Emotional support
We offer you support in dealing with everyday worries - councelors will talk to you by phone (116 123), chat, or on a video call.
We welcome everyone who has experienced tensions and difficulties in their lives and who feels the need to talk about them with someone.
To start a conversation, click on the "CHAT" icon in the footer.
- Crisis counselling
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To whom
A 24-hour service for people of all ages who have been victims of crime, neglect, abuse, and physical, mental, or sexual abuse.
We offer support and listening and the opportunity to discuss together how to find a solution to the situation. If necessary, we will refer you to other services of the Social Insurance Board.
Victims can contact the crisis hotline in the presence of the police patrol or after they have left for initial counseling and to make an appointment with a victim support worker.
You can contact us either immediately after the event or after a longer period of time.
What kind of help is provided
People in each age group:
- who have fallen victim to a crime;
- who have been neglected or mistreated;
- who have been subjected to physical, mental, sexual, or economic violence;
- who have lost a loved one as a result of a crime or an accident;
- who are eyewitnesses to a serious accident, traumatic crisis event, or crime;
- who want to report someone who may need help (we guarantee anonymity if desired).
The service is designed to support both people in crisis and their loved ones. Also, for professionals directly or indirectly involved in the prevention of all the above-mentioned subject areas and helping victims.
When and how to contact us
By calling 116 006
The service works 24/7, and the number of calls you can make us is not limited.
Our paramount priority is to extend immediate assistance to those in critical state or whose life is threatened.
Should repetitive inquiries follow once the threat to life and health has been considered eliminated, it is the Department's discretion to warn and then to discontinue for following 24 hours of acceptance of calls emanating from such phone numbers.
In what language is the counseling conducted?
Support is available in Estonian, Russian, and English.
- Emotional support
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To whom
Call if you want to talk about coping with every day worries. Our counselors will listen to you, offer emotional support, and help you figure out how best to deal with your concerns. Anyone who has tensions and difficulties in their lives and who feels the need to talk about it can call.
What kind of help is provided
- First aid for mental health problems;
- Coping with everyday worries;
- The desire to talk, to discuss the problems that have emerged;
- Information about referrals - where and whom to contact with concerns, also immediate referral.
When and how to contact us
By calling 116 123
Open every day from 10:00 to 24:00
Our paramount priority is to extend immediate assistance to those in critical state or whose life is threatened.
Should repetitive inquiries follow once the threat to life and health has been considered eliminated, it is the Department's discretion to warn and then to discontinue for following 24 hours of acceptance of calls emanating from such phone numbers.
In what language is the counseling conducted?
Support is available in Estonian, Russian, and English.
All calls are recorded.
- Pastoral care
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To whom
Call if you are worried about your own or a loved one's illness or any other difficult life situation, you need emotional support, you have existential, spiritual, or religious questions, or if the topic is mourning or supporting the deceased and/or their loved ones. A pastoral counselor keeper is a theologically trained helper, bound to silence and confidentiality, trained to help people who are sick, in crisis, or dying.
What kind of help is provided
Pastoral help for people of all ages, taking into account the caller's needs and beliefs (including religious beliefs). Through a gentle conversation, the pastoral counselor helps the caller better understand their situation and find the necessary inner strength, hope, and ability to cope with their situation. If necessary, the caller will receive further information on where to turn with their concerns.
When and how to contact us
By calling 116 123
Open every day from 16:00 to 24:00
Our paramount priority is to extend immediate assistance to those in critical state or whose life is threatened.
Should repetitive inquiries follow once the threat to life and health has been considered eliminated, it is the Department's discretion to warn and then to discontinue for following 24 hours of acceptance of calls emanating from such phone numbers.
In what language is the counseling conducted?
Support is available in Estonian, Russian, and English.
Calls are recorded, but the caller can express their wish to cancel the recording - in this case, the call will not be recorded.
- Online counseling
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To whom
You are welcome to online counseling if you have reached a point in your life that seems extremely difficult or even impossible. Whether it's overload, family or relationship problems, loss of a loved one, or feelings of loneliness, a mental health professional will talk to you via video bridge. One consultation lasts up to 60 minutes. It is not therapy or psychiatric help, and the service is not a substitute for medical care. However, you can discuss with a counselor how to better help yourself and where to turn for professional help.
What kind of help is provided
With the help of the counselor, you can:
- Take time to discuss your concerns in a neutral and non-judgmental way - the counselor does not judge your life and choices.
- Explore your thoughts and emotions and their possible causes. Reformulate the thoughts swirling in your head and look at them from another angle.
- Remember your coping skills and practice new ones. If we don't have healthy coping skills to get us through difficult times, we may end up turning to unhealthy solutions that can end up creating more problems. However, each of us has our own positive tricks that have supported our coping in life.
