Remember if someone’s life is in immediate danger, you should call the emergency number 000 (in Australia – if you are elsewhere, please dial the appropriate number).

There are many Australian support services, helplines and websites for adolescents who feel they need to connect with someone to help them feel safe, accepted, and heard. Many offer email or web counselling and live chat if you prefer not to call. Also don’t forget your regular GP can be a helpful starting point if you want to talk to someone and would like to set up some ongoing counselling.

Kids Helpline
Call anytime for any reason or visit their website for more instant help. 1800 55 1800
kidshelpline.com.au

Suicide Callback Service
24/7 telephone and online counselling to people who are affected by suicide.
1300 65 94 67
suicidecallbackservice.org.au

Lifeline
24/7 phone crisis support for suicide prevention. 13 11 14
lifeline.org.au

ReachOut
Australia’s leading online mental health organisation for young people and their parents.
au.reachout.com

Headspace
Helping you understand and work through life’s challenges. Also, they have a great function on their home page for parents or adolescents to quickly find tailored information, online support, work and study support or a local head- space centre.
headspace.org.au

Youth Beyond Blue
Helping young people respond to anxiety and depression.
youthbeyondblue.com

13YARN
For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are going through a tough time and feel like having a yarn.
13 92 76
13yarn.org.au

1800 RESPECT
A service if you or someone you know is experiencing sexual assault or domestic and family violence (all ages).
1800 737 732
Online text chat – 1800respect.org.au

Some respected and much-loved teen experts

Mentoring organisations and Rites of Passage programs

Here’s a longer list on my website recommended by my community.

Apps

There’s a good list of apps for teens at: au.reachout.com/tools-and-apps

And also here at https://kidshelpline.com.au/tools/apps

Resources for the chapter on ‘When is a moody or grumpy teen a depressed teen’

You can visit your family doctor or GP to get a referral to see a psychologist wherever you live. In Australia, when your teen sees a GP, they may be able to access a Mental Health Care Plan, which is funded by Medicare to allow your teen to access up to 10 sessions with a psychologist, accredited OT, or social worker. Each state also has a dedicated child and adolescent crisis line, which teenagers can access, usually called the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). This can provide valuable local support.

Also, there are comprehensive lists of helplines and support services through- out Australia at emhprac.org.au/resource/digital-mental-health-for-young-people/ and at au.reachout.com/tools-and-apps. Here are some key ones that may help:

 

Podcasts, apps & other resources

Dr Andrew Leech from The Garden Medical in WA (who wrote this guest blog for Maggie’s site about the top issues his teen patients face) created this ‘coping card’ for his patients:

Books

First, remember that your teen may need the support of a doctor/general practitioner to come off vaping if they are addicted to nicotine.

Websites

Wherever you are in the world, the following websites have information, fact sheets for parents and teachers and tips for talking with teens about vaping and supporting them to stop.

 

Podcasts

 

For more resources on quitting nicotine

  • Hooked on Nicotine Checklist –from health.nsw.gov.au
  • The US Government’s site smokefree.gov and they have two apps: QuitGuide and quitSTART
  • iCanQuit – The Australian Government’s Quitline site and hotline 137 848
  • Many country’s health departments have equivalents to Quitline so search ‘quit smoking’ to find the site most relevant to you.
  • Read The Conversation article, ‘My teen is addicted to vaping. How can I help them quit and manage their withdrawal symptoms?’
  • My Quit Buddy app
  • Smoke Free Teen has some great strategies for quiting
  • UK – FRANK – Text 82111, phone 0300 1236600 or find a support centre or email via talktofrank.com
  • Some good resources at lung.org/quit-smoking on ‘helping teens quit’
  • They also have an online Not On Tobacco® (N-O-T) program for teens aged 14–19 to help break their dependence on nicotine, whether that come from vaping, smoking, or using other tobacco products: notforme.org

Websites

(Search ‘sex’ on the sites below that are not specifically dedicated to puberty and sex education.)

