Coping with / advice about eating disorders Books

Book SynopsisAddiction is a stealth predator. Unrecognized, it will grow and flourish. Unchecked, it destroys.Marilea Rabasa grew up in post-WWII Massachusetts in a family that lived comfortably and offered her every advantage. But they were also haunted by closely guarded family secrets. Alcoholism reached back through several generations, and it was not openly discussed. Shame and stigma perpetuated the silence. And Marilea became part of this ongoing tragedy.From an unhappy childhood to a life overseas in the diplomatic service to now, living on an island in Puget Sound, Stepping Stones chronicles Marilea’s experiences, weaving a compelling tale of travel, motherhood, addiction, and heartbreaking loss. The constant thread throughout this story is the many faces and forms of addiction, phantoms that stalk her like an obsessed lover. What, if anything, will free her of the masks she has worn all her life? An inspiring, poignant recovery story, Stepping Stones tells how Marilea took on the demons that plagued her all her life—and defeated them.Trade Review2021 eLit Book Awards Silver Medalist in Women's Issues2021 15th Annual National Indie Excellence Awards Finalist in Addiction & Recovery2021 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist in Memoirs (Personal Struggle/Health Issues)2020 Best Book Awards Winner in Health: Addiction & Recovery2020 International Book Awards Finalist in Health: Addiction & Recovery2020 CIBA Journey Book Awards Semi-Finalist“An inherently fascinating and ultimately inspiring read from beginning to end.”—Midwest Book Review“The memoir is written in beautiful prose with insightful passages on life, suffering, inner freedom, and personal transformation. . . . I particularly enjoyed the honesty with which Marilea shares her story, pulling readers in with her strong, unwavering voice and exploring human nature and relationships with skill and mastery.”—Readers’ Favorite“This memoir, searingly honest in its description of substance use disorder, captures the cunning and relentless nature of the disease. Marilea says herself toward the end of her story, ‘Hell was not arriving at the road to recovery sooner,’ and one marvels as she points the way, after a lifetime of searching, toward reaching it.”—Marueen Cavanagh, MPS, MED, founder and president of Magnolia New Beginnings and author of If You Love Me: A Mother’s Journey Through Her Daughter’s Opioid Addiction“Stepping Stones is an authentic glimpse into the life of a woman afflicted with multiple addictions. With stunning candor, Marilea describes the toxic and ruthless nature of this disorder as it escalates over much of her lifetime. I admire this author’s courage in telling her painful story so eloquently.”—Kathleen Pooler, author of Ever Faithful to His Lead and Just the Way He Walked“Marilea Rabasa’s memoir will prove to be an eye-opener for many; and those who have known addiction may recognize its horrible descent into emotional and physical slavery. Read this book to meet a hero in search of her golden grail.”—Denis Ledoux, memoirist and director of The Memoir Network“Marilea’s journey weaves together critical pieces of her life; memories of heartbreak and triumph. This book offers compassion and understanding to every generation, reminding us to never give up hope!”—Judy Herzanek, Director of Creative Development and Marketing, Changing Lives Foundation, and coauthor of Why Don’t They JUST QUIT?: Hope for Families Struggling with Addiction

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Book SynopsisLeverage helps women who know that their binge eating must come to an end put a plan in motion to end it once and for all. Leverage dives into the frustration and complication that binge eating can create in daily life. Linda Vang outlines the tools and daily routines that are essential to breaking the habit of binge eating. Most importantly, she teaches women how to make an impact in the way they think, the choices they make, and the success that will follow. In Leverage, women learn: How to get themselves out of the endless cycle of binge eating How to stop giving into temptations and cravings How to get to a place where they don’t have to feel guilty for eating after every meal Why binge eating can constantly cause them to feel worn out and drained out Why they can’t seem to stay motivated and focused Why God doesn’t seem to hear them when willpower just isn’t enough

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Book SynopsisNine years old. That's the average age when a girl puts on her "invisible corset," knowing that going forward, her value is inextricably tied to her appearance. According to author Lauren Geertsen, the invisible corset is a set of culturally inherited beliefs that make women feel insecure and anxious in their own bodies. "Women discarded their whalebone corsets in the early twentieth century," she writes, "But there remained in place an invisible corset, just as limiting and uncomfortable, with its strings left in the hands of culture to tighten as it pleases." Geertsen teaches that the purpose of the invisible corset was always to keep women trapped: while society once limited women's freedom by saying their place was in the home, it now restricts women with the message that their place is in a beautiful body. By unraveling the false narratives that keep these invisible corsets in place, Geertsen helps women shift from controlling their bodies as burdens to trusting their bodies as lifelong partners. Unlike other body positivity books, The Invisible Corset isn't about celebrating your wrinkles or loving your butt-it's about freeing yourself from a culture that puts so much emphasis on them in the first place. As the corsets come off, women will reclaim their time, money, and confidence so they can courageously do the work their souls came to do.

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Book SynopsisAn innovative and customisable n 8-week plan to help you take control of your eating habits-once and for all.Do you feel like your eating gets out of control? When it comes to food, does it feel like your life is controlled by cycles of deprivation and bingeing? Whether or not you've been formally diagnosed with a binge-eating disorder, you know that something needs to change. But like many disorders, what helps one person may not help another. That's why The Binge Eating Prevention Workbook offers a wide range of evidence-based tools to help you take charge of your eating habits. Using the eight-week protocol in this workbook, you'll learn how to recognise your triggers, cope with difficult emotions, improve relationships, and make healthy food choices that will ultimately improve how you feel. You'll learn to understand the underlying causes of your binge eating, how to recognise binge-inducing environmental factors, why dieting just doesn't work, and mindfulness techniques to help you stay present when the urge to binge takes hold.If you're ready to break the shame-filled cycle of binge eating, this workbook has everything you need to get started today.

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Book SynopsisBased on the popular anti-diet program, Intuitive Eating, this guided companion will help you pay attention to your body’s natural hunger cues, and develop a healthier relationship with food. Do you use food to comfort yourself during stressful times? Do you deny yourself the pleasure of eating because it causes you to feel guilt or shame? You aren’t alone. Many people today have a complicated and difficult relationship with food. But there is a way to change. Intuitive Eating is a comprehensive, evidence-based program to help you pay attention to your natural cues of hunger and satisfaction, and cultivate a profound connection with your mind and body. This illustrated journal will give you all the tools you need for eating intuitively, and will show you that you are the expert of your own body. You’ll also discover ways to distinguish between physical and emotional feelings, and make peace with food—so that you no longer have constant ‘food worry’ thoughts. Most importantly, you’ll find powerful writing prompts to help you explore yourself as a whole person—regardless of what you eat. Now is the time to move beyond diet mentality, honor your hunger, and make peace with food—and yourself. This journal will help guide the way.

