Urgent Mental Health & Crisis Support
If you are struggling with your mental health, feeling overwhelmed or concerned about your safety, support is available. You do not have to manage a crisis alone.
Aldridge Counselling Services provides planned counselling appointments and is not an emergency or 24-hour crisis service. I cannot guarantee an immediate response to telephone calls, emails or messages.
If you need urgent help, please use the appropriate services below rather than waiting for a response from me.
If you or someone else is in immediate danger
Call 999 immediately if there is an immediate risk to life, a serious injury, an overdose or another medical emergency.
You can also attend your nearest Accident & Emergency (A&E) department if you need emergency medical or mental health care.
Urgent Mental Health Support – NHS 111
If you need urgent mental health support but there is no immediate danger to life:
Call NHS 111 and select the mental health option.
This service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week in England, including Hertfordshire.
You can speak with a trained mental health professional who can help you understand what support is available and what to do next.
Website: https://111.nhs.uk/
Samaritans – Someone to Talk To
If you are feeling distressed, hopeless, isolated or struggling with thoughts of suicide, Samaritans provides confidential emotional support.
Call 116 123 – free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
You do not have to be suicidal to contact Samaritans. You can talk about whatever is troubling you, without judgement.
Website: https://www.samaritans.org/
Shout – Free Crisis Text Support
If speaking on the telephone feels difficult, Shout provides free, confidential text-based mental health support.
Text SHOUT to 85258.
The service is available 24 hours a day across the UK and connects you with a trained volunteer who can listen and help you consider your next steps.
Website: https://giveusashout.org/
Support With Alcohol or Drug-Related Concerns
If you or someone you care about is experiencing difficulties with alcohol or drugs, your GP or local NHS and community drug and alcohol treatment services can help you access appropriate assessment and treatment.
Alcohol and benzodiazepine withdrawal can be medically dangerous. If you may be physically dependent, seek medical advice before stopping or significantly reducing your use.
If you experience seizures, severe confusion, loss of consciousness, breathing difficulties or other potentially life-threatening symptoms, call 999.
Aldridge Counselling Services offers counselling and support around addiction and recovery but does not provide emergency medical assessment, prescribing or medically supervised detoxification.
If You Are Already Receiving Counselling
There may be times between appointments when you experience significant distress or feel that you need additional support.
Counselling can provide a valuable space to explore difficulties over time, but it is not a substitute for urgent mental health assessment or emergency intervention.
If you are concerned about your immediate safety, please contact NHS 111, your GP, emergency services or another appropriate crisis service.
Where appropriate, we can discuss coping strategies, sources of support and an individual safety plan during your counselling sessions.
Seeking Counselling Support
If you are not in immediate crisis and would like to explore counselling for anxiety, trauma, addiction, relationship difficulties or other emotional concerns, you are welcome to contact me.
I provide face-to-face counselling in Hertford, Hertfordshire, and online counselling across the UK.
A free 15-minute introductory conversation is available to help you decide whether counselling may be appropriate for you.
Contact Aldridge Counselling Services: https://www.aldridgecounsellingservices.co.uk/contact/
Important: Aldridge Counselling Services is not an emergency response service. Messages and enquiries are not continuously monitored, and contacting the practice should not be used as a means of obtaining immediate crisis support.
Last reviewed: October 2026