Books

  • Chanel Contos, Consent Laid Bare
  • The Sex in Space Project has a book, How to Talk With Your Kids About Porn
  • Vanessa Hamilton, Talking Sex: A Conversation Guide for Parents
  • Dannielle Miller and Nina Funnell, Lovability: An Empowered Girls Guide to Dating and Relationships
  • Michele Mitchell, A Girl’s Guide to Puberty
  • Peggy Orenstein, Girls and Sex: Navigating the Complicated New Landscape and Boys and Sex: Young Men on Hook-ups, Love, Porn, Consent and Navigating the New Masculinity
  • Collett Smart, They’ll Be Okay: 15 Conversations to Help Your Child Through Troubled Times
  • Andrew Smiler, Dating and Sex: A Guide for 21st Century Boys
  • Yumi Stynes and Dr Melissa Kang, Welcome to Consent and Welcome to Sex (Some of the stuff in this book may be confronting. I suggest you check it out yourself before passing it onto your teen).
  • Rachel Coler Mulholland (aka Shug CM on TikTok where she has almost 1million followers) The Birds, The Bees & the Elephant in the Room.

Podcasts, videos and other resources

Helplines/web support

Podcasts

Books

What to do when you find a bong, some weed or a small plastic bag with random pills in it

More resources

In Australia, we have National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline – 1800 250 015. The hotline will automatically divert you to the Alcohol and Drug Information Service in your state or territory. These services offer support, information, counselling and referral to other services

Also, it’s a good idea to get your teen to download and learn how to use the Emergency+ app, which uses GPS to help a Triple Zero (000) caller provide critical location details to emergency services

Websites

Podcasts & Videos

Paul Dillon has two podcast series. I also highly recommend that you listen with your teen to get up-to-date balanced information at any time. You can find them at darta.net.au//podcasts.

Books

  • Paul Dillon, Teenagers, Drugs and Alcohol
  • Robyn Fausett and Molly Fausett, The Kids Will Be All Right: A guide to raising teens in a complex world
  • Dr Jo Prendergast When Life Sucks: Parenting your teen through tough times

 

What to do when your teen comes home seriously drunk

National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline
If you are ever worried while your child is drunk or after, you can get free and confidential advice about alcohol and other drugs from the National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline – 1800 250 015. The hotline will automatically divert you to the Alcohol and Drug Information Service in your state or territory. These services offer support, information, counselling and referral to other services.

Again, if you know your teen’s now drinking, it’s a good idea to get them (and you) to download and learn how to use the Emergency+ app, which uses GPS to help a Triple Zero (000) caller provide critical location details to emergency services.

Websites

Books

  • Paul Dillon, Teenagers, Drugs and Alcohol
  • Robyn Fausett and Molly Fausett, The Kids Will Be All Right: A guide to raising teens in a complex world
  • Dr Jo Prendergast When Life Sucks: Parenting your teen through tough times

Podcasts and videos

What to do when your teen is experiencing significant bullying, including cyberbullying

Websites

Counselling and helplines

The eSafety website has a comprehensive list of support sites here:
esafety.gov.au/ about-us/counselling-support-services

But here are a few key ones:

  • Kids Helpline: kidshelpline.com.au or call 1800 55 1800 (5–25 years)
  • ReachOut: au.reachout.com (under 25s)
  • SANE Australia: sane.org or call 1800 187 263 (18+ years)
  • eHeadspace 1800 650 890 (available 9am to 1am, every day, for young people between 12 and 25) headspace.org.au
  • Lifeline 13 11 14 (available 24/7, for all ages)
  • qlife.org.au 1800 184 527 (available 3pm to midnight, every day, for all ages)
  • 1800RESPECT 1800 737 732 (available 24/7, for all ages)
  • MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78 (available 24/7, for men of all ages)
  • The eSafety Commissioner is the place to go if you’re a victim of image based abuse.
  • VPN Mento has published some useful resources here for LGBTQIA+ people experiencing cyberbullying.

Podcasts

Books

  • Claire Eaton, ROC and Rise: The teenager’s guide to building resilience, optimism and confidence needed to level up at school, in relationships and life
  • Robyn Fausett and Molly Fausett, The Kids Will Be All Right: A guide to raising teens in a complex world
  • Dr Ginni Mansberg and Jo Lamble, The New Teen Age: How to support today’s tweens and teens to become healthy, happy adults
  • Sharon Witt, Wise Guys and Girl Wise (guides to school).

