Mental Health Resources
For our Calgary community and beyond.
Urgent Mental Health Resources
Crisis Support
Distress Centre (all ages) www.distresscentre.com
Free crisis support in Calgary and southern Alberta by phone, online, and in person.
24/7 phone crisis support for adults - tel:403-266-4357 (HELP)
Face-to-face support: walk-in appointments weekdays 1– 4pm, or submit an intake by calling the crisis line or submitting a form on the website
Online crisis chat: available 3-10pm weekdays and 12-10pm weekends (for adults)
For Youth and Teens:
24/7 phone crisis support: 403-264-8336 (TEEN)
ConnecTeen online chat: available 3–10pm weekdays and 12-10pm on weekends at www.CalgaryConnecTeen.com
Daily text messaging: 587-333-2724
Wood’s Homes – Community Resource Team (children and families)
https://www.woodshomes.ca/programs/community-resource-team/
24/7 phone crisis support: 403-299-9699 or 1-800-563-6106
Text: 587-315-5000 (9am-10pm)
LiveChat: iCarol (on their website: 9am-10pm)
Family visits (in-home or community) and brief crisis support (1-3 visits) among others
Urgent Care
Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre (adult)
Crisis assessment, referrals, information, and/or follow-up
1213 4th Street SW, Calgary (main floor)
Weekdays: 8am-10pm, Weekends: 8am-8pm
tel: 403-955-6200
Alberta Children’s Hospital (youth and teens)
2888 Shaganappi Trail NW, Calgary
tel: 403-955-7211
Walk-in Counselling Services
Single Session Walk-In Services at South Calgary Health Centre (all ages) 403-943-9374
No fee, single-session, therapy
Please note: Walk-in therapy is not currently offered because of COVID-19. Single session is available by APPOINTMENT ONLY by calling 403-943-9374 between the hours of 8am-3:30pm.
31 Sunpark Plaza SE, Calgary (2nd floor, north entrance) with 5 hours free parking
Monday-Thursday: 4-7pm, Friday: 10am-1pm
South Calgary Health Centre (all ages)
31 Sunplark Plaza SE, Calgary
Daily: 8am-10pm
tel: 403-943-9300
Wood’s Homes - Eastside Family Centre (all ages) 403-299-9696
No fee, single-session, walk-in therapy
#255, 495 – 36 St. NE, Calgary (In Northgate Mall)
Monday-Thursday: 11am-7pm, Friday 11am-6pm, Saturday 11am-4pm
Airdrie, Cochrane, Canmore, Okotoks (Might be easier to get in)
Services available in the surrounding areas (which may also include shorter wait times):
Cochrane Community Health Centre -
Mental Health Urgent Care (all ages) tel: 403-851-6000
No fee, outpatient psychosocial assessments and support, walk-in therapy
Hours of Operation:
60 Grande Boulevard, Cochrane, AB
Airdrie Community Health Centre -
Mental Health Urgent Care (all ages) tel: 403-912-8500
No fee, outpatient psychosocial assessments and support, walk-in therapy
Hours of Operation: https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/findhealth/Service.aspx?id=1064160&serviceAtFacilityID=1112901
604 Main Street S, Airdrie, AB
Canmore General Hospital -
Mental Health Urgent Care (all ages) tel: 403-678-5536
No fee, outpatient psychosocial assessments and support, walk-in therapy
Hours of Operation:
1100 Hospital Place, Canmore, AB
Okotoks Health and Wellness Centre -
Mental Health Urgent Care (all ages) tel: 403-955-2600
No fee, outpatient psychosocial assessments and support, walk-in therapy
Patients must register through Urgent Care Triage
Hours of Operation: https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/findhealth/Service.aspx?id=1064160&serviceAtFacilityID=1099650#contentStart
11 Cimarron Common, Okotoks, AB
Community Counseling & Addictions Services
Addictions Services (all ages)
Addictions Helpline (all ages, 24-hour phone line) tel: 866-332-2322
Alberta-wide, multidisciplinary team of nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, and psychologists. Support, information, referrals for addiction (including problem gambling), and mental health problems.
