L.A. Mental Health Resources
crisis
If you are having an immediate emergency please utilize the following information or visit your nearest hospital.
For a mental health, substance use, or suicidal crisis, please call the Mental Health Access Line at 1-800-854-7771 to request a Psychiatric Mobile Response team made up of DMH clinicians; law enforcement will be involved only if requested by clinicians based on a risk assessment.
You can also call or text ‘988’ (or chat online on 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s website) Please Note: 988 hotlines are required to send emergency responders to your location if the operator believes you are at imminent risk of harming yourself or someone else and are NOT required to obtain your consent to do so.
You can find more local resources that avoid utilizing law enforcement at Don’t Call the Police or check out our list of Confidential Hotlines below.
Confidential Hotlines
National LGBT Hotline 1-888-843-4564
Thrive Lifeline 1-313-662-8209
Trans Lifeline 1-877-565-8860 (also offers services in Spanish and will not call emergency responders without your consent)
Call Blackline 1-800-604-5841 (peer support with LGBTQ+ Black Femme Lens)
Wildflower Alliance Peer Support Line 1-888-407-4515 (does not call emergency responders)
RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline (you can also chat them online) 1-800-656-HOPE
National Crime Victim Helpline 1-800-394-2255
National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-7223
Project Return Peer Support Warm Line 1-888-448-9777 (non-crisis peer led by those who have navigated mental health and substance use challenges, Spanish available)
The Trevor Project 1-866-488-7386
Teen Line 1-800-TLC-TEEN (staffed by other teens, but may call emergency responders when possibility of hurting yourself or someone else.)
StrongHearts Native Helpline for Domestic Violence 1-844-7NATIVES
Red Cross Disaster Distress Helpline 1-800-985-5990 (services in 100+ languages)
National Alliance on Mental Illness for info on mental illness for individuals and loved ones
AFFORDABLE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES in Los Angeles
The Relational Center
Social-justice-informed, sliding scale counseling especially for LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC folk
Open Path Collective
Therapists in Private Practice offering significantly reduced fees
Southern California Counseling Center
Wright Institute of Los Angeles
Cross Cultural Expressions Community Counseling Center Specializes in serving the Persian, Russian, Spanish, Armenian, and Arabic speaking communities
inclusive MENTAL HEALTH DIRECTORIES & affirming services
National Queer & Trans Therapists of Color Network
Asian Mental Health Collective
Deconstructing the Mental Health System BIPOC Provider Directory
Your Lessons Now provides online transgender voice lessons for voice feminization, voice masculinization, and androgynous voice.
Trauma, Mind, and Body
Yoga for Post Traumatic Stress Yoga with Adriene
Let It All Go: 7 Poses to Release Trauma in the Body, Yoga Journal
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma Bessel Van Der Kolk, M.D.
Healing Trauma: A Pioneering Program for Restoring the Wisdom of Your Body Peter Levine, Ph.D.
Body Positive Power: Because Life Is Already Happening and You Don't Need Flat Abs to Live It Megan Jayne Crabbe
Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Program that Works Evelyn Tribole, M.S. R.D. & Elyse Resch, M.S. R.D. F.A.D.A.
The F*ck It Diet Caroline Dooner
Healing Sex: A Mind Body Approach to Healing Sexual Trauma Staci Hines
Dancing with Elephants: Mindfulness Training For Those Living With Dementia, Chronic Illness or an Aging Brain Jarem Sawatsky
This is Not What I Ordered: a podcast on full-hearted living with chronic illness + health challenges Lauren Selfridge
Creativity, Vulnerability, & Authenticity
The Power of Vulnerability TED talk Brené Brown
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear Elizabeth Gilbert
Resilient: How to Grow an Unshakable Core of Calm, Strength, and Happiness Rick Hanson, Ph.D.
The Artist’s Way: A spiritual Path to Higher Creativity Julia Cameron
The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are Brené Brown
A Simple Plan to Achieve Radical Self-Love Gala Darling, MindBodyGreen
An Intentional Life: Five Foundations of Authenticity and Purpose Lisa Kentgen, Ph.D.
Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead Brené Brown
Real Love: The Art of Authentic Connection Sharon Salzberg
Big Feelings
The Book of Human Emotions: An Encyclopedia of Feeling from Anger to Wanderlust Tiffany Watt-Smith
The Emotionary: A Dictionary of Words That Don’t Exist for Feelings That Do Eden Sher
Calm Health App for meditation and relaxation
When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times Pema Chodron
Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words David Whyte
Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar Cheryl Strayed
The Principles of Uncertainty Maira Kalman
Almost Everything: Notes on Hope Anne Lamott
Being with Dying: Cultivating Compassion and Fearlessness in the Presence of Death Joan Halifax
The Wisdom of a Broken Heart: How to Turn the Pain of a Breakup into Healing, Insight, and New Love Susan Piver
Self Compassion The Works of Kristin Neff
Relationships & Intimacy
Come as You Are: The Surprising New Science that Will Transform Your Sex Life Emily Nagoski
Mating in Captivity: Unlocking Erotic Intelligence Esther Perel
Swoon: Love Lessons with Julie & Gina Sex & Relationships Podcast with Julie Jeske and Gina Senarighi
Polysecure: Attachment, Trauma and Nonmonogamy Jessica Fern
We Do: Saying Yes to a Relationship of Depth, True Connection, and Enduring Love Stan Tatkin (premarital and deepening commitments)
The Ethical Slut: A Practical Guide to Polyamory, Open Relationships, & Other Freedoms in Sex and Love Janet Hardy & Dossie Easton
Where Should We Begin? Couples Therapy Podcast with Esther Perel
Fierce Intimacy Audiobook Terry Real
BIPOC MENTAL HEALTH
BEAM Black Emotional and Mental Health Foundation
Behavioral Health Division of the Indian Health Service
Talkspace Free BIPOC Therapist-led Online Support Group
Ethel’s Club – low fee virtual community for supporting BIPOC wellness with classes, community events, and resources
Therapy for Black Girls Yellow Couch Club low-fee virtual community
Harriet’s Apothecary holistic wellness Black healers collective
Black Girls Breathing sliding scale virtual meditational breathwork sessions
Therapy for Black Girls Free Mental Health Podcast
The Safe Place free smartphone app with psychoeducation and self-care resources
Liberate free mediation app for and by BIPOC
My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies Resmaa Menakem
Black Men Matter – Examining Mental Health Issues Among Black Men – A Guide To Freedom
Humanity, Social Issues, & Equality
Why Therapists Should Talk Politics Richard Brouillette, The New York Times
What it Takes to Heal: How Transforming Ourselves Can Change the World Prentis Hemphill
So You Want to Talk About Race? Ijeoma Oluo
Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women's Anger Rebecca Traister
A Quick & Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns Archie Bongiovanni
Why I’m Done Trying to Be Man Enough Ted Talk Justin Baldoni (redefining masculinity)
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness Michelle Alexander
Between the World and Me Ta-Nehisi Coates
Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other Sherry Turkle
Tomorrow Will Be Different: Love, Loss, and the Fight for Trans Equality by Sarah McBride
Feminist Fight Club: An Office Survival Manual for a Sexist Workplace Jessica Bennett
Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good adrienne marie brown