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Book SynopsisSavor your food, soothe difficult emotions, and enjoy every moment with powerful mindfulness practices! Do you turn to food when you’re feeling bored, depressed, or anxious? Do you judge your body for not fitting into some ideal shape or size? If so, you aren’t alone. Diet culture has sabotaged our relationship with food and our bodies. As a result, many of us are confused—attaching shame to our food choices and judging our bodies. It’s time to break free! Savor Every Bite offers powerful mindfulness and compassion practices for soothing difficult emotions and cultivating positive coping strategies. From psychologist and mindful eating expert Lynn Rossy, this book provides daily tips and tools for whole-body healing—including how to eat mindfully, move your body in ways that feel delicious, and live with greater ease and joy. With this guide, you’ll learn mindfulness skills to help you navigate the difficulties of daily life and cultivate a lasting sense of calm, clarity, and profound happiness. It’s time to start savoring your life!

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Book SynopsisA groundbreaking workbook to help you develop healthy coping strategies, build a solid support network, and stay on the path to recovery.If you’ve been in therapy for an eating disorder, such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia, your past treatment may have focused on helping you control your emotions and contain your behaviors. However, research now shows that many people with eating disorders actually suffer from emotional overcontrol. Based on more than twenty years of research, this breakthrough workbook offers skills based in radically open dialectical behavior therapy (RO DBT), a proven-effective, transdiagnostic approach for treating disorders of overcontrol (OC).With this compassionate workbook, you’ll learn how to move beyond the unhealthy coping strategies that keep you feeling isolated and lonely, find tips for building a solid support network and enriching social connections, and develop your own personalized plan for staying on the path to recovery. You’ll also find assessments to help you determine the root cause of your OC disorder, exercises for increasing social engagement, and skills for improving social flexibility, trust, and intimacy.Having an eating disorder can make you feel like you’re alone in the world. Even if you’re in recovery, you may have days when feelings of isolation are too much, and you may feel tempted to fall back into unhealthy patterns of eating or restrictive eating. This workbook will help you build your own “treatment tribe,” a group of people that help lift you up and support you as you find your way to a full recovery and a rich, meaningful life.

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Book SynopsisFor anyone who struggles with food, eating, and body image, Intuitive Eating for Life presents easy and effective mindfulness skills to enhance, sustain, and deepen your intuitive eating practice!Intuitive eating is a great way to get off the diet roller coaster, stay healthy, build confidence in your body, and take the guesswork out of mealtime. But if you’re like many people, you may have trouble staying on track. Enter mindfulness! Based on the popular anti-diet book program, Intuitive Eating, renowned nutrition therapist and meditation teacher Jenna Hollenstein provides powerful mindfulness tools to help you find stability, discover self-awareness, and self-regulate—so you can respect your body and honor your health.In this step-by-step guide, you’ll learn to practice intuitive eating using the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, a classic Buddhist framework. The Four Foundations include: ·Mindfulness of body, in which you will examine how the body awareness enhances your ability to practice the principles of intuitive eating—honor your hunger, respect your fullness, and exercise. ·Mindfulness of feeling, in which you will explore the ways that mindfulness and meditation can provide stability and self-awareness, allowing you to experience the full spectrum of your emotions in real time. ·Mindfulness of mind, in which you will examine your own beliefs and misconceptions about eating and the body and respond to them with compassion ·Mindfulness of dhammas (or phenomena), in which you will learn how phenomena such as the impermanence of life can shift our focus from improving our bodies to caring for them. Using these simple and easy-to-remember foundations, you’ll discover that you can easily stay on track with your intuitive eating path, and actually improve it for better health and overall well-being. So, what are you waiting for?

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Book SynopsisThis book will teach you how to use word power rather than willpower to increase your motivation and overcome your struggles with eating and body care. It explains how self-talk ties thought to action or inaction and how what we say to ourselves is shaped—for better or worse—by our families, culture and personal history. It illustrates how unconscious, unhealthy self-talk leads to poor decision-making around eating, fitness and general self-care and how conscious, healthy self-talk promotes a positive relationship with food, body and mind.Words to Eat By details key elements of constructive, smart self-talk. You’ll learn how to distinguish trash thoughts from treasure thoughts, why external motivators don’t work long-term, and which internal motivators will fast track you to success. It includes hundreds of examples of exactly what to say and not say to yourself in challenging food situations—eating alone, with family, friends, dates and mates, at parties, restaurants and buffets—and how to get and keep your body moving. Reflective questions help you zero in on which self-talk you want to change, while case studies illustrate how other troubled eaters have transformed their self-talk and their lives.Written by a national expert, award-winning, international author and seasoned clinician who is also half-a-lifetime recovered from weight-loss dieting and binge-eating, this book introduces you to the nitty gritty of your eating and self-care problems and teaches you how to speak to yourself with the love, compassion, encouragement and hope needed to jump start or sustain your recovery.Trade Review“Words to Eat By is transformative! It guides the reader toward conscious and compassionate self-talk, on a journey toward trusting their wise inner voice, rather than the internalized voice of diet culture. The result—a positive and happy relationship with food and body.” –Elyse Resch, MS, RDN, CEDRD-S, FAND, Co-author of Intuitive Eating and The Intuitive Eating Workbook, Author of The Intuitive Eating Workbook for Teens and The Intuitive Eating Journal—Your Guided Journey for Nourishing a Healthy Relationship with Food "Words to Eat By helps us illuminate all of the ways that we harm ourselves with our thoughts and then gently guides us to transform those thoughts into caring, compassionate words of wisdom and guidance. The ultimate guide to self-talk that creates peace with your food and your body." —Lynn Rossy, Ph.D., Author of The Mindfulness-Based Eating Solution and Savor Every Bite: Mindful Ways to Eat, Love Your Body, and Live with Joy “Karen Koenig’s Words to Eat By is a compassionate, straight-talking, and quietly inspirational guide to understanding how a person at any age can, via coaching and practice, learn, to eat, move, think, feel, and be in ways that embody mindfulness, self-caring, self-nourishment, and reasonable health. If you are willing to accept even the possibility of an upward spiral of constructive, nourishing, realistic self-talk—followed by self-compassion and pride in one’s progress as eating and self-caring become healthier—followed by energy, hope, and commitment, then Words to Eat By offers the authoritative wisdom and specific guidelines you can immediately put into practice.” —Michael P. Levine, Emeritus Professor of Psychology, Kenyon College; Fellow, Academy for Eating Disorders

