Now more than ever, our mental health is important as we learn to navigate these stressful times. Below you will find resources for managing stress, mindfulness, online support and more.
Be Strong Families, an organization to help families grow stronger from the inside out, is offering daily webinars (both in English and Spanish) to support families during the COVID-19 outbreak.*
Many schools and universities offer the premium version of Calm to their students, faculty and staff. The app offers meditation instruction, sleep assistance, videos on mindful movement and stretching, and relaxing music. For individuals who do not have a school account, Calm is providing free resources.*
Care for your Coronavirus Anxiety
Shine, an app and community that will help you struggle less with anxiety, has vetted and compiled a wealth of research-backed and helpful tools —articles, meditations, access to mental health experts, anxiety screenings, and more.
Child Mind Institute: Talking to Kids About the Coronavirus
Many parents are wondering how to bring up coronavirus epidemic in a way that will be reassuring and not make kids more worried than they already may be. The Child Mind Institute offers advice for families.
The CDC offers information on managing your anxiety and stress during the COVID-19 outbreak, including specific resources for parents, responders and people who have been released from quarantine. On their website, the CDC also has guidance about talking with children about COVID-19.
Child Trends: Resources for Supporting Children’s Emotional Well-being during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Child Trends provides guidance, recommendations, and resources from child trauma experts on supporting your children’s emotional well-being during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Covibook: Supporting and Reassuring Children Around the World
Author, Manuela Molina, this short book to support and reassure our children, under the age of 7, regarding the COVID-19. This book is an invitation for families to discuss the full range of emotions arising from the current situation.
Handling Trauma and Sensitive Issues with Young Children and Youth
Pro Solutions Training, a Division of Care Solutions, Inc., is offering their course, “Tender Topics: Handling Trauma and Sensitive Issues with Young Children and Youth” free for 30 days.*
To help support you through this time of crisis, Headspace is offering meditations you can listen to anytime. “Weathering the Storm” includes meditations, sleep, and movement exercises. In addition, Headspace is offering free access to Headspace Plus for all US healthcare professionals working in public health settings.*
The Health Literacy Project, along with the Harvard Health Publishing, developed a list of fact sheets in over 35 languages and for different age groups to help understand the COVID-19 outbreak.*
HealthySteps: Caring for Yourself and Young Children
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a high stress situation for everyone, especially parents. HealtySteps offers a few tips for this difficult time.
HeartMath is giving away 100,000 free access to their new online course, HeartSmarts® Adventure. The course guides children aged 4 to 6 through a self-paced, fun and engaging social and emotional online learning program. Children learn about connecting to their hearts, navigating emotions, relating to others and resilience-building techniques.
Mindful.org offers tips on how mindfulness and meditation can help soften feelings of anxiousness, reduce stress, and calm a panic attack in their new mindful guide to meditation for anxiety.
This popular meditation app is offering free pandemic specific meditations.*
Kid-Grit Pandemic Crisis Guide
The Kid-Grit guide offers social-emotional learning directly corresponding to the COVID-19 crisis, including activities on mindfulness, body awareness, community and connection, and digital and social media awareness.*
Love in the Time of Coronavirus Blog
Dr. Bob Sege started a blog series to promote love during the COVID-19 outbreak with practical tips for parents, based on the Health Outcomes of Positive Experiences (HOPE) initiative.
Making the Most of COVID-19 School Closures
Neuropsychology & Education Services for Children & Adolescents (NESCA) shares how we can create positive and productive environments in our own homes with our children while so many schools are closed.
Just as individuals with pre-existing physical illness are more likely to get physically ill from the coronavirus, people whose mental health is compromised are at greater risk of experiencing worsening mental illness as a result of the coronavirus. Mental Health America compiled information for individuals with mental illness during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Join The Mighty’s staff and community for a series of events designed to put the SOCIAL in social distancing. The Mighty is hosting writing workshops, fun events for kids, interactive Facebook Lives, and more!
