Holistic mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing support. Includes a private self-check-in, crisis hotlines, and a peer support guide for community workers.
Wellbeing is not just the absence of illness. It is feeling safe, connected, and hopeful. After years of conflict, displacement, and loss, it is natural to carry grief and stress. Healing does not mean forgetting — it means finding ways to live with what has happened while building a life of meaning and dignity.
A step-by-step guide for supporting someone in distress
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call Sumithrayo. They provide confidential emotional support for anyone feeling distressed, overwhelmed, or suicidal. The line is open 24 hours, 7 days a week. You do not need to give your name. Calls are free from landlines. Available in Sinhala, Tamil, and English.
Dial 1926 for the government mental health helpline operated by the Ministry of Health. Available during office hours (8am–4pm, Monday–Friday). Provides referrals to government mental health services, counselling, and information about treatment options. Tamil-speaking counsellors available.
The Child and Women Crisis Centre (CCC) helpline provides support for women and children experiencing domestic violence, abuse, or exploitation. Call 1938. Operated by the National Child Protection Authority. Confidential and available in Tamil, Sinhala, and English.
Shanthiham is the leading psychosocial support organisation in the Northern Province. Services include individual counselling, group therapy, community-based support programmes, trauma recovery workshops, and training for community health workers. They work in Tamil and serve all districts of the Northern Province. Walk-ins welcome at the Jaffna office. No referral needed for initial consultation.
FRC provides psychosocial support, counselling, and rehabilitation services to survivors of torture, conflict-related trauma, and their families. Operates in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. Services include individual therapy, family counselling, livelihood support, and legal assistance. All services in Tamil. Referrals from community workers accepted.
Community-based psychosocial support in the Eastern Province. Provides counselling in Tamil for individuals, couples, and families. Specialises in grief support, post-conflict adjustment, and supporting families of the missing and disappeared. Also runs women's support groups and children's therapy programmes. No fees charged.
Sri Lanka's primary psychiatric hospital providing inpatient treatment, outpatient clinics, and community mental health services. Referrals from regional hospitals or MOH offices. Tamil-speaking psychiatrists available. For severe mental health conditions requiring specialist care. Nearest to Northern/Eastern residents via referral from Jaffna or Batticaloa Teaching Hospitals.
Viluthu works with war-affected communities in the North and East, focusing on women's wellbeing, community organising, and psychosocial support. They run women's circles, peer support training, and community dialogue programmes. Strong Tamil-language presence. They also support families of the forcibly disappeared through group therapy and advocacy.