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YA Mental Health Non-Fiction Books in honor of Suicide Prevention Awareness Month

For teen readers looking for books on mental health. This list was created by a librarian with the Brooklyn Public Library for a reader. Would you like your own personalized list of reading suggestions? Visit BKLYN BookMatch here: bklynlibrary.org/bookmatch

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14 items


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In Light Filters In, Caroline Kaufman--known as @poeticpoison--does what she does best: reflects our own experiences back at us and makes us feel less alone, one exquisite and insightful piece at a time. She writes about giving up too much of yourself to someone else, not fitting in, endlessly Googling "how to be happy," and ultimately figuring out who you are.

Light Filters in : Poems
Kaufman, Caroline/ Bryksenkova, Yelena (ILT)
Format: PRINTED MATL

In Light Filters In, Caroline Kaufman--known as @poeticpoison--does what she does best: reflects our own experiences back at us and makes us feel less alone, one exquisite and insightful piece at a time. She writes about giving up too much of yourself to someone else, not fitting in, endlessly Googling "how to be happy," and ultimately figuring out who you are.

Depression
by Jacqueline B. Toner, PhD and Claire A.B. Freeland, PhD.
Format:

A guidebook for teenagers who are depressed or at risk for depression. This guide discusses depression and provides guidance on cognitive behavioral therapy principles to help teens take a problem-solving, strategy-based approach to deal with depressed moods, thoughts, and behavior. Intended to serve as an adjunct to therapy, this is a very practical and easy-to-read book that is not overwhelming for teens.

Lost Soul, Be at Peace
Thrash, Maggie/ Thrash, Maggie (ILT)
Format: PRINTED MATL

Describes the author's struggles with teenage depression and how a search for her missing cat becomes a search for herself.

Everything You Need to Know About Stress and Depression
Parys, Sabrina
Format: PRINTED MATL

Anger, sadness, and helplessness are feelings that are often difficult for teenagers to identify, let alone cope with. Consequentially, they often struggle to find the help they need to deal with their emotions. This book expertly describes this universal topic for an adolescent audience, continually engaging the reader with eye-catching call-outs and fun ways to gain a different perspective. It equips modern teenagers with an accessible understanding of the mechanics behind stress and depression and gives them practical yet compassionate advice for dealing with these issues.

The PTSD Survival Guide for Teens : Strategies to Overcome Trauma, Build Resilience, and Take Back Your Life
Raja, Sheela/ Ashrafi, Jaya Raja
Format: PRINTED MATL

In this compassionate guide, you'll find skills based in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to help you tackle anxiety and harmful avoidance behaviors; manage negative emotions; cope with flashbacks and nightmares; and develop trusting, healthy relationships--even if your trust in others has been shaken to the core. You'll also learn more about the diagnosis and symptoms of PTSD and understand what kind of help is available to you.

(Don't) call me crazy : 33 voices start the conversation about mental health
Jensen, Kelly
Format: PRINTED MATL

To understand mental health, we need to talk openly about it. This collection explores a wide range of topics, from the authors' personal experiences with mental illness and understanding how our brains are wired, to exploring the do's and don'ts of talking about mental health.

Brave face : a memoir : how I survived growing up, coming out, and depression
Hutchinson, Shaun David, author, narrator.
Format:

At nineteen, Hutchinson was struggling to find the vocabulary to understand and accept who he was and how he fit into a community in which he couldn't see himself. Convinced that he couldn't keep going, that he had no future, Hutchinson followed through on trying to make that a reality -- an attempted suicide. Over time, he came to embrace life, and to find self-acceptance. In his deeply honest memoir, he takes readers through the journey of what brought him to the edge, and what has helped him truly believe that it does get better.

Brave face : a memoir
Hutchinson, Shaun David, author.
Format:

At nineteen, Hutchinson was struggling to find the vocabulary to understand and accept who he was and how he fit into a community in which he couldn't see himself. Convinced that he couldn't keep going, that he had no future, Hutchinson followed through on trying to make that a reality -- an attempted suicide. Over time, he came to embrace life, and to find self-acceptance. In his deeply honest memoir, he takes readers through the journey of what brought him to the edge, and what has helped him truly believe that it does get better.

Superhero therapy : mindfulness skills to help teens & young adults deal with anxiety, depression & trauma
Scarlet, Janina, author.
Format: PRINTED MATL

This fun, unique, and "outside-the-box" self-help guide provides everything you need to begin your very own superhero training using evidence-based ACT and mindfulness skills. Within these colorful pages, you'll team up with a group of troubled heroes - inspired by both fictional characters and real-life people - enlisted at the Superhero Training Academy. By learning to face up to their inner villains and monsters, these characters will inspire you to overcome your problems as well. When you're finished, you'll have a slew of new tools you can use - like mindfulness, self-compassion, and values - to help you conquer whatever life throws your way.