Mindful Schools is offering free mindfulness classes for kids. Join online for mindful activities, mindful movement, and read-alouds while having fun exploring mindfulness together.*
NASA Astronaut Shares Tips on Isolation
Retired astronaut, Scott Kelly, spent nearly a year on the International Space Station. Mr. Kelly shares his tips on isolation.
National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI)
NAMI offers tips on managing your mental health during the COVID-19 outbreak. Contact your local NAMI chapter to determine if online support groups are currently being offered.
National Association of School Psychologists
The National Association of School Psychologists offers tips to help children cope with changes resulting from the COVID-19 outbreak.
National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI)
NCPMI assists states and programs in their implementation of sustainable systems for the implementation of the Pyramid Model for supporting social emotional competence in infants and young children. NCPMI offers resources to support families in helping young children cope with the challenges that might occur during the COVID-19 outbreak.
National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN)
NCTSN offers guidance to parents and caregivers on how to be prepared to reduce stress and help calm likely anxieties. This resource will help you think about how an infectious disease outbreak might affect your family—both physically and emotionally—and what you can do to help your family cope.
On Our Sleeves: The Movement to Transform Children’s Mental Health
On Our Sleeves offers a resource guide for Coronavirus to help you manage our new normal. The team has put together guides, like how to talk to your kids about the virus and ways to manage indoor boredom.
Quaranteenagers: Strategies for Parenting in Close Quarters
Because of coronavirus, teenagers are missing out on major rites of passage. The New York Times shares tips for offering compassion which paves their way toward feeling better.
Relaxation Activities to Do at Home with Kids
School closings, sick friends and family members, isolation at home – these and other factors can cause anxiety and stress for children during this coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Save the Children shares drama-based relaxation exercises that are part of our global Healing and Education through the Arts (HEART) program for children living in stressful situations.
Formerly Pacifica, the Sanvello app offers help for stress, anxiety and depression. Premium access to Sanvello is now free for everyone.*
SEL Resources for Parents, Educators & School Communities Related to COVID-19
Inside SEL (Social & Emotional Learning) has compiled a list of resources, blog posts and guides to help cope during this volatile and difficult time.*
Seven Guidelines for Parents Who are Co-Parenting During the COVID19 Pandemic
Leaders from the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) and AFCC have released guidelines for parents who are divorce/separated and sharing custody of children during the COVID19 Pandemic.
Stop, Breathe & Think (SBT) for Educators
Educators have access to over 100 premium activities ranging from guided mindfulness audio tracks, to videos on yoga and acupressure, and animated mindful games. Educators will also find downloadable SBT Toolkits for Elementary School, Middle School and High School classrooms.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
The SAMHSA website, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, offers numerous resources regarding coping with COVID-19, including tips for social distancing, quarantine, and isolation and coping with stress during infectious disease outbreaks.
Talking to Children About COVID-19 (Coronavirus): A Parent Resource
The National Association of School Psychologists offers guidelines and resources about talking to your children about the coronavirus.
Talking to Teens and Tweens About Coronavirus
In this New York Times article, experts offer advice on how parents can help adolescents get the facts straight and be prepared during the COVID-19 outbreak.
WHO: Mental Health and Psychosocial Considerations During COVID-19 Outbreak
The World Health Organization (WHO) developed tips targeting different groups, including older adults, care providers for children and those in isolation, to support the mental and psychosocial well-being during COVID-19 outbreak.
Yale University: The Science of Well-Being
Yale University is offering “The Science of Well-Being” course online for free for to Non-Yale students. The popular course teaches you how to be happier, while boosting your mood and overall well-being.
Yoga and Mindfulness Tools for Managing Trauma
To manage chronic stress and emotions, ASCD (formerly the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) offers yoga and mindfulness tools offer evidence-based strategies that students can use to regulate their emotions and stay in a learning-ready state.
Zero to Three: Answering Your Young Child’s Questions About Coronavirus
The website, Zero to Three, offers age-appropriate responses to the common questions a toddler might have about coronavirus.
The mission of the IDEALS Institute is to improve lives by ensuring that all people have access to transformative child and adult care, education, health, and social service systems and practices.
*denotes resources that are specific to the outbreak and may not be available when the crisis is over.