Brantley, J. (2003). Calming Your Anxious Mind: How Mindfulness and Compassion can Free You From Anxiety, Fear and Panic. New York: Harbinger. Comes with a very useful CD.
Foreman, E.I., Elliott, C. and Smith, L. (2008). Overcoming Depression for Dummies. Chichester: Wiley. This recently published self-help book for depression is full of helpful pointers and tips. Don’t be put off by the title!
Lazarus, R. (1999). Stress and Emotions: a New Synthesis. New York: Free Association Press.
Leahy, R. (2006). The Worry Cure. New York: Piatkus Books. Useful if you tend to ruminate and fret about things (don’t we all!). There is also a CD that goes with this.
Lyubomirsky, S. (2007). The How of Happiness. New York: Sphere. Useful for finding out how to develop happiness.
Marra, T. (2003). The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Workbook for Overcoming Depression and Anxiety. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications. A helpful guide from a slightly different approach.
Nesse, R. and Williams, G. (1996). Evolution and Healing. The New Science of Darwinian Medicine, London: Phoenix.
Stewart, A. (1993). Tired All the Time. London, Optima. Explores common causes of tiredness, including things like allergy and diet.
Stone, H. and Stone, S. (1993). Embracing Your Inner Critic: Turning Self-criticism into a Creative Asset. New York: HarperCollins. Explores in detail some origins and consequences of self-criticism. Not specific to depression.
Veal, D. and Willson, R. (2008). Manage Your Mood. London: Constable & Robinson.
Williams, C.J. (2001). Overcoming Depression: A Five Areas Approach. London: Arnold.
Williams, M., Teasdale, J., Segal, Z. and Kabat-Zinn, J. (2007). The Mindful Way Through Depression: Freeing Yourself From Chronic Unhappiness. New York: Guilford. This is the first book on mindfulness dedicated to depression and comes with a CD to guide your practice. These authors are well-respected international researchers in depression and mindfulness.
Other self-help books in the same series as this one are also available: Overcoming Low Self-Esteem, Stress, Anxiety, Childhood Trauma, Grief, Insomnia, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Panic and Agoraphobia, Traumatic Stress, Social Anxiety and Shyness, Worry, Mood Swings (see www.overcoming.co.uk).
Two useful book/CD combinations:
Dagsay Tulku Rinpoche (2002). The Practice of Tibetan Meditation: Exercises, visualisations, and mantras for health and well being. Rochester, VT: Inner Traditions. This book offers a very useful set of postures and exercises, along with a CD of mantras and instructions.
Kornfield, J. (2004). Meditation for Beginners. New York: Bantam Books. A good introduction.
The Dalai Lama is the spiritual head of Buddhism, which can be seen as both a spiritual approach and a basic psychology. It’s particularly useful for its psychology and insights built up over thousands of years of meditation and introspective observation.
Dalai Lama (1995). The Power of Compassion. London: Thorsons.
Dalai Lama (ed. N. Vreeland) (2001). An Open Heart: Practising Com -passion in Everyday Life. London: Hodder & Stoughton.
Kabit-Zinn, J. (2005). Coming to Our Senses: Healing ourselves and the world through mindfulness. New York: Piatkus.
Thich Nhat Hanh (1991). The Miracle of Mindfulness. London: Rider.
Other books:
Bikshu Sangharakshita (2008). Living with Kindness: The Buddha’s Teaching on Metta. London: Windhorse Publications.
Hopkins, J. (2001). Cultivating Compassion: A Buddhist perspective. New York: Doubleday.
Ricard, M. (2007) Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life’s Most Important Skill. New York: Atlantic Books.
If you want a more technical approach, have a look at:
Davidson, R.J. and Harrington, A. (eds) (2002). Visions of Compassion: Western Scientists and Tibetan Buddhists Examine Human Nature. New York: Oxford University Press.
Gilbert, P. (2005). Compassion: Conceptualisations, Research and Use in Psychotherapy. London: Routledge (pages 148–67).