- Figure out the best possible way to proceed with your problem. The counselor helps to find out whether the person needs intervention by a specialist, and together, we find ways to go there.
When and how to contact us
Online mental health counselors offer support on weekdays, generally from 09:00 to 17:00.
Book an online consultation here.
In what language is the counseling conducted?
Support is available in Estonian, English, Ukrainian and Russian.
- Where else to turn with your concerns
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If you have doubts about your mental health, we recommend taking an emotional well-being test:https://peaasi.ee/enesetundetest/
The test will help you understand your emotional state. The test does not diagnose or give any other medical evaluations about your health.
You should take into account that this is not psychiatric help, and it does not replace medical care.
Other mental health tests: https://peaasi.ee/test/
Call 112 if you need urgent help, life-saving (accident, immediate suicide plan, other threat to life or health).
Victim helpline 116 006 - if you have fallen victim to a crime or have experienced violence, negligence, or bad treatment. Crisis counseling is available 24/7 in Estonian, English, and Russian.
Children's helpline 116 111: if the concern is related to children, issues concerning children, or if it is necessary to report a child in need of help. Email: [email protected]
The family physician's advice line 1220 provides general health information.
The family physician provides health information, prescribes/extends prescription drugs, and writes referrals.
On the basis of the Therapy Fund created by the Health Insurance Fund (ADDITIONAL INFORMATION), the family physician refers patients to the healthcare service provided by the clinical psychologist (admission without therapy, individual psychotherapy, family therapy, group therapy).
Emergency psychiatric care:
The emergency room of the psychiatric clinic in Tallinn: 6172 650 (24h) Paldiski mnt 52
The emergency room of the psychiatric clinic in Tartu: 731 8764 (24h) Raja St 31
The emergency room of the psychiatric department in Pärnu: 516 0379 (24h) Ristiku St. 1
The emergency room of the psychiatric clinic in Viljandi: 435 4255 (24h) Jämejala, Pargi tee 6
Department of Emergency Medicine in Narva: 357 1795 (24h) Haigla 1
Department of Emergency Medicine in Ahtme: 331 1074 (24h) Ahtme mnt 95
Free counseling
In Tallinn:
Tallinn Family Center - for Tallinn residents up to 18 years old or those who study, e.g., at the high school level.
In Tartu:
Tartu Counseling and Crisis Center
Tartu Children's Support Center
Mental health counseling for young people aged 16-26 is offered in the form of a video call or written e-counseling on the NGO Peaasjad's website. People over the age of 26 can register for counseling on our platform.
Non-violence support line 660 60 77
Advice line for prevention of human trafficking and assistance to victims 660 73 20
Psychological help: https://lahendus.net/database
Lahendus.net offers anonymous psychological counseling by letter, and anyone can write, regardless of age, gender, or the size of the concern.
- Frequently asked questions
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What is mental health counseling, and who is it targeted to?
Everyday life is full of different challenges and emotions, and sometimes coping with them can seem overwhelming.
Mental health is important because it directly affects a person's overall well-being and quality of life. Emotional balance helps to create and maintain supportive relationships, to cope with everyday stressors, to relate and adapt to the surrounding environment, to achieve one's goals, and to find joy in everyday life. Positive mental health is an important part of overall well-being and helps us live full and fulfilling lives.
By taking care of our mental health, we invest in our overall quality of life and create a strong foundation for long-term physical and emotional well-being.
Why online counseling?
In today's world, technology has become an integral part of everyday life, largely stretching into the field of mental health as well. Online mental health counseling offers many benefits to people who need emotional support and professional counseling.
Online counseling allows you to express your feelings, thoughts, and experiences in a non-judgmental environment.
Online counseling has several advantages over traditional counseling in a physical space:
1. Privacy
You have the opportunity to comfortably choose a quiet environment and chat with a counselor. You can schedule your sessions for the time when you are home alone. You don't have to drive anywhere and worry about running into somebody behind the counseling office door.
2. Convenience
You can be in the comfort of your home or any other place you like, such as a nice living room sofa or a garden swing in the summer. You have the opportunity to open up and talk about your concerns in a calm environment. After talking with the counselor, there is no need to rush out of the counseling room because the counselor has a new appointment; you can simply turn off the device and return to daily tasks.
3. Time saving
The fast pace of life often means that finding time for traditional counseling sessions can be difficult. Online counseling allows you to choose suitable times according to your daily schedule, allowing you to smoothly connect counseling with your everyday life.
4. Quick consultation option
Online counseling is especially valuable in urgent situations where you need quick support. Counseling appointments can be booked for the next few weeks.
5. Affordability
The online counseling service of the Social Insurance Board is free.
