The Nook – a free, walk-in mental health support hub – opened its doors in Marischal Square in June, making quality, non-clinical mental health support easily available to people in Aberdeen and beyond.
Created and run by SAMH (Scottish Action for Mental Health), anyone will be able to drop in to The Nook for barrier-free mental health and wellbeing support, seven days a week.
There is no waiting list, no cost, and no need for a referral or appointment.
The Nook is designed to be flexible, so it offers a range of support options including one-to-one sessions with a practitioner, talking therapies and group events.
It will also be accompanied by an extensive outreach programme in surrounding communities, helping even more people to access support.
Eilidh Hunter, 22, from Alford, a mental health campaigner who sits on the SAMH Young People’s Panel, said: “It can be really hard to seek help if you’re struggling, and when you do you might face barriers like waiting lists and confusing systems. With The Nook, you can walk in when you feel ready and someone will be there to help you there and then.
“My friends and I talk about our wellbeing and how we’re doing quite a lot, but I think people our age will really benefit from having somewhere like that we can go to easily access proper support.
“There’s so much information about mental health out there but actually this can be quite overwhelming and difficult to navigate. The Nook allows you to chat to someone face to face and you can even come in with friends or family. It also provides help to people supporting a loved one with poor mental health, which I think will be so important for people across the North-east.”
Felicitas Fischer, The Nook’s Service Manager, said: “The Nook is your place for mental health support. Our door is open seven days a week and you can drop in to suit you – there’s no need to book and no waiting lists.
“Please come and see us if you are looking for support, going through a tough time, supporting someone else, or if you just have questions and are looking for information about mental health and wellbeing.
“When you pop in, you’ll be greeted by a friendly face who can chat about the range of options we offer, so you can find what suits you best. Our door is open!”
The Nook will offer walk-in support daily from 10am to 4pm, including weekends, with additional bookable evening sessions planned over time.
