Mental Health and Support Resources for Those Impacted by the LA Fires

If you’re processing grief and loss related to the wildfires of Pacific Palisades and Altadena, you don’t have to go it alone. Many resources have been set-up to ensure you are on the road to recovery and sound mental health.

Therapy and Professional Counseling

• Integrative Psychotherapy Group, based in Beverly Hills, is offering free short-term therapy services to some fire victims and referral assistance for others needing longer-term or more acute treatment during the upcoming weeks. IPG is offering a brief series of trauma-focused therapy sessions to help individuals, couples, and families process the complex emotions that can arise in the immediate aftermath of wildfires and similar natural disasters. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please contact Integrative Psychotherapy Group at (310) 461-4393 or info@ipgtherapy.com or visit their online website.

• BetterHelp, an online mental health company, is providing three months of therapy free for fire victims and first responders. To connect with a therapist, email contact@betterhelp.com.
  

• The Disaster Distress Helpline (DDH) is the first national hotline dedicated to providing year-round disaster crisis counseling. This toll-free, multilingual, crisis support service is available 24/7 to all residents in the U.S. and its territories who are experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters.

  The helpline puts people in need of counseling on the path to recovery. When you call or text, crisis counselors listen to what’s on your mind with patience and without judgment. DDH is staffed by trained counselors from a network of crisis call centers located across the United States, who provide:
  

  • Crisis counseling for people in emotional distress related to any natural or human-caused disaster
  • Information on how to recognize distress and its effects on individuals and families
  • Referrals to local crisis call centers for additional follow-up care and support
  • Healthy coping tips

  Call or text 1-800-985-5990.
  

• Health Services Los Angeles County is offering support for those impacted by wildfires. Click here to find your nearest branch and contact info. When you call, please let staff know you have been impacted by the fires and ask to be connected to the Behavioral Health Integration Team.
  
• The National Alliance on Mental Illness has a network of affiliates across California. They provide free resources to help you navigate through your unique situation. Click here and use the search form at the bottom of the page to find an affiliate closest to you.
  
• Call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline if you or someone you know is thinking about self-harm or attempting suicide.
  
  • Call 911 for emergency services.
  • Go to the nearest hospital emergency room.
  • Call or text 988 to connect with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline . The Lifeline provides 24-hour, confidential support to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. Support is also available via live chat .

Free Community Support Groups

• The Grief Circle is a weekly virtual drop-in support group for those directly affected by the fires in LA. The goal is to create a space where vulnerability is met with compassion, and where each participant feels heard, seen, and valued.
  Meets every Saturday starting February 1 from 9:30-10:45am PST
  
• Virtual LA Grief Support Gatherings with Grief Therapist Claire Bidwell Smith. Share and connect with others who are grieving the devastation at this weekly drop-in support group for those directly affected by the fires in LA.
  Meets every Tuesday at 4:00pm PST
  
• LA Fire Support Group for Women of Color is a weekly support group for women of color who are navigating the aftermath of the LA wildfires. Led by wellness practitioner Shanetta McDonald, this space will include meditations, somatic movement, and group discussions.
  Meets every Wednesday at 3:00pm PST
  
• My Grief Angels: Free Virtual Peer-led Grief Support for Those Who Lost Loves Ones or Homes in LA Wildfires. Led by volunteers of the non-profit My Grief Angels, this support group connects individuals who have lost loved ones or homes, fostering a safe environment for healing and shared experiences among peers.
  Sessions are on-going.