6. High quality service
All of our online counselors are psychologists with extensive counseling experience. Service providers base their work on the psychologist's code of ethics.
7. Confidentiality
Your personal information is strictly confidential.
Who is the target audience for online counseling?
All people who have experienced tensions and difficulties in their lives are welcome to online mental health counseling.
Counselors are ready to support you with various concerns:
1. Relationship problems - problems with a partner, family members, colleagues, or friends. Communication problems, conflicts and disputes, crisis of trust, lack of intimacy and closeness, issues of division of responsibilities, divorce, infidelity, etc.
2. Stress in everyday life. Work stress and burnout - workload, conflicts with co-workers, uncertainty about staying at work, career-related problems, etc.
3. Anxiety, depressive states
4. Life changes - divorce, experience of grief and loss, change of job or place of residence, etc.
5. Health problems - your own illness or illnesses of your loved ones, etc.
6. Difficult emotions - feelings of loneliness, low self-esteem, anger, fear of failure, etc.
7. Problems of everyday life.
How does online counseling work?
Communicating with a counselor online is easy. To participate in video counseling, you can use a desktop computer, tablet, or smartphone.
No separate application is required for video counseling. The easy-to-use and secure Telesild service is used for counseling.
1. Fill out the contact form to book an appointment with our counselor. Fill in the appropriate fields and select the appropriate date and time.
2. After registration, the selected booking time will be displayed, and you will be sent an email to your email address with a link for participation in the video consultation.
3. Before the video counseling, make sure that you have a working internet connection and the necessary equipment (camera, computer with speakers and microphone, smart device) so that the counseling can go without interruptions.
4. Please choose a place where you are comfortable and, most importantly, where you can be undisturbed for the entire agreed session (a cafe is not a suitable place to participate in a counseling session).
5. You have to click on the link in the invitation, which opens the video chat at the time you chose during the booking of the appointment.
6. At the beginning of the video counseling, you can decide whether you want the counselor to see you during the video call or just talk to you.
7. Online counseling may seem unfamiliar at first, but a trained counselor will help you safely settle into the online space.
8. A feedback questionnaire will be sent to you sometime after the counseling. We would be grateful if you could respond to it. We use the feedback we receive to improve the quality of the service.
We are happy to accompany you on your journey. Contact us today!
Specialists, or whoˇs who?
A psychiatrist is a physician who diagnoses, evaluates, treats, and prevents mental and behavioral disorders.
At the clinics, you should call the reception and find out how to make an appointment. In some hospitals, you can see a psychiatrist directly; in some, you need to see a mental health nurse first. No referral is needed, and minors can also apply.
A mental health nurse tests analyzes, and advises patients on mental health issues. A mental health nurse can provide care either independently or together with a medical specialist and other members of the health services. Many clinics and practices first ask the client to visit a mental health nurse, where the history of the patient's illness is documented and, if necessary, the patient is referred to a psychiatrist and/or psychologist.
A clinical psychologist is a specialist with psychological training and profession whose task and competence is to assess, treat, and relieve symptoms of various mental health disorders. As a rule, a referral is necessary, but if you pay for the service yourself, you can apply without a referral. A psychologist does not diagnose or prescribe medication. Find a psychologist: https://lahendus.net/database.
A psychologist-counselor does not deal with the treatment of mental disorders but with various life concerns and problems. The goal is to improve people's well-being, relieve tensions, solve crises and problems, conflicts between people and groups, and support people in achieving their goals. The psychologist also recognizes a clinical disorder and, if necessary, refers the person to therapy.
A psychotherapist is a specialist who has undergone therapy training (for example, cognitive-behavioral therapy, family therapy, creative therapy, etc.) whose task is to work together with the client in a purposeful and systematic way to eliminate psychological problems. Therapy is conducted in structured meetings between the therapist and the client.
A pastoral counselor keeper is a theologically trained helper, bound to silence and confidentiality, trained to help people who are sick, in crisis, or dying. A pastoral counselor can be approached if there is concern about one's own illness or the illness of a loved one, emotional support is needed, existential or spiritual questions arise, and when it comes to grief or support for the deceased and their loved ones.
A peer counselor is a person who has experienced a trauma, illness, or other life event that left a deep mark, who has recovered from the experience, made sense of their story, and completed peer counselor training. A peer counselor can support, advise, and motivate a person with a similar experience. For more information: https://www.kogemuskoda.ee/ ja https://www.facebook.com/kogemuskoda
Contact the local government if you have concerns about a child and a family in need of help, transportation, housing, food assistance to the elderly/people with special needs, or coping with everyday life, including caregiving and household chores, or other questions related to social services or supports. Contacts of municipalities.