Helping Hands
An abundance of resources awaits you.
This work can be a joy, but it can also be really hard. Sometimes we need a helping hand to grab until we feel steady on our feet again. Please ask for help if you need it. One day you may be the helping hand for someone else.
Please call emergency services (911) or a hotline if you are experiencing a crisis. People call hotlines for a myriad of issues. Trained volunteers are ready to help you.
On a personal note, I volunteered for a youth crisis line in college. The volunteers I learned from are committed to supporting callers. The people who answer the phones care about you.
Click tabs above for detailed information.
Crisis Assistance Information:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
The Lifeline is available 24/7, seven days a week. It is free and confidential. Their mission is to support people in distress, prevent death by suicide, and provide resources.
- Helpline: 800-273-8255
- Helpline en Español Line: 888-628-9454
- Site: suicidepreventionlifeline.org
- There’s also an online chat option: suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat
National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)
NEDA’s mission is to support individuals and their families who struggle with eating disorders. They provide free and confidential services, and their volunteers have extensive training. The helpline and online chat are available Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. EST, and Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST. You’ll receive an automated text asking you to share what your crisis is and then be connected to a volunteer trained to help someone dealing with your crisis.
- Helpline: 800-931-2237 (You can leave a message if you call after hours and your call will be returned.)
- Site: nationaleatingdisorders.org
- There’s also an online chat option: nationaleatingdisorders.org/helplinechat
- You can also text “NEDA” to 741741 in a crisis.
National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD)
ANAD’s mission is to alleviate suffering and provide support to those struggling with eating disorders. The helpline is available Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST.
- Helpline: 630-577-1330
- Site: anad.org
Trans Lifeline
Trans Lifeline is a peer-support hotline run by and for trans people. Trans Lifeline is dedicated to improving the quality of trans lives. The Lifeline is available daily from 10 a.m. to 4 a.m. EST.
- US Helpline: 877-565-8860
- Canadian Helpline: 877-330-6366
- Site: translifeline.org
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender National Hotline
The LGBT National Hotline provides telephone, online private one-to-one chat, and email peer support. They also maintain a resource database with over 15,000 listings with information on social and support groups and gay- and LGBT-friendly organizations and businesses. The hotline is available Monday to Friday, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. EST.
- Helpline: 888-843-4564
- Email: help@lgbthotline.org
- Site: lgbthotline.org/hotline.html
Therapy Options
Seeking help shows that you’re on the path to healing. A trained professional can help you unpack what’s hurting you and find a way to move forward. Don’t buy into the lie that therapy isn’t for you. It’s for everybody.
That said, access to private therapy can be difficult for some because of the cost. So what are your options?
If you have insurance, check to see if mental-health services are covered. If they are, ask for a list of therapists in your area. Don’t be afraid to try a different therapist if you don’t click with the first one you meet.
What if you don’t have insurance or the funds to cover therapy?
- Check with local religious organizations. Some provide mental-health counseling to members. Do keep in mind that the therapy will most likely be shared through that religious organization’s lens, so find another option if particular religious beliefs are not for you.
- Find a support group. A support group will connect you to individuals with shared experiences and may help you find other resources. Doing an internet search is a great place to start. Also, visit the websites or call the support lines of the organizations listed in this section. Many have resources and suggestions.
- Check with local religious organizations. Some provide mental-health counseling to members. Do keep in mind that the therapy will most likely be shared through that religious organization’s lens, so find another option if particular religious beliefs are not for you. Find a support group. A support group will connect you to individuals with shared experiences and may help you find other resources. Doing an internet search is a great place to start. Also, visit the websites or call the support lines of the organizations listed in this section. Many have resources and suggestions.
- Some therapists offer tiered services and may offer email support programs.
- If you’re a black woman or girl, investigate Rachel Cargle’s Loveland Foundation. She provides scholarships for black women and girls who want to attend therapy but don’t have the financial resources to do so.
- Call a national organization’s helpline to get information about resources. These are not crisis lines. You will not be provided counseling, but you can ask questions and get information about resources in your area.
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
- Phone: 800-950-6264
- Site: nami.org
- Hours: Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
- Phone: 800-662-4357
- Site: samhsa.gov
- Hours: 24/7, 365 days a year, available in English and Spanish
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
Books to Read
Fiction
- Children of Blood and Bone
- Dietland
- Eleanor & Park
- Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus
- One to Watch
- Puddin’
- Starfish
- Stargirl
- Wonder
Nonfiction
- Beautiful You: A Daily Guide to Radical Self-Acceptance
- The Body Is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love
- Body Positive Power: How Learning to Love Yourself Will Save Your Life
- Embrace Yourself
- Embracing Willendorf: A Witch’s Way of Loving Your Body to Health and Fitness
- Every Body Yoga: Let Go of Fear. Get on the Mat. Love Your Body.
- Face: One Square Foot of Skin
- The Gifts of Imperfection
- Health at Every Size: The Surprising Truth about Your Weight
- Hijas Americanas: Beauty, Body Image, and Growing Up Latina
- Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body
- I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness
- Me and White Supremacy
- More Than a Body: Your Body Is an Instrument, Not an Ornament
- Sitting Pretty
- The Vagina Monologues
- What We Don’t Talk about When We Talk about Fat
People to Follow
Body Positive Folks to Follow (on Instagram)
- Ansley Adams @ansleyadamsart
- Jes Baker @themilitantbaker
- Jade Beall @jadebeallphotography
- Ashley Bennett @bodyimage_therapist
- Taryn Brumfitt @bodyimagemovement
- Stephanie Chinn @stephaniechinnart
- Megan Jayne Crabbe @bodyposipanda
- Jameela Jamil, I_Weigh Movement @i_weigh
- Amber Karnes @amberkarnesofficial
- Harnaam Kaur @harnaamkaur
- Louise Green @louisegreen_bigfitgirl
- Turia Pitt @turiapitt
- Sarah Sapora, Size-Inclusive Wellness @sarahsapora
- Jessamyn Stanley @mynameisjessamyn
- Dana Suchow @danasuchow
- Sonya Renee Taylor @thebodyisnotanapology
- Laura Thomas, PhD @laurathomasphd
- Melissa Toler @melissadtoler
- The Body Positive @thebodypositive
- The Curvy Con @thecurvycon
- Fat Girls Hiking @fatgirlsghiking
Other People to Follow (on Instagram) for Messages of Empowerment and Encouragement
- Brené Brown @brenebrown
- Kelley Carboni-Woods @peacefilledmama
- Leonie Dawson @leonie_dawson
- Elizabeth Dialto @elizabethdialto and @untameyourbody
- Allyson Dinnean @notesfromyourtherapist
- Alexandra Elle @alex_elle
- Tanya Markul @thugunicorn
- Emily McDowell Studio @emilymcdowell
- Morgan Harper Nichols @morganharpernichols
- Lisa Olivera @lisaoliveratherapy