May is Mental Health Month! Here are some new reads in the areas of mental health and psychology.

And How Does That Make You Feel? by Joshua Fletcher is a primer on what to expect from therapy, how to find the right therapist, and the most common afflictions treated in therapy. He looks through the lens of four of his patients and shares their self-discoveries and recovery stories as they untangle themselves from a web of emotions. And, in between sessions, Fletcher shares his struggles to find balance in his own life, showing that therapists are people too. Fletcher is a psychotherapist specializing in anxiety disorders in England.

Negative Thoughts Happen by Diana M. Garcia talks about how those negative thoughts can sometimes be ever-present in a person’s life, life an irritating scratch you can never itch enough, giving you the sense it will never go away. This little guide offers simple skills to help you make peace with your inner critic. You will discover what drives those thoughts, what you can learn from them, and how to focus on what matters in your life. Let’s turn the volume down on those destructive, negative thoughts and listen to the true inner voice inside.

In the book Devout: A Memoir of Doubt, Anna Gazmarin tells her story of growing up with parents who failed to help her understand her mental health diagnosis as well as the work she had to do to find proper treatment while also maintaining her faith. Anna was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and faced a conundrum: while the diagnosis explained her manic and depression episodes, she had to confront the stigma associated with this diagnosis in her faith community. Walk with Anna as she goes on a 10 year journey to reframe her own understanding of mental health and spiritual well-being.

Your Coping Skills Aren’t Working by Richard Brouillette helps people identify the negative coping patterns developed as early as childhood, understand why they were developed, and then learn how to change them. By examining past experiences and giving voice to unmet needs, confidence is learned and self-esteem is built. This practical guide helps people become unstuck from negative coping mechanisms. Based in schema therapy, this book will help to break the cycle of self-sabotage and negativity.

The College Student’s Guide to Mental Health: Essential Wellness Strategies for Flourishing in College is authored by Mia Nasanow, a licensed psychologist who specializes in college mental health. While being in college can be an exciting time, it can also be a time of uncertainty, anxiety, loneliness and even depression. This title is for any college student looking to understand and maintain mental and emotional health. By giving step-by-step tools, insights, real stories and solutions from other students as well as referrals and resources many mental health topics, students can be prepared for and handle the tough times and live their best lives while in college.

By Amy Salminen

Adult Services Department Head