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Book SynopsisLearn Self Love with this Brave Girls Self-Esteem GuideThis Isn’t Brave is a guide packed with beautiful illustrations and powerful words empowering you towards full self-acceptance. Your body is yours, so choose today to love your body!Love your body today with curated art. This isn’t Brave is packed with curated art pages featuring a diverse set of beautiful girls from all walks of life. As you gaze upon the unique beauty of each woman, you’ll learn how to accept what makes you unique as well. Instagram girls could never!Learn how to care and love your body. Being a real woman with a real body is hard so prepare your mind and heart with this self-esteem guide. Learn about hormonal changes, sexual reproduction, and radical feminism. Self acceptance is right around the corner; this is the perfect gift for brave girls learning body positivity! Inside, you’ll find: Unique and empowering ways to love your body Delicately curated art embodying all types of brave girls A brave girls guide to radical self-acceptance and body positivity If you like promoting female artists or liked books like A Body to Love, Women Don’t Owe You Pretty, or Body Talk, you’ll love This Isn’t Brave.

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Book SynopsisFinalist, Dorothy Livesay Poetry PrizeIn this powerful, intimate collection, a young woman travels between Paris and New York to pursue a career in modelling. Alternating between the world of fashion, where “it’s no longer enough / that the sample size fits,” and the eponymous Program, a place to “discover / what’s underneath,” Jones’s debut collection pulls the reader deep into the realms of psychiatric care and romantic relationships and probes a long tradition of female suffering.Taking inspiration from New York school poets such as Frank O’Hara, Jones employs an unadorned and at times funny narrative style that also calls to mind the work of Sheila Heti and Sally Rooney. Summoning images from the worlds of fashion, art, and therapy, and exploring the allure of pain and of suffering, The Program is a compelling debut about how we are seen, and how we see ourselves.Trade Review“I adore this book, its narrative, its voice, its struggle. Jones tells a familiar story of the body being used, with some complicity and ambition on the part of the body’s owner, but as the poems go on, the divide between the body and the voice grows. The craft and care of the poems returns to the thoughts now, and the thoughts then, even as it unspools its speaker’s glamorous and unglamorous travels. The Program attains a different beauty, more enduring than a photo shoot.” -- Ed Skoog, author of Travellers Leaving the City“The Program has a cutting, deceptively breezy sincerity, like the wind full of needles. With a crafted effortlessness, Jones pins down the grotesquely gendered experience of being seen and acted upon as a beautiful object in the world. These poems not only probe the meaning of being (or being used as) a model, but they also transform the noun into a verb — refashioning the narrative around sickness, pain, healing, and survival while letting girls keep their imperfect, messy humanity.” -- Domenica Martinello, author of All Day I Dream about Sirens

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Book SynopsisAre you one of the millions of people suffering from Binge Eating Disorder? Are you caught in the trap of binge eating, emotional eating, mindless eating, and diet obsession? This book will help you to stop binge eating right now. You will heal the underlying issues that lead to your binge eating when you implement this complete mind, body and spirit approach to healing. It will help you to become the person who you know you are while gently guiding you away from the tyranny of food and body obsession, diets, binge eating and scales. You will come to a place of freedom and peace around food and your body so that you can enjoy your life. You will be able to breathe with ease and settle in to a place of normalcy around food and your body. Reclaiming Yourself from Binge Eating uses a new approach to treating binge eating that does not include dieting, deprivation, willpower, or any kind of self-criticism. These easy steps to becoming a normal eater are thought provoking, action oriented and enjoyable. Recovery from the torment of food and negative body image is within reach.Trade ReviewLeora Fulvio takes the mystery out of binge eating in her wonderful new book. Reclaiming Yourself from Binge Eating is readable, engaging and eye opening. Ms. Fulvio obviously cares about people who binge eat and knows how to help them stop, heal and reclaim person hood through health and freedom. I highly recommend this book. --Joanna Poppink, MFT Los Angeles Psychotherapist

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Book SynopsisSince the first edition of Hope with Eating Disorders was published in 2012, eating disorders have become more widely recognised and treatments have progressed, as have attitudes to this most dangerous of mental health problems. In this second edition, which maintains Lynn Crilly's warm, non-judgemental, family-friendly approach, the more recently recognised eating disorders have been included, the range of treatment options - both mainstream and alternative - has been fully reviewed and revised, and the impact of social and technological change has been fully accommodated, with the role of social media for good and ill to the fore. New case histories highlight key issues, and throughout all references to research and stats have been reviewed and updated. Men's eating disorders are now addressed by contributing author Dr Russell Delderfield. Since originally writing Hope with Eating Disorders, Lynn has experienced seven years of counselling practice and seven years of her own daughter's recovery from an eating disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder, underpinning her realistic insight into what recovery actually is and means. Hope with Eating Disorders is a practical, supportive guide for anyone helping someone with an eating disorder be they a family member, teacher, sports coach, workplace colleague or friend.Table of ContentsWhat is an Eating Disorder? Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and over eating; Other eating disorders; Recognising an eating disorder and seeking treatment; A guide to therapies; Eating disorders and well-being; Eating disorders and other mental illnesses; Eating disorders in men - by Dr Russell Delderfield; Eating disorders in relationships and the home; Eating disorders in education and the workplace; Eating disorders in exercise and sport; Eating disorders and the media; Conclusion: including `what is recovery?' and `from me to you'; Resources

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Book SynopsisDepression affects more than 300 million people worldwide from all walks of life, and can be a completely debilitating and isolating mental illness. Lynn Crilly speaks from personal and professional experience, having suffered depression herself, and provides much needed positive, practical answers, illustrated with observations and anecdotes from carers and sufferers themselves, Hope with Depression explains the many varieties of depression, how to spot them and the possible causes and drivers, and gives a balanced guide to available treatments - both mainstream and `alternative' - in the context of what has worked in Lynn's experience. This is a practical, supportive guide for anyone with this condition or helping someone with depression, be they a family member, teacher, sports coach, workplace colleague or friend. It recognises that each person's illness and recovery will differ and having detailed knowledge and a full toolkit of treatment options is the way to empower each individual with hope for recovery.Table of ContentsWhat is depression? - Types of depression - Recognising depression and seeking treatment - A guide to therapies - Depression and wellbeing - Depression and other illnesses - Depression and the risk of suicide - Depression in the under 25s- Depression in the home - Depression in the workplace - Depression and the online world - What is recovery?