What to do when your teen’s phone use becomes problematic

Some resources for more help

  • I recommend Brad Marshall’s book, How to Say No to Your Phone as a comprehensive guide. He’s also worth following @unpluggedpsychologist on socials.
  • Similarly, Dr Kristy Goodwin’s book and online resources around her book, Dear Digital, We need to talk are great and she’s worth following on socials too!
  • If you’ve got a 9-15year old and you’re thinking about getting them a phone, this article from raisingchildren.net.au has some helpful considerations.
  • As well as his book, The Anxious Generation, Jon Haidt has a very informative Substack called ‘After Babel‘. AND excellent resources at his FreeTheAnxiousGeneration website.
  • Safe On Social are great to follow on LinkedIn too (and check out their blogs) — In June 2025, we formed ctrlshft.global, a coalition formed by SOS founder Kirra Pendergast and also including me, Brad Marshall and child safety and victims advocate Madeleine West.
  • Claire Orange from DiGii Social also has some great reads on their site including a blog on tips to cut back your tween’s screen time.
  • Yas London regularly offers useful tips for parents helping their kids/teens navigate digital life on her Instagram page.
  • Worldwide, the Smartphone Free Phone Childhood movements are bringing parents together. Click here for the NZ chapter’s resources and the UK website has lots to share too.
  • And you can download my social media reminder graphics:

Books

  • Robyn Fausett and Molly Fausett, The Kids Will Be All Right: A guide to raising teens in a complex world
  • Dr Kristy Goodwin, Dear Digital, We Need to Talk: A guilt-free guide to taming your tech habits and thriving in a digital world
  • Brad Marshall and Lindsay Hassock, How To Say No to Your Phone
  • Johann Hari, Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention
  • Jonathan Haidt, The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness
  • Mari Swingle, i-Minds: How Cell Phones, Computers, Gaming, and Social Media are Changing our Brains, our Behavior, and the Evolution of our Species

Podcasts & videos

  • Parental As Anything episode on teens, smartphones and how to get it right.
  • Kirra from Safe on Social has been on lots of podcasts talking about digital life for kids and teens. You can find a full list here.
  • Also, it’s really worth throwing all of the above authors’ names into the search on your podcast app for some good chats on taming your phone use!
  • Also I did an online masterclasses with Dr Kristy Goodwin on Teens on Tech

What to do when your teen’s gaming becomes problematic

Some resources for more help

  • I recommend Brad Marshall’s book, The Tech Diet for your Child & Teen as a guide, as it’s full of great suggestions and insights, and if you follow him on Instagram and Facebook, he has lots of ‘bite-size’ tips around this topic.
  • He also has a parent tutorial video series at unpluggedpsychologist.com.au
  • raisingchildren.net.au has a recorded webinar on ‘Gaming: how to make the most of it in your family’, for families of 11–16-year-olds who want to learn more about their adolescent’s gaming and how to make the most of it. Also check out their whole section on ‘gaming & gambling’.
  • If you’re in Australia and your child is at the more severe end of use, and/or you would like an expert opinion, you can make a referral to The Screen & Gaming Disorder Clinic for assessment by a professional.
  • You can visit your family doctor or GP to get a referral to see a psychologist wherever you live. Some sites (like, here in Australia, the Australian Psychological Society) allow you to search for counsellors that specialise in addictions/compulsions in whichever country/area you live in.
  • Brad mentioned resetsummercamp.com has an online digital detox roadmap that may be helpful.
  • A few years back, Kids Helpline teamed up with some of Australia’s best gamers to run a Twitch session (that’s where you watch others game and commentate while they do so) in which they talked about mental health. Could be a useful entrée for a gaming teen. Check out ‘Truth ‘n’ Loot’.
  • gamequitters.com is a global support community for gamers and families with members from 95 countries. It has an informal quiz parents can take to determine if their child may have an issue. They also have a podcast called Gaming the System.
  • The 12-step program is not for everyone but Gaming Addicts Anonymous has an online self-test for gaming addiction and a section for family and friends that may be useful for you to check out as a parent.

What to do when your teen hates their body, and you suspect their eating habits might be disordered

Websites and support

 

Podcasts

 

Books

What to do when you discover your teen is intentionally self-harming

You can visit your family doctor or GP to get a referral to see a psychologist wherever you live. Some sites (like, here in Australia, the Australian Psychological Society) allow you to search for counsellors that specialise in addictions/ compulsions in whichever country/area you live in. There are some specialised units at some large city hospitals.

