to book an appointment with your therapist.

If your therapist is not immediately available, consider calling one of the helplines below:

If you need help to calm yourself, slowly breathe in and out, being guided by the graphic below.

Relaxation gif

You can also complete the exercises below to help you ground yourself:

Submerge your hands in water

Notice the temperature. Notice the sensations. Change the temperature. Notice how your hands respond.

Hold an ice cube

Notice your handโ€™s immediate reaction. Notice the weight. Notice it slide and slip as you move it around your hand. Observe the way it melts.

Savour a food

Place a small piece of food on your tongue. Notice how your tongue responds. Roll it around in your mouth. Notice the taste. Slowly begin chewing. Notice the texture. Notice the way your throat swallows.

Smell spice scents

Inhale the fragrance of a spice jar from your pantry. Assign a specific describing word to the scent. Inhale the fragrance of another spice. Notice how it is different. Try to find a word to differentiate the scents. Repeat for other spices.

Listen for six different sounds

Let the sounds of your surroundings wash over you. Notice sounds inside. Notice sounds outside. Identify which ones are natural. Identify which ones are human-made. Identify in which direction the noises are coming from. Notice the loud noises. Listen carefully for the quiet noises.

Get moving

Complete 5-10 of the following exercises:

  • Touch your toes
  • Star jumps
  • Lunges
  • Twist your upper body side to side

Notice what happens to your breathing. Notice how your feet touch the floor. Notice the noises your body makes. Notice the heat in your face and muscles.