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Book SynopsisFrom her own experience of mental illness and what she has learned from friends and family, and extensive research, Samantha Crilly shares a collection of more than 50 inspirational poems that give an honest and relatable insight into what it means to have a mental illness and what causes and triggers may lie behind it. Some are light-hearted and humorous, others go very deep, but all shed new light and have a positive ending for the reader. If you have a mental health issue, Samantha's insightful poems are there as comforting companions. For families and carers of sufferers, these poems bring fresh understanding of what your loved one is battling. Through Samantha's experience of recovery they also bring acceptance, strength and Hope.Table of ContentsOver 50 poems relating to mental health and the experience of living with: depression, suicide, OCD, anxiety, eating disorders, body dysmorphia, postnatal depression, self-harm. They also look at the effect of mental illness on relationships and include the themes of: it's okay not to be okay; self-esteem; building acceptance towards one another; the pressures to conform; power; energy; humour; the need to live sustainably emotionally as well as physically.

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Book Synopsis'A powerful, poignant tale of dieting and despair.' The Times'A moving, brutally honest memoir about what it feels like to be fat-shamed.' Mail on Sunday_______________At sixty-four, Jenni Murray's weight had become a disability. She avoided the scales, she wore a uniform of baggy black clothes, refused to make connections between her weight and health issues and told herself that she was fat and happy. She was certainly fat. But the happy part was an Oscar-worthy performance. In private she lived with a growing sense of fear and misery that her weight would probably kill her before she made it to seventy. Interwoven with the science, social history and psychology of weight management, Fat Cow, Fat Chance is a refreshingly honest account of what it's like to be fat when society dictates that skinny is the norm. It asks why we overeat and why, when the weight is finally lost through dieting, do we simply pile the pounds back on again? How do we help young people become comfortable with the way they look? What are the consequences of the obesity epidemic for an already overstretched NHS? And, whilst fat shaming is so often called out, why is it that shouting 'fat cow' at a woman in the street hasn't been included in the list of hate crimes?Fusing politics, science and personal pain, this is a powerful exploration of our battle with obesity._______________'Agony and confusion, humour and hope. A beautiful book.' Susie Orbach, author of Fat is a Feminist Issue'A perceptive look at health and happiness.' Sunday ExpressTrade ReviewA powerful, poignant tale of dieting and despair. * The Times *I'd put this book into every school as a warning to girls - and boys - not to waste their lives obsessing over food. * Mail on Sunday *A perceptive look at health and happiness. * Sunday Express *Jenni has a light touch when writing about hers and others struggles with eating and bodies. She does it too with the science, so that agony and confusion is mixed with humour and hope. A beautiful book. * Susie Orbach *Laudably frank. * The Big Issue *A painfully honest account of [Jenni's] lifelong battle to lose weight and an investigation into the physical and psychological causes of obesity. * Daily Mail *

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Book Synopsis'I can tell you exactly the day it all went wrong - the day my mum attacked my dad with a kitchen knife. In those few, short seconds, a black hole opened up in my life and I fell right in.' Tina McGuff's life was perfect - or so she thought. Living in Dundee with her devoted parents and three younger sisters, she was a happy, healthy and confident thirteen-year-old. But all that changed in one horrifying act of revenge and Tina's world collapsed overnight. Terrified, lost and confused, she turned to the one thing she thought she could control - food. And so began the biggest fight of her life. Tina's life-or-death struggle with anorexia is told with devastating honesty in this extraordinary account of a girl at war with herself. Through her years in and out of psychiatric wards, Tina takes us to some of the darkest places of the mind. But in the end her courage, conviction and sheer determination win out. It took Tina seconds to snap and a lifetime to recover - but today, as a passionate campaigner for mental health, she is living proof that there is always a reason to hope that one day, things will get better.Trade ReviewThis book is inspiring and empowering. Tina takes you on a journey through her darkness and into the light, offering much needed insight and hope to those on a similar path. Thank you Tina for sharing your story with such open honest and clarity. You are a gift. -- Fi Munro * Author & public speaker *This book was exactly what I needed when I needed it. It was there for me when I felt alone. It gave me hope when I thought all hope was lost. So raw, honest, and inspiring. More books like this need to be written and shared. Thank you, Tina. -- Haven Marah * Model *Mother, Grandmother, and speaker sharing the lessons she has passed on to her daughters around working hard, spreading kindness, and finding your own positivity, confidence, and beauty - I read Tina McGuff's survival story with awe. She is truly a war-survivor. A veteran in the battle against mental illness in the form of anorexia. Like many of us, her feud takes place on the battlefield of her mind against an invisible enemy who strikes with words of inadequacy, failure, and fear. In a time where we are all struggling to understand mental illness, McGuff's courageous and candid story speaks to what it is like to face down an enemy that lurks in the hidden places of your mind and destroys you from within. This timely and important story is universal. For who among us has not heard an inner-voice whisper "You're not good enough" and wondered if it wasn't true? -- Linda Graham * . *What is exceptional about this book is that it's not only a heartwarming true story and a gripping read, but that it manages to be both while providing hope for so many by helping us understand so much about the psychology of this terrible disease. -- Gary Clark * Musician *Congrats on so many things, will keep reading your harrowing yet compelling tale. My pleasure Tina - your story is shocking and affirming in equal measure and I am sure a big help to many people who find themselves in similar situations. Congrats again. -- Dom Holland * Comedian, Author and Broadcaster *What an amazing book written with such honesty - you are such a strong and inspiring lady, thank you for sharing your story, I am sure it was not easy to be so open and honest but the help and hope it will give anyone going through a tough time is so important. -- Tana Ramsay * Author and broadcaster *

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Book SynopsisToday in the UK, one in four of us are impacted by mental illness. But while awareness has increased rapidly in recent years, not enough is being done to widen our understanding of these conditions.With expert research from MQ, one of the UK's leading mental health charities, and Enigma Wellness, Your Mental Health shines a spotlight on the symptoms, triggers and treatments you need to know about.Focusing on five mental health conditions - depression, anxiety, PTSD, eating disorders and self-destructive behaviour - Your Mental Health explains the science behind these conditions with engaging graphics, figures and facts.Combined with real life experiences from figures including podcaster Gemma Styles and political strategist Alastair Campbell, this clear, accessible guide will demystify the complexities of mental health to give you a better understanding of the 'quiet crisis'.Trade ReviewFilled with expert knowledge and real-life experiences that will resonate with many readers, this book is perfect for anyone who wants to learn more about different mental health conditions. -- Gemma Styles