Adult Addiction Services (adults) tel: 403-367-5000
Weekdays @ 12:30pm: walk-in intake and assessment (self-referral) Free, non-medical, short-term counseling, support/skills groups, four-week abstinence-based day treatment program.
Next business day access from intake.
This also can include services provided through Rapid Access Addiction Medicine (RAMM) - more information about RAMM can be found here: https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/findhealth/Service.aspx?id=1080798
Addiction Services - Youth Outpatient Counselling (youth 12-17) tel: 403-297-4664
Free, Individual and family counseling; addiction screening, assessment, and treatment; referral services. Intake/Counselling: available by drop-in on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays @ 8:30am-10am.
Hours of Operation: 8:15am-4:30pm with evening programs running Wednesdays from 6:00pm-8:00pm.
1005 17 Street NW, Calgary, AB
Safeworks Harm Reduction Program - Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre (ages 16+) tel: 403-955-3380
Hours of Operation: 24/7 / 1213 4 Street SW, Calgary, AB
Risk reduction supplies and information, safer substance use, overdose prevention and response, sexual health testing, vaccinations, physical and mental health assessments. Includes Supervised Consumption Services (evidence-based) and a Safeworks Mobile Van
Smart Pharma - Harm Reduction and Needles Drop Off tel: 403-769-9575
Hours of Operation: 24/7 / 1116 Centre Street N, Calgary, AB
Kits for safer drug use and harm reduction, needles (and needle pick up and disposal)
Community Counseling Agencies (all ages)
Individual, couples, family, and group counselling services may be offered at each of the organizations listed below. Services are free or based on a sliding scale, according to your ability to pay, and typically include psychology or social work (not psychiatry). Services may be available for youth, adults, and seniors.
Jewish Family Services: (403) 287-3510
www.jfsc.org
*It is not necessary to be affiliated with the Jewish faith to access counseling
YWCA Calgary: (403) 263-1550
https://www.ywcalgary.ca/programs-services/
For women, men, and children, and individuals with language barriers
Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association
familyservices@ciwa-online.com
https://www.ciwa-online.com/our-services/family-services/one-on-one-counselling-for-immigrant-women
For immigrant women who are permanent residents, refugees and Canadian citizens with language and cultural barriers
Calgary Counselling Centre: (403) 691-5991
www.calgarycounselling.com
Carya: (403) 269-9888
http://caryacalgary.ca/
Also has specific support for seniors
Catholic Family Services: (403) 233-2360
www.cfs-ab.org
*It is not necessary to be affiliated with the Catholic faith to access counseling
Virtual Substance Use and Mental Health Services (all ages)
Breaking Free - Eastside Family Centre (free for all ages with service code)
Evidence-based and computer-based wellbeing and recovery support program
Free access provided by CMHA Ottawa - use service code CAPSA2020 to sign-up for a free user account
Life Recovery Program (individual out-of-pocket services and employee programs)
Evidence-based (results published by CAMH) comprehensive and computer-based intervention
Information videos, ebooks, peer groups, self-directed modules, mindfulness exercises
NEXT Distro (all ages)
An online and mail-based harm reduction service designed to reduce opioid overdose death, prevent injection-related disease transmission, and improve the lives of people who use drugs.