Leighton, T.D. (2003). Faces of Compassion: Classic Bodhisattva Archetypes and their Modern Expression. Boston: Wisdom Publications.
Vessantara (1993). Meeting the Buddhas: A Guide to Buddha, Bodhisattvas, and Tantric Deities. London: Wisdom Books.
Some useful CDs that will guide you:
Brantley, J. (2003). Calming Your Anxious Mind: How Mindfulness and Compassion Can Free You from Anxiety, Fear and Panic. New York: Harbinger.
Chodron, P. (2007). How to Meditate: A Practical Guide To Making Friends With Your Mind. Boulder, CO: Sounds True.
Kabat-Zinn, J. (2005). Guided Mindfulness Meditation. Boulder, CO: Sounds True.
Williams, M., Teasdale, J., Segal, Z., and Kabat-Zinn, J. (2007). The Mindful Way through Depression: Freeing yourself from chronic unhappiness. Boulder, CO: Sounds True.
Beyondblue
This is thought to be one of the best self-help and information depression-focused websites in the world. It is full of helpful ideas and advice.
Living life to the full
This website has been sponsored by the UK government and is another very helpful and important website for depressed people.
Derbyshire depression website
The Derbyshire Mental Health Services NHS Trust has developed its own website which has general as well as local interest.
NICE Guidelines
NICE is the British government’s guideline body that offers advice on the treatments of various conditions. It brings a range of clinicians together to develop that advice. You can find out the guidelines for depression at the address given here.
Compassionate Mind Foundation
In 2007, a number of colleagues and I set up a charity called the Compassionate Mind Foundation. On this website, you’ll find various essays and details of other sites that look at different aspects of compassion. You’ll also find a lot of material that you can use for meditation.
The Dalai Lama has formed relationships with Western scientists to develop a more compassionate way of living. More information on this can be found on this website.
Self-Compassion
The website of Dr Kristin Neff, one of the leading researchers into self-compassion.
MIND, The National Association for Mental Health
Granta House
15–19 Broadway
Stratford
London E15 4BQ
Tel.: 020 8519 2122
A very helpful organization that can offer advice on services for a wide range of psychological difficulties. It also has a wide range of literature.
Association for Post Natal Illness
145 Dawes Road
Fulham
London SW6 7EB
Tel: 0207 386 0868
Castle Works
21 St. George’s Road
London SE1 6ES
Tel.: 08456 340 540 (UK only)
Tel: 0044 207 793 2600 (Rest of world)
Depression Alliance
212 Spitfire Studios
63–71 Collier Street
London N1 9BE
Email: information@depressionalliance.org
Tel.: 0845 123 23 20
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) Association
PO Box 989
Steyning
BN44 3HG
SANE
A general website for mental health problems.
Samaritans
An outline of the work of the Samaritans and also how to contact them if you want to contact somebody confidentially.
Email: jo@samaritans.org
This is a worldwide support website for people who are distressed and suicidal with various contacts.
British Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Psychotherapies
American Psychological Association
A useful website carrying various articles on mental health issues.
National Alliance on Mental Illness
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA)
730 N. Franklin Street, Suite 501
Chicago, Illinois 60654–7225
Toll free: (800) 826–3632
Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies
305 7th Avenue, 16th Fl.
New York, NY 10001
Phone (212) 647–1890
Behavior Therapy of New York
51 East 42nd Street, Suite 1400
New York, NY 10017
Tel.: (646) 522–7795
Center for Cognitive-Behavioral Psychotherapy
137 East 36th Street
New York
NY 10016
Tel.: (212) 686–6886
The American Institute for Cognitive Therapy
136 East 57th Street, Suite 1101
New York
NY 10022
Careline
For all adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
0845 122 8622
Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre
Offers support and information for women and girls who have been raped or sexually abused, however long ago.
08451 221 331
Survivors UK
For survivors of male rape and sexual abuse.
0845 122 1201
National Association for People Abused in Childhood
Does not offer counselling or ongoing support but will listen, validate and do whatever is most helpful to the caller.
Support Line 0800 085 3330