 

Websites

Search ‘self-harm’ at

 

Consider training in Mental Health First Aid. (MHFA) Australia has an ‘ALGEE’ action plan that includes:
A – approaching, assessing and assisting with any crisis
L – listening non-judgementally
G – giving support and information
E – encouraging appropriate professional help
E – encouraging other supports.

 

Dr Andrew Leech from The Garden Medical in WA (who wrote this guest blog for Maggie’s site about the top issues his teen patients face) created this ‘coping card’ for his patients:

 

Andrew also recommends these resources (specific to WA but some will be helpful beyond).:

  1. DBT Teen – DBTeen is a dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) informed program delivered in a Primary Care environment, offering skills training for young people aged 14-18 (including those experiencing self-injury)  – https://wa.lifeline.org.au/services/dbteen/
  2. The Luminos Project – is a non-medical, short-stay residential service for young people aged 16-24 experiencing thoughts of suicide. Referral can be found here: https://thesamaritans.org.au/the-luminos-project/
  3. Freedom WA – Free Counselling for LGBTQIA+ young people – https://www.freedom.org.au/what-we-do/counselling/

 

Podcasts and apps

 

Books

  • Michelle Mitchell, Self-Harm: why teens do it and what parents can do to help
  • Dr Jo Prendergast, When Life Sucks: parenting your teen through tough times
  • Janis Whitlock and Elizabeth Lloyd-Richardson, Healing Self-Injury: A Compassionate Guide for Parents and Other Loved Ones

What to do when your teen’s school grades suddenly plummet

Websites

 

Books

  • Claire Eaton, ROC and Rise: The teenager’s guide to building resilience, optimism and confidence needed to level up at school, in relationships and life and The Organised Teenager (Claire also sells some audio ‘pep talks’ for teens on her website.)
  • Dr Ginni Mansberg and Jo Lamble, The New Teen Age: How to support today’s tweens and teens to become healthy, happy adults
  • Collett Smart, 15 Conversations to Help Your Child Through Troubled Times Sharon Witt, Wise Guys and Girl Wise (guides to school)

 

Podcasts and videos

Podcasts, audiobooks and videos have opened a whole world of learning and inspiration for our teens so help them find content that feeds their spark.

 

Stuff you should know on learning and motivation

What to do when your teen’s anxiety becomes problematic and prevents them from doing things that matter

You can visit your family doctor or GP to get a referral to see a psychologist wherever you live. In Australia, when your teen sees a GP, they may be able to access a Mental Health Care Plan, which is funded by Medicare to allow your teen to access up to 10 sessions with a psychologist, accredited OT, or social worker. Each state also has a dedicated child and adolescent crisis line, which teenagers can access, usually called the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). This can provide valuable local support.

Also, there are comprehensive lists of helplines and support services through- out Australia at emhprac.org.au and at au.reachout.com/tools-and-apps. Here are some key ones that may help:

Here are some great online resources that can help:

  • Beyond Blue has some great tips on their Fact Sheets resource page
  • Black Dog Institute’s Bite Back free program is a self-guided online program for young people aged 13 – 16 years old
  • MOST – most.org.au. A digital mental health service created by Orygen Digital, the technology division of Orygen, Australia’s Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health.
  • The Mello app from Orygen is the world’s first clinically designed app to address rumination – aka ‘stuck thinking’.
  • Headspace (headspace.org.au) has a great function on their home page for parents or adolescents to quickly find tailored information, online support, work and study support or a local centre about mental health
  • Brave Program is an interactive online program for the prevention and treatment of child and adolescent anxiety. Also, programs for parents, designed by The University of Queensland
  • AT Parenting Survival is a US-based site with resources to support children and teens with anxiety and OCD
  • Hey Sigmund, is an excellent blog that has useful evidence-based articles, strategies, videos and books to support children and teens with anxiety
  • The WA Centre for Clinical Interventions has some great self-help resources for various mental health problems at health.wa.gov.au/resources/looking- after-yourself
  • moodgym.com.au is an online tool that’s like an interactive self-help book which helps you to learn and practise skills which can help to prevent and manage symptoms of depression and anxiety.
  • There are some online CBT courses and some of these will give you free access if you get a referral from a GP. One example is the ‘This Way Up’ Clinic, which has a teen worry and sadness program.
  • I did a masterclass with Steve Biddulph on Wild Creature Parenting which teaches some tools for coping with anxiety. Also I have a webinar on Calming Teen Stress & Anxiety.

