Free self-help resources for stress
Stress is a normal reaction to pressure. It becomes a problem when it does not switch off, or when it starts to affect your sleep, your body or how you treat the people around you.
The best place to start for most people is the WHO guide Doing What Matters in Times of Stress. It is short and illustrated, it comes with audio exercises, and it is available in dozens of languages, which makes it especially useful if you live abroad or want to share it with family. It is based on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), an approach with a growing research base.
Below it you will find NHS guides, a free online course, printable worksheets and pages in German and Dutch. A few entries, such as the WHO group course, are designed to be run by a trained helper, but they are still worth reading.
Self-help works best when it is small and regular: a few minutes a day.
If stress has turned into constant exhaustion, panic, very low mood or thoughts of harming yourself, please see a GP rather than pushing on alone.
Doing What Matters in Times of Stress
World Health Organization · Guide · ACT · English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Ukrainian, Turkish, Arabic, Farsi, Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Chinese
An illustrated guide that teaches five practical skills for coping with stress in a few minutes a day, such as grounding yourself and noticing difficult thoughts without getting caught by them. Audio exercises go with it, and the WHO page links translations into dozens of languages.
Field-tested by the WHO and the most widely translated free stress guide we know of.
For: Any adult under stress, wherever they live · CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO
Self-Help Plus (SH+)
World Health Organization · Course · ACT · English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish, Ukrainian, Arabic, Chinese, Amharic, Swahili
A five-session group stress course run by trained facilitators, built around the Doing What Matters guide and pre-recorded audio. The facilitator manual and session audio are free to download in several languages.
The WHO reports that it reduces distress in trials; the audio sessions are useful alongside the illustrated guide.
For: Community groups, and individuals who want the audio sessions · CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO
Problem Management Plus (PM+)
World Health Organization · Handbook · CBT · English, Dutch, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Ukrainian, Turkish, Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, Chinese
A manual for a short, one-to-one programme for adults in communities facing hardship. It is meant to be delivered by a trained helper, but the core skills, such as managing stress, solving practical problems and getting back to activities, are explained clearly enough to learn from.
A WHO intervention with trial evidence, available in many languages including Dutch.
For: Trained helpers, and readers curious about structured problem-solving · CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO
Dealing with stress (Every Mind Matters)
NHS England · Website · mixed · English
A short NHS page on the signs and causes of stress, with tips, a breathing video and a quiz that builds a personal action plan. It also explains where to get more support.
Trustworthy and quick to read.
For: Anyone wanting quick, practical tips · Free to read online; copyright NHS England.
Breathing exercises for stress
NHS England · Guide · mixed · English
Step-by-step instructions for a short calming breathing exercise you can do sitting, standing or lying down. It takes a few minutes and needs no equipment.
A simple, well-explained technique from the NHS.
For: Anyone who wants one simple calming exercise · Free to read online; copyright NHS England.
Stress guide (CNTW)
Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust · Guide · CBT · English, British Sign Language
A booklet on stress written by NHS clinical psychologists. You can download it as a leaflet, an easy read version or audio, and there is a BSL video.
Short, practical and available in accessible formats.
For: Adults who want a short booklet or audio version · Free to download; printed copies are sold to support the Trust's charity.
Stress management online course (THIS WAY UP)
THIS WAY UP, St Vincent's Hospital Sydney · Course · CBT · English · needs an account
A self-paced online course in four modules, with story-based lessons, exercises and action plans. You need to create an account, and there is no clinical support when you enrol on your own.
Run by a hospital-based clinical research unit, and free for self-help users.
For: Adults who feel overwhelmed by pressure and want a guided course · Free to use; copyright St Vincent's Hospital Sydney.
Problem solving self-help guide
NHS inform (NHS 24, Scotland) · Guide · CBT · English
A step-by-step method for breaking a problem down, listing options and trying one out. Helpful when stress comes from things you can partly change.
Structured problem-solving is a core, evidence-based CBT skill.
For: People whose stress comes from practical problems that feel stuck · Free to read online; copyright NHS 24.
Stress self-help pages
Get Self Help (Carol Vivyan, CBT therapist) · Worksheet · CBT · English
Free worksheets and information sheets on stress, including relaxation and problem-solving tools. Good for picking one technique to try this week.
A clinician-made library used by many NHS therapists.
For: People who like printable tools · Free for personal use and use in therapy; not to be reproduced elsewhere.
Stress management worksheets
Therapist Aid · Worksheet · mixed · English, Spanish
Printable worksheets on stress, such as spotting your stress signs and planning coping strategies. Some have Spanish versions.
Clearly designed tools made by clinicians.
For: People working on stress alone or with a counsellor · Standard PDFs free to download; copyright Therapist Aid LLC. A paid professional plan adds fillable versions.
Stress und Erholung
Gesundheitsportal, Austrian Federal Ministry of Health · Website · mixed · German
Austria's public health portal on stress and recovery. Linked pages explain what stress is and teach mindfulness and progressive muscle relaxation.
Official public information in German, with practical relaxation instructions.
For: German speakers, especially in Austria · Free to read online; copyright of the publisher.
Stress: hoe maak je dat minder?
Thuisarts.nl (Dutch College of General Practitioners) · Website · psychoeducation · Dutch
Short Dutch pages with practical advice on reducing stress. A linked page covers being overstretched (overspannen) and how to recover.
Based on the guidelines Dutch GPs use.
For: Dutch speakers, and expats in the Netherlands who read Dutch · Free to read online; copyright Thuisarts.nl.
Regulation of Stress (Psychology 2e, section 14.4)
OpenStax, Rice University · Book · psychoeducation · English
A free textbook section on how people cope with stress and what research says about relaxation, exercise and social support. Background reading rather than a programme.
Peer-reviewed open textbook from a university publisher.
For: Readers who want the science of coping · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Questions people ask
What is the WHO stress guide and who is it for?
Doing What Matters in Times of Stress is a free illustrated guide from the World Health Organization. It teaches simple skills for coping with stress in a few minutes a day, and comes with audio exercises. It was written for anyone, anywhere, and is available in dozens of languages, including German, French, Spanish and Italian.
Can I use Self-Help Plus or PM+ on my own?
Both were designed to be run by trained helpers, so on your own you will miss the group or one-to-one support. The materials are still free to read, and the SH+ audio sessions work well alongside the Doing What Matters guide. If you want structured support, a counsellor or GP can help.
How long does it take for stress self-help to work?
There is no fixed timescale. Most programmes suggest practising a little every day for a few weeks before judging whether it helps. Small, regular practice tends to work better than long sessions now and then. If nothing has changed after a month or two, it may be time to get support.
When is stress a reason to see a doctor?
See a GP if stress is affecting your sleep, appetite or health for weeks at a time, if you feel constantly exhausted or panicky, or if your mood has dropped a lot. If you have thoughts of harming yourself, contact a crisis line or emergency services straight away (112 across the EU, 999 in the UK).