mental health during & after a natural disaster
After the Floods
Bushfires
Resources for young people
The stress from natural disasters can be tough. It’s important to take time to check in and do things to look after yourself. If you’re looking after yourself then you’ll be in a better place to be able to support your family and community as well. Learn more about how to better cope with stress from natural disasters.
Articles
- How to cope with the stress of natural disasters
- How to help a friend who has been impacted by a natural disaster
- Maintaining a healthy headspace during bushfire season
Group chat transcripts
- Coping with stress from drought
- Touched by a flooding disaster... the emotional damage
- Coping with bushfires
- The world around us: Media and mental health
Chat to a mental health professional
- Connect with eheadspace to speak 1-on-1 with a mental health professional for free on webchat, phone or email. Open 9am – 1am AEST 7 days a week.
Resources for family supporting young people
Natural disasters may cause some young people to feel stressed, anxious or concerned. Checking in with your young person is an important way family can help young people feel safe during these times. Listen to your young person’s concerns and where you can, help them to feel prepared and calm.
Articles
- Supporting a young person after a natural disaster
- Maintaining a healthy headspace during bushfire season - supporting your young person
- Supporting a young person after exposure to a traumatic event
Group chat transcripts
Chat to a mental health professional
- Connect with eheadspace to talk about what's going on with your young person. Talk online or over the phone to a trained clinician for 1-on-1 support. Open 9am – 1am AEST 7 days a week. It’s a confidential, free and a safe space.
Resources for educators and community organisations
Following a natural disaster, or in the lead up to bushfire season, you might notice changes in the young people in your community. If you're worried about them, speak to someone - like headspace.
Articles and fact sheets
- Community resources
- Fact sheet: Supporting student voice in disaster recovery
- Responding to natural disasters resources by Be You. Be You is the national mental health and wellbeing initiative for learning communities; delivered by Beyond Blue, in collaboration with Early Childhood Australia and headspace.
- Fact sheet: Mental health support for Australian students, teachers, and schools following large scale incidents
Programs and workshops
- What's next: Life after a natural disaster workshop for schools
- Be You programs. Be You is the national mental health and wellbeing initiative for learning communities; delivered by Beyond Blue, in collaboration with Early Childhood Australia and headspace