Sober Grid (adult)
App for abstinence based peer support, information, digital therapeutics
Subscription-based model: $5.49/month; $13.99/3 months; $54.99/12 months
Injecting Advice (all ages)
Resources for safe drug use as well as educational material related to a safer use of steroids and performance/image enhancing drugs
Includes various external links to resources listed under “Other Sites”
Psychedelic Harm Reduction
DanceSafe (adult)
Comprehensive drug information list, safe partying, COVID-19, drug checking
Online store sells test kits for various commonly used substances
Fireside Project - Psychedelic Support Line and App (all ages)
tel: 623-473-7433 (62-FIRESIDE) (3pm-3am PST)
This is a US based company and thus long distance charges may apply - Fireside is hoping to launch in Canada in 2022
Download the app for easy access to support by pressing “CALL” or “TEXT” within the app
This service is run by compassionate volunteers with training and personal experience in supporting individuals during psychedelic experiences
Erowid - Harm Reduction and Educational Website - Information about Psychoactive Plants and Chemicals (all ages)
Non-profit organization with an extensive resource library for substances, safer use, and intended or adverse effects
Tips for Finding and Selecting a Private Therapist
A therapist provides services to individuals, families, or couples to treat a variety of mental health concerns and emotional difficulties. They may have an educational background in psychology, social work, nursing, counselling or counselling psychology, or psychiatry. Typically, this involves the completion of a masters or doctoral degree, as well as specialized training in some therapeutic modalities. They should also have pursued ongoing training in therapeutic modalities and training courses.
We recommend using https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca as a resource to begin searching for a therapist. At the top of the page, there is a “Find a Therapist” section. Here, you can toggle various filters, such as issues, insurance, gender, type of therapy, age, price, and other filters. You can also visit the therapist’s website for more information about their practice (if applicable).
Other databases include: https://www.calgarypsychdirectory.ca/ for registered psychologists and https://www.acsw.ab.ca/site/New_Find_A_social_Worker for registered social workers. Many psychologists and social workers can be found on these databases in addition to PsychologyToday.com
Checklist for Finding the Right Therapist:
They possess a Masters (MA, MSW, MC, MSc, MSN, RMFT) or Doctoral Degree (Ph.D, PsyD) (not exhaustive but most common degree paths).
They are licensed and in good standing in the relevant governing body for their discipline. This is typically through a provincial body. Examples that are most common: College of Alberta Psychologists (Registered Psychologist, R.P. or R.P. (Q) - qualifying) and Alberta College of Social Workers (Registered Social Worker, RSW).
They may practice from one or many of the following: cognitive and behavioral therapies, experiential and humanistic, psychodynamic therapies, and somatic therapies. Some therapists also offer art therapy, animal-assisted therapy, and play therapy. Does the therapist have the training and are they able to explain how their approach is well suited for your presenting issues?
For couples therapy, we recommend you look for a therapist with training in the Gottman Method, Emotionally Focused Therapy, or Internal Family Systems.
Some therapists claim to have expertise in many or all presenting issues, or will advertise that they have training in an unwieldy number of therapeutic modalities. This might be a red flag, since it is unlikely that an individual is able to competently work with so many modalities and issues.
Does the therapist participate in ongoing supervision from peers to discuss particular cases, best practices, and ethical concerns? This is considered essential to good clinical practice.
Does the therapist have experience or interest in working with the presenting issues you are experiencing?
Does the therapist have a way of measuring how effective your treatment will be? Are they willing to adjust interventions or refer you to another therapist that would better meet your needs?
Developing a safe therapeutic relationship is noted in the scientific literature as a major indicator of positive outcomes in therapy. Would you feel comfortable and safe with this therapist? Would you get along with the therapist on a basic level? Is their personality a good match for you?
Does the therapist maintain certain qualities that may be triggering for me? This could include voice or physical attributes that may trigger unpleasant feelings, and thus could present a major barrier to building rapport.
Some individuals may prefer accessing services from a person from a similar background (age, gender, sex, socioeconomic background).
The previous bullet point may be especially true for individuals who identify with populations that may be considered historically marginalized. During a consultation appointment you may ask the following questions, or variations of them, of your potential therapist:
What is your commitment to anti-racism and anticolonialism? What is your experience in working with populations from these marginalized populations, and/or what training, education, or supervision have you received to become a more inclusive practitioner?
What is your level of training and comfort with providing inclusive and competent practice with individuals who identify as gender and sexual minorities? What have you done to create a trans-affirming practice?
What is the cost of services and how will I receive reimbursement from a third party provider? Is a sliding scale available for more financially accessible services?