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Book Synopsis'Stop fighting with food and read this book!' -Arianna Huffington, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Thrive'Rewire your brain to fix bad food habits ... Brewer has helped people break out of a habit of 40 years' standing in one month.' - The Telegraph'A game-changing plan to change your relationship with food.' - Annie Grace, author of This Naked MindA proven neuroscience-based programme to heal your relationship with your body and food, from the world-renowned addiction psychiatrist and New York Times bestselling author of Unwinding Anxiety.Eat this not that, count calories, exercise more, use your willpower ... how many of these guilt-laden dieting messages make you feel bad about why it's so hard to manage what and how you eat? Based on over 20 years of clinical research and Dr Brewer's work with thousands of patients, The Hunger Habit is the kindest and most effective approach to eating that you'll ever come across. It's the antidote to food shame and dieting. Using the power of curiosity and awareness, Dr Brewer's proven step-by-step programme will help you heal your relationship with food, reset eating triggers and resolve any long-held personal issues around self-esteem, anxiety, shame, anger and stress. Dr Brewer will help you learn how to work with your brain rather than fight cravings. At the same time you will learn how to embrace setbacks and adopt an attitude of self-kindness instead of self-judgment, ultimately establishing new eating habits. The Hunger Habit is not a diet book but, like many of his clients have already discovered, once you break out of your personal food jail, you'll find a changed relationship to eating leads to a newfound freedom and a lightness that comes from an inner well-being.No matter where you are now or how hopeless you feel about yourself, stress eating, overeating, binge eating or whatever your habits are, Dr Brewer's powerful book will help.Trade ReviewStop fighting with food and read this book! * Arianna Huffington, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Thrive *A game-changing plan to change your relationship with food. Jud Brewer gets at the heart of our struggles with advice, analysis, and inspiring stories based in science but full of compassion and understanding. This is the book we need right now! * Annie Grace, Author of This Naked Mind *Judson Brewer offers a potent recipe for healing unhealthy eating habits: Blend together an understanding of how the brain works with the power of awareness itself. For the countless humans who struggle with craving, this book is filled with life-giving insights and tools! -- Tara Brach, Author of Radical Acceptance and Radical CompassionIf you're looking to heal your relationship with food, the solution rarely lies entirely in changing what you eat. Jud Brewer empowers us to let go of our unhelpful habits and trade them in for helpful, long-lasting ones using cutting-edge neuroscience, practical mindfulness, relatable stories, and real-life examples. This book isn't about restrictive diets or obsessions - it's about finding hope, empowerment, and real, lasting recovery. * Molly Carmel, author of Breaking Up With Sugar *This book takes a radically new approach to understanding overeating. It counters shame for overeating by emphasizing how our brains engage in habit formation outside of our conscious awareness. More importantly, it shows readers how to become more conscious and self-compassionate about what's happening and learn new, healthier eating habits. A significant contribution to understanding how to counter overeating. * Kristin Neff, PhD, author of Self-Compassion *We all need this book * BJ Fogg, praise for Unwinding Anxiety *This may be the only book on anxiety you may ever need * Mark Williams, praise for Unwinding Anxiety *'Rewire your brain to fix bad food habits ... Brewer has helped people break out of a habit of 40 years' standing in one month.' * The Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisFrom comfort eating and skipping meals to anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, disordered eating comes in many forms. With expert advice from an experienced psychologist, this book will help you get back on track and get the help you need. Break bad habits and replace them with better ones; understand your issues so that you can move forward; and learn to overcome your fears, love your body and discover how to enjoy food again.

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Book SynopsisThis empathetic handbook has been created for people affected by any form of disordered eating. Thoughtfully compiled by experienced authors, it will be a comprehensive guide through every stage of your recovery, from recognising and understanding your disorder and learning fully about treatment, to self-help tools and practical advice for maintaining recovery and looking to the future.Each chapter includes suggested objectives, tasks and reflections which are designed to help you think about, engage with, and express your thoughts, feelings and behaviours. It will encourage you to process the discoveries you make about yourself for positive and long-lasting change. Encouraging quotes are included throughout from people who have walked this path and found the help they needed to overcome their own disordered eating. You are not alone on this journey.Trade ReviewIt is becoming clearer that the treatment ethos that is most helpful for recovery from an eating disorder is one that includes a collaborative approach to care. This book is a wonderful compendium of resources that can be used as tools for the individual and the support team to work with a joint understanding. With helpful descriptions of the wide, eclectic variety of strategies that can be useful in fostering change, this book provides a diverse resource that can be shared in a collaborative way by patients, carers and professionals. -- Professor Janet Treasure OBE, PhD, FRCP, FRCPsych, Professor of Psychiatry at University College London and Director of the Eating Disorder Unit at the Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, and at the South London Maudsley Hospital NHS TrustThe topics and self study activities outlined in this book were invaluable in my understanding of myself, my relationship with food, and the real meaning behind my eating disorder. It was a fundamental tool to my recovery. It helped me to see my eating disorder from a different angle and gave me and my family new strategies to overcome it and to see it for what it really was. -- Sarah Sims, eating disorder survivorThe Eating Disorder Recovery Handbook successfully draws on existing evidence and best practice whilst interweaving the ideas and encouragement of those who have walked the difficult path of recovery before. Offering hope, guidance and a wide range of structured activities, this book will prove a fantastic tool both for people recovering from an eating disorder and those working hard to support them. -- Dr Pooky Knightsmith, Child & Adolescent Mental Health Specialist, and Author of Self-Harm and Eating Disorders in SchoolsThe handbook is a comprehensive and practical tool to help not just the individual suffering with an eating disorder, but also families wanting to offer support.The destructive nature of the illness frequently pulls families apart. "How did we get to this point?" is a question frequently asked. The sections and the practical ideas in the handbook address the complexity of the illness and enable parents/family members/ carers to gain a better understanding of what having an eating disorder feels like.It provides the platform for honest communication and trust to be built/rebuilt and nurtured. We all make mistakes, despite the best intentions, and there is no point anyone blaming themselves or regretting past decisions. That is wasted time and energy!Instead, the handbook provides the opportunity to reflect in a non-judgemental way and move forward together to challenge the eating disorder. -- Anonymous parentTable of ContentsForeword. Endorsements. About the Authors. About This Handbook. 1. Understanding Eating Disorders. 1.1. Hidden Meanings of an Eating Disorder. 1.2. Motivations for an Eating Disorder. 1.3. Eating Disorder Assessment and Evaluation Forms. 2. Eating Disorder Comorbidities. 2.1. Eating Disorders and Obsessive Behaviours. 2.2. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. 2.3. Ritualistic Behaviours. 2.4. Discussing Depression. 3. Identity and Eating Disorders. 3.1. Personal Identity. 3.2. Who Am I?. 3.3. Understanding Your Personality. 3.4. Feeling Worthy. 3.5. Accepting Yourself. 3.6 Assertiveness. 3.7. The Inner Child. 3.8. Challenging Body Image Distortion. 3.9. Enhancing a Positive Body Image. 4. Cognitions (Thoughts) and Eating Disorders. 4.1. Unhelpful Thinking Styles. 4.2. From Black and White Thinking to Living in Colour. 4.3. Twenty Questions to Challenge Negative Thoughts. 4.4. Positive Self-Talk. 4.5. Challenging My Eating Disorder Belief System. 5. Social Aspects of Eating Disorders. 5.1. Eating Disorders and Relationships. 5.2. Plot Your Close Relationships. 5.3. Family Roles. 5.4. Eating Disorders in the Workplace. 5.5. Positive Communication. 6. Eating Disorder Recovery - Are You Ready?. 6.1. What Might Recovery Involve?. 6.2. Readiness to Change. 6.3. The Wheel of Life. 7. Eating Disorder Treatment. 7.1. An Introduction to Counselling. 7.2. An Introduction to Cognitive Analytical Therapy (CAT). 7.3. An Introduction to Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT). 7.4. Mirror Therapy. 7.5. Art Therapy. 7.6. Animal Therapy. 7.7. Writing for Recovery. 7.8. Helpful and Unhelpful Aspects of Eating Disorder Treatment. 8. Self-Help Tools. 8.1. Mood Boards and Photo Therapy. 8.2. Problem-Solving. 8.3. Worry Time Diary. 8.4. Managing Anxiety. 8.5. Mindfulness. 8.6. Relaxation Training. 8.7. Meaningful Music. 8.8. Offering Yourself the Core Conditions. 8.9. External Validation and Self-Soothing. 8.10. Self-Help Materials. 9. Practical Advice. 9.1. The Power of Being Pragmatic. 9.2. Restarting Normal Eating. 9.3. Regular, Healthy Eating - Practical Advice. 9.4. Dietary Help for Food Addictions and Comfort Binge Eating. 9.5. Recognising Hunger. 9.6. Mindful Eating. 9.7. Exercise Balance. 9.8. Coming off Laxatives. 10. Maintaining Recovery. 10.1. Self-Sabotage. 10.2. Damage Limitation. 10.3. Relapse Prevention. 10.4. Aiding Recovery. 10.5. Inspirational Mentors. 11. Looking to the Future - Beyond Eating Disorders. 11.1. Motivation and Future Goals. 11.2. Hopes and Dreams. 11.3. New Ambitions. 11.4. Recovery Checklist. Appendices. Appendix A. Appendix B. Appendix C. Appendix D. Appendix E. Appendix F.

