Quick answers to common questions about reaching help fast.
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7 questions
What number should I call if I'm in crisis right now?
In the US and Canada, call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. In the UK, call Samaritans on 116 123. In the EU, call 112. Elsewhere, use findahelpline.com to find a free, confidential 24/7 helpline near you.
Are these crisis hotlines free and confidential?
Yes. Every hotline listed on this page is free to call or text, staffed 24/7 by trained counselors, and confidential. Your carrier may still show the number on your bill, but the conversation itself is private.
What should I do if someone I love is in crisis?
Stay with them, remove access to means of harm, and call a crisis line together — many will speak with a concerned friend or family member. If there is immediate danger, call your local emergency number (911, 112, or 999).
What if I'm in an unsafe relationship rather than suicidal crisis?
Use the Unsafe relationships & abuse section above. Domestic-violence hotlines are trained for coercive control, emotional abuse, and safety planning — you don't need to be in physical danger to call.
Can I text instead of calling?
Yes. 988 (US/Canada) accepts texts. Crisis Text Line works by texting HOME to 741741 in the US, 686868 in Canada, and 85258 in the UK. Many international lines offer web chat via findahelpline.com.
Is The Reflection Method a substitute for professional help?
No. This app is a self-reflection framework — it is not therapy, diagnosis, or emergency care. If you are in crisis or considering harm, contact a hotline above or a licensed mental-health provider.
Does this page store my location or region?
Only if you choose to save it. Region and ZIP/city stay in your browser's local storage on your device — nothing is sent to a server. You can clear it any time with the Clear saved location button.
Step 1 of 7 · Arrive
You're here. That's the first step. — step 1 of 7
Step 1 of 7: You're here. That's the first step.. This is a private, in-app grounding flow. Nothing you tap is sent anywhere. Go at your own pace — you can stop anytime.
Keyboard shortcuts: press Left and Right arrow keys to move between steps, Home for the first step, End for the last step.
Captions mirror the spoken step intros and breathing cues.
This is a private, in-app grounding flow. Nothing you tap is sent anywhere. Go at your own pace — you can stop anytime.
0 of 3 prompts marked done.
Interactive grounding — nothing you tap is stored or sent anywhere.
Printable emergency coping checklist
A one-sheet version of these steps with tick boxes, space to write, and your region's crisis contacts — print it and keep it somewhere you can reach without a phone.
Two minutes
Find the shape of your plan
Ten statements about how you carry other people. There are no right answers and this is not a diagnosis — it just decides which practices belong at the top of your coping plan.
Saved on this device only. Nothing is uploaded.
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For empaths
Build a coping plan you can take with you
If you read other people's states before your own, generic self-care advice tends to slide off. Tick what is true for you, add a note, and download a one-page plan — depletion signals, scripts, a recovery routine, and the crisis contacts for your region.
Saved on this device only. Nothing is uploaded.
My depletion signals
Empathic people usually notice other people's states long before their own. These are the early readings that say you are running on empty — tick the ones that are true for you.
Separating their feeling from mine
Absorbing an emotion is not the same as being responsible for it. These are short practices for putting the feeling back where it started.
Scripts I can actually say
Boundaries fail when they need a speech. Keep them short, warm, and repeatable — you should be able to say the same sentence twice without escalating.
My recovery routine
Recovery for empathic people is mostly about returning to your own body and your own tempo. Pick the few that actually work for you rather than all of them.
My support map
Empathic people tend to be everyone's first call and nobody's. Decide in advance who you contact, before you need to decide it while depleted.
Educational, not therapy or diagnosis. If you feel unsafe, use the crisis contacts above.
The Reflection Method is a self-reflection framework, not a clinical or diagnostic tool. Please seek support from a licensed mental-health provider whenever you need it.
Related resources
When you're safe and ready, these guides help with what comes next.