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mental health during & after a natural disaster
Support for young people
The stress from natural disasters is tough. It’s important to take time to check in and do things to look after yourself, which can also put you in a better place to support your family and community as well. Learn strategies to cope with stress from natural disasters.
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.
Articles and videos
- 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
- After the floods
- Coping with the stress of bushfires
- Understanding anxiety about climate change
Group chat transcripts
Support for families
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 supported during these times. Listen to your young person’s concerns and where you can, help them to feel prepared and calm. It’s crucial that you look after yourself during this time too and model self-care behaviour for your young person.
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.
Articles and videos
- 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
- Supporting your young person experiencing anxiety about climate change
- After the floods
- Coping with the stress of bushfires
Group chat transcripts
Support for educators and community organisations
Communities can be rocked by disasters or critical events, which can have long-lasting effects on the mental health and wellbeing of young people and those around them. headspace can provide timely capability and support to communities so you can respond and recover from crisis situations.
What we do:
- Provide organisations with tailored advice and consultation
- Provide direct response and recovery natural disaster support
- Connect individuals and organisations with local and national natural disaster services and support
Programs for communitiesNSW Response and Recovery Program: Guides communities through short-, medium-, and longer-term recovery initiatives and practices in the aftermath of natural disasters, suicide risk, and other large-scale impacts. This work is in alignment with national and internal recovery frameworks, focusing on community engagement, capacity building, and connection. If your community requires support, reach out at nswresponseandrecovery@headspace.org.au
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Programs and workshops for schoolsBe You - the mental health in education initiative delivered by Beyond Blue in collaboration with Early Childhood Australia and headspace. Be You provides Australian educators with knowledge, tools, and resources to create positive, inclusive, and responsive learning communities.
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Further information
If you are working in local organisations/councils/schools and are looking for support on how to manage your response, email: schools&communities@headspace.org.au
Articles and fact sheets
- Community resources
- 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.