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Book SynopsisI Can Beat Obesity! is not just about losing weight. It is about changing your psychological mindset and finding the drive and strength to improve your health. Having recovered from disordered eating herself, Nicola Davies recognises that beating obesity is not about fad diets and yo-yoing weight, but about your psychological motivation, confidence and skills to both lose weight and prevent relapse in the long term.The workbook style exercises will help you to develop key self-help tools for overcoming obesity. Focussing on building your emotional wellbeing in areas such as self-worth, confidence and working towards goals before making changes to diet, this will be an essential companion on the path to maintaining control of your weight and recovering your health and wellbeing.Trade ReviewA refreshingly clear and well written book providing insight into the origins and causes of obesity, before taking the reader through a structured and scientifically based set of strategies for losing weight. On the way, it provides a realistic guide to healthy weight. Highly recommended. -- Dr Tony Cassidy, Professor of Child & Family Health Psychology at Ulster UniversityDr Nicola Davies has clearly understood that the key to losing weight is not only in the food we choose to eat, but also in our journey of self-discovery. This book is an excellent resource and self-help aid, and one I will find incredibly useful to use with my patients. I believe it will not only help them to understand the basic science behind obesity, but also enable them to have an insight into themselves and begin to understand the challenges they face to change their behaviour. -- Jane DeVille-Almond, SRN SCM HV, BA(Hons) PGcert, Independent Nurses Consultant and Chair of the British Obesity SocietyThere is so much conflicting information out there - "eat this, don't eat that" - Nicola's book instead focuses on the psychological barriers to change and the behaviours that have led to obesity in the first place. Helping people make even the smallest change by developing a deeper understanding of self is key to long term change. -- Geraint Thomas, personal trainer and former professional rugby playerThis is a great book which manages to combine the science of body weight and eating behaviour with extremely helpful tips on how to beat obesity, and is written in an accessible and inspiring way that should be a breath of fresh air to anyone who is struggling with their weight. -- Jane Ogden, professor in Health Psychology and author of several books on eating behaviour including The Good Parenting Food GuideI Can Beat Obesity! is a delightful book full of important information for those who want to join this journey... trigger yourself to change and believe in yourself. When you develop that cornerstone of self-confidence, your life will change, affecting every aspect of your world; your health, your success and relationships will benefit, helping you to achieve your goals. -- Konstantia Keramidaki, health and wellness consultantKudos to Dr Nicola Davies for having written an elucidative, intelligible and earnest guide for those who are considering to embark upon the journey to beat obesity. The book equips you to overcome this health hazard in an organized, hands-on fashion! -- Dr Vandana Mathur (PhD Nutrition), nutrition and lifestyle consultantI've battled with weight for years, tried numerous diets, resorting to bariatric surgery. However, for continued success, I need to understand myself. This book is inspirational, very practical and encouraging and I believe it will be a great tool in helping people understand themselves and achieve the success they seek. -- Patricia King, Accredited Counsellor / Supervisor at Patricia King Counselling ServicesNicola Davies shows us the bigger picture of obesity ... She is both a specialist and supporting companion, helping the reader prepare for change and encouraging self-reflection. -- Mateusz Banaszkiewicz, Health Psychologist, lecturer at SWPS University of Social Sciences and HumanitiesDr Nicola Davies' latest book is an excellent read for both professionals and individuals alike. The approach is balanced between evidence and practical approaches for those wanting to understand the psychology of making a positive change to behaviours. The inclusion of self-reflection in each chapter enables the reader to maintain a connection and truly engage with the process of change. -- Gil Barton MSc PgCert FRSPH FHEA, health and wellbeing specialist and founder of The Healthy Workstyle ConsultancyTable of ContentsPart 1. Introduction. 1. Understanding Obesity. Part 2. Preparing to Beat Obesity. 2. Why Beat Obesity?. 3. Beating Obesity. 4. Are You Ready?. 5. Are You Confident?. 6. What Are Your Goals?. Part 3. Beating Obesity. 7. Your Emotional Well-Being. 8. Your Cognitive Well-Being. 9. Your Social Well-Being. 10. Your Dietary Well-Being. 11. Your Physical Well-Being. Part 4. Beyond Obesity. 12. Accepting Yourself. 13. Your Future is in Your Hands.

