About Mental Health Croydon

Why this directory exists

I built this directory because I know what it's like to need help and have no idea where to start.

In my early twenties, I experienced an acute mental health crisis. Back then, in the mid 2000s, the internet as we know it didn't exist. There was no Google Maps showing crisis services near you, no NHS website with clear pathways, no directory like this one. You relied on whatever your GP happened to know, or what someone at A&E might mention if you were lucky.

But here's what I've learned since becoming a therapist: even now, with all the information theoretically available, it's still incredibly difficult to find the right support.

The services exist. Croydon has brilliant NHS teams, committed charities, crisis lines that save lives. But they're scattered across different websites, hidden behind acronyms and old names (IAPT, SPA, CMHT — none of which mean anything if you're just trying to find help), structured around administrative categories that make sense to commissioners but not to someone who's struggling.

If you're in crisis at 2am, you don't search for “Primary Care Mental Health Support Service.” You search for “I can't cope” or “help me please.”

That gap between how services are organised and how people actually need them is what this directory tries to bridge.

What this directory does differently

Human language, not clinical jargon
Services are described the way someone in distress would search for them. Crisis support. Help with anxiety. Youth mental health. Not coded administrative terms.

Verified, current information
Every listing is regularly checked for accuracy. I do my best to keep phone numbers and opening hours current. This matters when you're already struggling. You shouldn't have to navigate dead links and outdated referral pathways.

Free and low-cost services only
This isn't a marketplace. It's a public resource focused exclusively on NHS, charity, and community support that's accessible regardless of your financial situation.

Maintained by someone who understands the landscape
I'm a psychodynamic therapist who's worked in this field for over a decade. I know these services because I work alongside them, refer to them, and understand how they fit together. But more importantly, I've been the person searching for them.

Who I am

I'm Luke Row, a BACP-registered psychodynamic therapist (membership 197852) with a practice in Croydon. I've been doing this work for over ten years, trained at University of Greenwich, and I'm currently completing advanced couples therapy training at Tavistock Relationships.

My own acute mental health crisis in my twenties taught me more about what people actually need from mental health support than any textbook could. That experience of not knowing where to turn, of slowly finding my way through, is what drives this project.

I maintain this directory alongside my private practice because access to information shouldn't be a barrier to getting help. If you're struggling, you shouldn't have to decode the mental health system whilst also managing a crisis.

You can read more about my therapeutic work at talktoluke.com.

What this isn't

This directory focuses exclusively on free and low-cost NHS and charity services. I don't list my own private practice here because this resource is about making sure people can access the support they need regardless of their financial situation.

Most people don't need long-term private therapy. They need to know that Shout is free and available 24/7, that Croydon Talking Therapies accepts self-referrals, that there are forest bathing sessions in Coombe Woods if that's what helps.

If you're specifically looking for private psychotherapy with me, you can find information at talktoluke.com. But the heart of this project is pointing people towards accessible support first.

A note on accuracy

Mental health services change. Numbers update, eligibility shifts, new services launch. I verify information regularly, but if you spot something that's outdated or incorrect, please let me know at hello@talktoluke.com.

This resource is only useful if it's accurate.

Using this directory

You can search by service name, browse by category, or start with the “Help With” pages if you're not sure what you're looking for. Every listing includes how to access the service, who it's for, and what to expect.

If you're in immediate crisis, go straight to the Crisis Support page.