 

Consider training in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Australia, which has an ‘ALGEE’ action plan that includes:

A – approaching, assessing and assisting with any crisis
L – listening non-judgementally
G – giving support and information
E – encouraging appropriate professional help
E – encouraging other supports.

 

Podcasts

 

Apps

 

Books

  • Lisa Damour, Under Pressure: Confronting the Epidemic of Stress and Anxiety in Girls and The Emotional Lives of Teenagers
  • Dr John Duffy, Parenting the New Teen in the Age of Anxiety
  • Jonathan Haidt, The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness
  • Michael Grose and Dr Jodi Richardson, Anxious kids: How children can turn their anxiety into resilience
  • Madonna King, Being 14: Helping Fierce Teens Become Awesome Women
  •  Daniel J. Siegel, M.D., Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain and Mindsight: The New Science of Personal Transformation
  • Collett Smart, 15 Conversations to Help Your Child Through Troubled Times
  • Daisy Turnbull, 50 Questions to Ask Your Teens
  • Sarah Wilson, First, We Make the Beast Beautiful and This One Wild and Precious Life

What to do when your teen experiences a significant loss experience or a death

If you or anyone you know is in need of crisis or suicide prevention support, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit www.lifeline.org.au/gethelp.

Helplines and resources

 

Books and articles

 

Podcasts

What to do when your teen experiences sexual harassment or sexual violence

Helplines

If you are in crisis and require assistance 24/7, please call:

  • 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) – national sexual assault, family and domestic violence counselling line. They also have support (and a list of other support services) at 1800respect.org.au
  • 1800 FULL STOP (1800 385 578)
  • Kids Helpline – 1800 55 1800
  • Lifeline – 13 11 14
  • 13YARN – 13 92 76
  • Police Link – 131 444
  • Q-Life (LGBTQI) offers support from 3pm to midnight 7 days a week – (1800 184 527)
  • Blue Knot (for adult survivors of child sexual abuse) – Call 1300 657 380 Monday – Sunday between 9 am – 5 pm AEST/AEDT or email helpline@blueknot.org.au
  • Australian Childhood Foundation counselling for children and young people affected by abuse and trauma. Phone 1800 176 453 or visit childhood.org.au
  • REACHOUT has a very comprehensive list of local sexual assault services, services for people with disabilities and more. Visit the full sexual assault services page.

 

More resources

 

Podcasts

What you need to know about supporting your neurodivergent teen through the challenges of adolescence

Websites

I have three community-contributed guides on my website of recommended resources for:

 

Books

 

Podcasts and videos

What to do when a parent is worried their teen may be considering suicide

If someone’s life is in immediate danger, please phone 000 (Triple 0) or the appropriate emergency number in your country.

For immediate support, go up to the HELPLINES list

Helplines and resources

  • Lifeline’s Beyond Now safety planning app may be worth exploring together
  • CALM’s suicide prevention (Connect. Ask. Listen. Monitor.) has three apps:
    • Be Safe app for a potentially suicidal person
    • Be Calm app for a person providing care to the suicidal person
    • Care Calm app for the person in need of immediate care.
  • Orygen’s #chatsafe program at orygen.org.au
  • Suicide Prevention Australia has a best practice directory on their website too
  • beyondblue.org.au
  • emhprac.org.au/resource/digital-mental-health-for-young-people/
  • Mental Health First Aid Australia (mhfa.com)
  • Standby Support – call 1300 727 247 (24/7) for anyone impacted by suicide at any stage of life
  • The National Indigenous Postvention Service – 1800 805 801 (24/7 support to individuals, families, and communities affected by suicide or other trauma that is culturally responsive to their needs)
  • 13YARN – crisis support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
  • Q-Life (LGBTQI) offers support from 3pm to midnight 7 days a week – (1800 184 527)
  • youthsuicide.com
  • ruok.org.au/neurodivergent (some good tips if you are supporting a neurodivergent teen)

 

Podcasts