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Book SynopsisBeating anorexia is much more than a physical process. To overcome the mental and social challenges in recovery, you will need motivation, strength and a positive new mindset. Having recovered from disordered eating herself, health psychologist Nicola Davies has developed an individual-focused plan that will help make recovery seem less overwhelming, and provide you with the skills you need to get better and stay well in the long-term.With workbook style exercises, this book will help you to identify the underlying causes of your anorexia, focusing on building your emotional wellbeing and confidence before giving tips on how you can make positive changes to your thinking and behaviour. Innovative and approachable, it will enable you to find the best way for you to recover your health and wellbeing.Trade ReviewFinding the right sort of treatment in a timely way is critical to developing an early and sustainable recovery from an eating disorder. Nicola not only speaks from her lived experience of an eating disorder, but she is also able to set this within the context of academic expertise in health psychology. This provides an authoritative and expert voice. Furthermore, the book goes beyond cognitive behavioural conceptualisations into emotional and interpersonal domains. It contains a wealth of information and thought provoking reflection for both the individual themselves and those who might want to help them on their journey. -- Janet Treasure OBE, PhD, FRCP, FRCPsych, Professor of Psychiatry at Kings College London and Director of the Eating Disorder Unit at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation TrustHere you will find self-help power tools to assist reintegration of self with body, an essential process in healing from anorexia and creating a happy, healthy and fulfilling life. Feel encouraged and excited, for, as Nicola Davies says, it is 'over to you'. -- June Alexander, author and eating disorder advocate, www.thediaryhealer.comA valuable resource ... empathic and encouraging. -- Julia Buckroyd, Emeritus Professor of Counselling at the University of Hertfordshire with over 30 years' experience working with people with eating disordersThis upbeat book is grounded in the lived experience of the author who has successfully overcome her eating disorder. It provides the reader with a range of key tools needed to beat anorexia nervosa, and it will be a valuable recovery companion to many people. -- Ulrike Schmidt, Professor of Eating Disorders, King's College LondonTable of ContentsAcknowledgement. Disclaimers. Foreword. Preface. Part 1. Arming Yourself with Knowledge. 1. Understanding anorexia. Part 2. Preparing to Beat Anorexia. 2. Why Beat Anorexia?. 3. Reaching Out. 4. Seeking Professional Support. 5. Beating Anorexia from all Angles. Part 3. Beating Anorexia by Taking Control. 6. Taking Control of Your Behaviour. 7. Taking Control of Your Physical Well-Being. 8. Taking Control of Your Psychological Well-Being. 9. Taking Control of Your Social Well-Being. Part 4. Beyond Anorexia. 10. Accepting Yourself. 11. Your Future is in Your Hands. Part 5. Advice for Family and Friends. 12. Helping a Loved One Recover - Effective Communication. 13. Breaking Free from Family Roles. 14. Be a Dolphin for Your Loved One. Appendix. Resources for Eating Disorder Support and Recovery.

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Book SynopsisThis practical guide enables those working with young children to better understand, manage and support children's relationship with food. Revealing the different ways in which children can relate to food, it gives accessible guidance and advice about how to help children to develop psychologically healthy eating habits and behaviours, and how to tackle feeding issues such as picky eating, obesity and food anxiety. Included is an easy-to-use reference section for trouble-shooting, which contains advice on how special needs such as autism can affect children's feelings about food.Trade ReviewIf we are to tackle the obesity epidemic and, more importantly, build self-esteem and body confidence, we need to start working with young people from a very early age ... Cormack provides many practical ways to provide this nurturance, offering creative solutions to eating problems in young children and embedding these solutions within the practice of early years professionals. Case studies bring the book to life, making it accessible and very user-friendly. While it is aimed at professionals, I would recommend it to parents too. -- Dr Nicola Davies, Health Psychologist, Counsellor, and AuthorComprehensive guidance that will support the personal, social and emotional development of young children ... Both early years professionals and parents would benefit from reading this book. -- Emma Bacon, Author of Rebalancing Your Relationship with FoodJo Cormack's book Helping Children Develop a Positive Relationship with Food does just that! [It] makes caring for children easier and more satisfying, and children will eat better for it. It's a win-win. -- Jenny McGlothlin MS, CCC-SLP author of Helping Your Child with Extreme Picky EatingAs a pediatric dietitian working with families on a variety of feeding issues, I am so thrilled Jo's book is now available ... I hope to see this timely resource on the desk of each child-minder, preschool and nursery teacher in the UK and beyond. -- Natalia Stasenko MS, RD, Feeding BytesOnly a few books have changed the way I think and Helping Children Develop a Positive Relationship with Food is one of them... Before reading it, I honestly thought I knew what I was doing in terms of how to provide food for a child, but Jo Cormack's book has flipped my opinions upside down and enlightened me to perhaps a more sensible and positive approach. -- Special Educational Needs Resources BlogTable of ContentsAcknowledgements. Introduction. Section One: All about a good relationship with food. 1. What is a positive relationship with food and why does it matter? 2. Self-regulation. 3. The division of responsibility model. 4. Exposure and variety. Section Two: Under pressure. 5. What is a controlling feeding style? 6. Why is being controlling unhelpful? 7. Attention and praise. 8. Who knows best? Learning to trust children. Section Three: Food and feelings. 9. Understanding emotional eating. 10. Rewarding and punishing with food. 11. How we talk about food. 12. Reflecting on your own relationship with food. Section Four: Implications for practice - fostering a positive relationship with food. 13. Structure. 14. Content. 15. Serving family style. 16. Staff training. Section Five: Your food ethos. 17. The eating environment. 18. The social side of eating. 19. Modelling. Section Six: Nutrition and healthy eating. 20. Healthy eating and the EYFS framework. 21. Fun not fear - how to teach about nutrition. 22. Your food policy. Section Seven: Working with parents. 23. Being a team. 24. Empowering without blaming. 25. Understanding eating skills. 26. All about drinking. Section Eight: What we can do away from the table. 27. The power of play. 28. Helping children engage with their food. Section Nine: A closer look at picky eating. 29. Picky eating - is there really a problem? 30. What is behind picky eating? 31. Core principles when working with picky eaters. 32. Strategies to help picky eaters. Section Ten: Special cases. 33. ARFID. 34. Allergies and intolerances. 35. ASD. 36. Sensory processing. 37. Oral motor skills. 38. Obesity. Section Eleven: A case study. Nurture Early Learning, New Zealand. Final thoughts. Resource guide. References.

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Book SynopsisOnce upon a time, there lived a happy family called the Maitlands. Iain, the father, was a writer. Tracey, the mother, worked at a nearby school. They had three bright and charming children, Michael, Sophie and Adam. It looked like the perfect family life. Until October 2012, when Iain received a message. Michael had been taken to hospital. Years of depression, anxiety and anorexia had taken their toll, and he had pneumonia and a collapsed lung. The doctors weren't sure if he would make it.Told with humour and frankness through Michael's diary entries and Iain's own reflections, Out of the Madhouse charts Michael's journey to recovery from entering the Priory and returning home, to becoming a mental health ambassador for young people. Sharing tips and techniques that have helped them and others to self-manage, this is an essential resource for anyone experiencing depression, anxiety, OCD and similar issues.Trade ReviewI love this book; profoundly moving, beautifully written and above all incredibly important. I read it in one sitting, often nodding, often crying and ultimately I was left feeling wonderfully hopeful. -- James Withey, founder of The Recovery Letters project, editor of 'The Recovery Letters'This reflective book presents Michael's recovery from the multiple clinical effects emanating from abject low self-worth and loneliness. Whilst both traditional treatment as well as self-help and lifestyle strategies have helped him, the overriding ingredients that stand out in making positive change and enhancing resilience are the warmth of his connections, both family and friends, and the power of communication - spoken, written and art. -- Dr Nihara Krause, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Founder & CEO stem4Out of the Madhouse confronts the shocking bleakness of mental illness head on. Michael's diary of his battle to equip himself with both the tools and the will required to rejoin something approaching mainstream existence is sobering ... and Iain's tips and explanations are a big positive. -- Charlie Mortimer, Author of 'Dear Lupin' & 'Lucky Lupin'The Maitlands provide a brave, retrospective recount of a socially sensitive topic, where its strength lies in the powerful nature of the book's dual perspective. An honest and touching approach with advice grounded in invaluable, personal experience. Out Of The Madhouse is an excellent exploration of the phenomenology of mental illness and its wider impact. -- Joshua Fletcher Psychotherapist & Author of 'Anxiety: Panicking about Panic'Table of ContentsPreface. A Fairy Story. Part One - Into the Priory. Another Fairy Story. Part Two - Back Home. Part Three - Inside the Maitland Family.

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Book SynopsisAs seen on ITV's Lorraine and BBC Breakfast.Part memoir, part self-help guide, this witty book will take you through the day-to-day struggles of living with an eating disorder. Stand-up comedian Dave Chawner tells the story of how he became anorexic, what his life with mental illness was like, and how he started his journey to recovery.Giving an anorexic perspective with a comic delivery, this book sets out practical tips, personal anecdotes and uplifting playlists to give hope to anyone in a similar situation, and provides insight into what life with mental illness is like.Trade ReviewA remarkable and moving book on male mental illness, anorexia and recovery. It's frank, funny and honest and should be read by all young men and their families and friends; by everyone, really. Please read - it's a brave and open book that could change the life of someone struggling with mental health issues. -- Michael Maitland, author of Out Of The MadhouseA searingly honest depiction of the messy and cruel nature of eating disorders which is so greatly needed in a world of great misunderstandings and stereotypes. Thank goodness for Dave; he tells his invaluable story with humour and tongue in cheek charm making for an impactful yet hilariously entertaining read. -- Eve Simmons, Deputy Health Editor Mail On SundayTable of ContentsIntroduction. 1. Precontemplation. 2. Contemplation. 3. Preparation. 4. Relapse. 5. Action. 6. Maintenance. Final Section

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Book SynopsisMeet Asher - a teenager who self-harms to manage their feelings when it all feels like too much.The latest in the best-selling Can I Tell You About... series describes what self-harm is, along with the wide range of behaviours that qualify, why teens do it, and how to get help if you feel the need to self-harm. Reflecting on the different aspects of self-harming behaviour, including treatment of injuries and scars, this concise introduction dispels common myths and offers helpful resources to break the cycle of self-harm. By initiating the conversation around self-harm, this guide will offer alternative avenues for children and young adults to pursue when dealing with big feelings, such as professional counselling, distraction, and friends and family.This easy-to-read guide is suitable for readers 7+, along with their parents, teachers, and friends. All author royalties from the book will go towards the Charlie Waller Memorial Trust.Trade ReviewPooky Knightsmith writes in an engaging, accessible style in straightforward language which oozes compassion and heart. Young people, families and professionals will find this a valuable tool to help them understand, cope with and start a journey of recovery from self-harm. -- Steven Walker MPhil, author of Responding to Self-Harm in Children and Adolescents, 2012Truly insightful ... Captures all the questions we have about self-harm. -- Shamyla Naveed, Children and Young People's Mental Health and Wellbeing PractitionerThis small book enables us to understand the complexities of self-harm and is essential reading for anyone trying to overcome self-harming behaviour, as well as their families, friends, teachers and health care professionals. -- Maxine Jameson, Associate Professor in Primary Care, London South Bank UniversityWhen understanding of self-harm is limited and time is tight, this must be the first book to read. A 'must have' for every school wellbeing library. -- Clare Roberts, Director of Mental Health & Wellbeing, The Magna Carta School, SurreySensitively written ... It covers a subject that is still commonly not talked about and I am sure it will encourage families and schools to have a more open dialogue about self-harm. -- Dr Lucy Willetts, Clinical PsychologistSelf-harm explained in a voice that is honest, frank, encouraging and informative. Advice for day-to-day challenges is clear and feasible to try. -- Anna Corbett, Registered Nurse, School NurseWritten in Pooky's warm and approachable style ... a must-have in any wellbeing library and an excellent resource for adults and young people alike. -- Caro Fenice, Housemistress, Cobham Hall SchoolPooky has a knack of taking really complex situations and making them seen easier to deal with and matter-of-fact. Great advice here for anyone whose life is touched by self-harm. -- Colin Gambles, Rector at Hutchesons’ Grammar School, GlasgowTable of ContentsAcknowledgements. Foreword by Jonathan Singer. 1. Introducing Asher who struggles with self-harm. 2. What is self-harm? 3. Who self-harms? 4. Attention seeking? 5. What's the link between self-harm and social media? 6. It can feel very lonely. 7. Why do people self-harm? 8. Self-harm and suicide. 9. Caring for injuries. 10. Why is it hard to stop self-harming? 11. Who can help? 12. What treatment is available? 13. How can you break the cycle? 14. Healthier alternatives to self-harm? 15. How can you distract yourself? 16. Injuries and scars? 17. How friends can help. 18. How family members can help. 19. How professionals can help. 20. What next? 21. Talking to younger children about self-harm? 22. Final thoughts from Pooky.

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