What is Books on Prescription?
Books on Prescription is a programme run by WellSouth Primary Health Network and libraries throughout Southland to increase access to high quality health information. The programme is also supported by Otago Access Radio 105.4FM and Radio Southland 96.4FM.
The resources in the collection have been recommended and reviewed by health professionals. You can also read book reviews by both health professionals and consumers on the Books on Prescription website.
There are 3 strands of the programme:
Mental Health
The following books have been selected by health professionals as resources for adults and teengers who are looking for high quality and trustworthy health information.
- All
- Anger
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Emotions
- Grief
- Mindfulness
- Resilience
- Self-Esteem
- Stress
- OCD
- Panic & Trauma
- Worry
- Written for Teens
After the suicide of someone you know
This newly updated and revised edition has been specifically written for NZ young people affected by the suicide of someone they know.
Don’t let your emotions run your life for teens
The author explores how teenagers can manage emotions by using Dialectical Behaviour Therapy skills – in a language that teenage readers can understand.
Fighting Invisible Tigers
Aimed at young people and covers common stressful situations that they have to deal with, and includes tips and strategies to help manage these.
Ōku Moe Moea
Oku Moe Moea – The dream which is bigger than I am has been acclaimed as a moving novel examining the role art plays for young people in enabling the survival of creativity in the young.
Quiet the Mind
Meditation is simply a way of giving our brains a well-deserved break and can actually help our brains to function healthy and happily.
Stuff That Sucks
This short book helps readers manage their emotions and thoughts, and achieves what the title claims.
The Shyness and Social Anxiety...
An easy to read and follow book with step-by-step activities and education about how social anxiety develops, how it affects teenagers and how to overcome this.
The Stress Reduction Workbook for Teens
If you learn a few strategies for getting stress under control now, you’ll have the skills you need to deal with problems and difficult feelings that life sends your way in high school and beyond.
Turtles All The Way Down
Aza is trying. She is trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good student, and maybe even a good detective, while also living within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts.
Unlikely Hero of Room 13B
Filled with moments of deep emotion and unexpected humor, this understated and wise novel explores the complexities of living with OCD and offers the prospect of hope, happiness and healing.
Overcoming Anger and Irritability
Explores how anger and irritability affects us in different ways and sets out effective strategies to reduce feelings of irritability and become less angry.
Overcoming Anxiety
This book explains why anxiety is a major problem for some people and not for others, and then guides the reader through a series of steps to enable them to overcome problem fears and anxieties of all kinds.
All Blacks Don’t Cry
All Blacks Don't Cry is John Kirwan's story of hope, of working through the pain and living a full life. It is a poignant, inspirational and helpful example for anybody battling depression.
I Had a Black Dog
There are many different breeds of Black Dog affecting millions of people from all walks of life. It was Winston Churchill who popularized the phrase Black Dog to describe the bouts of depression he experienced for much of his life.
Mind Over Mood
Change How You Feel by Changing the Way You Think
Developed by two master clinicians with extensive experience in cognitive therapy treatment and training, this popular workbook shows readers how to improve their lives using cognitive therapy.
Mothers Cry Too
In Mothers Cry Too, New Zealand psychiatrist Dr Sara Weeks, a leading expert in the field of maternal mental health, explains how to recognise and deal with a range of issues, from the 'baby blues' to more serious conditions.
Overcoming Depression and Low Mood
Delivers a wealth of strategies to deal with conditions ranging from low mood to long-lasting depression
Stand By Me
Helping your teen through tough times
Charting John Kirwan's personal experiences as a father, and featuring the real voices of young people today, Stand By Me investigates issues around teenage mental health, with a focus on depression and anxiety.
The Mindful Way through Depression
The Mindful Way through Depression draws on the collective wisdom of four internationally renowned mindfulness experts, including bestselling author Jon Kabat-Zinn, to provide effective relief from the most prevalent psychological disorder.
Dream New Dreams
Dream New Dreams is a powerful story of grief, healing, and newfound independence.
What Abi Taught Us
The inspiring story of how Lucy Hone coped with the tragic death of her daughter and how strategies from the science of resilient grieving can help anyone face an equally helpless situation.
Overcoming Low Self Esteem
A Self-help Guide Using Cognitive Behavioural Techniques
This book will aid readers to understand their condition and with this knowledge enable them to break out of the vicious circle of negative self-image, learn the art of self-acceptance and alter their lives for the better.
Overcoming Low Self Esteem CD
Learn what causes low self-esteem and why it sometimes persists, explore how to stop self-criticism in its tracks, challenge negative self-beliefs and develop new self-acceptance.
8 Minute Meditation
Quiet Your Mind, Change your Life.
In recent years, meditation has become hugely popular and scientific studies are suggesting that the physical and mental benefits are solid and real. But to many, it remains something mystical and inaccessible…and spiritually-oriented tomes on the market don't do much to make it easier.
Mindfulness: A Practical Guide
In “Mindfulness,” Oxford professor Mark Williams and award-winning journalist Danny Penman reveal the secrets to living a happier and less anxious, stressful, and exhausting life.
Understanding Obsessions and Compulsions
A Self-help Manual
A comprehensive guide to self-help, explaining the principles of anxiety reduction, giving treatment instructions in easy-to-understand language.
49 Ways to Think Yourself Well
Mind science practice, one step at a time.
49 Ways to Think Yourself Well is a unique, dip-in guide to help you to enhance and sustain well-being. Written by two experienced therapists and trainers in brief psychotherapy and hypnotherapy, it offers readers a compendium of insightful information and a host of positive and practical ways for boosting well-being on all levels, using the powerful tools within your mind.
49 Ways to Write Yourself Well
49 Ways to Write Yourself Well is an inspirational guide to improving your confidence and general well-being through writing. Written by a leading creative-writing trainer and life coach, this book is a compendium of tools, techniques and activities which you can draw on to help you take control of your emotions, relationships and personal goals, and find a greater sense of self.
The Happiness Trap Pocketbook
An illustrated guide on how to stop struggling and start living
Whether you’re lacking confidence, facing illness, stressed at work, struggling with low self-esteem, trying to lose weight or quit smoking, or just wanting to be happier, healthier, and more fulfilled.
When Happiness is not Enough
But do we really know what happiness is? Do we really understand its complexity? Does ‘pure joy’ lie on the same continuum as a ‘quiet satisfaction’? And does happiness in itself lead us to live a fulfilling life? This book helps us to discriminate clearly between two fundamental types of happiness. It helps us to know ourselves better, and to make active choices towards a more fulfilling life.
I Can’t Get Over It
A Handbook for Trauma Survivors
This book will help you:
- Find out whether you have PTSD
- Cope with post-traumatic anger, grief, and survivor guilt
- Recognize related problems such as depression, substance abuse , compulsive behavior and low self-esteem
- Identify “triggers” that set off flashbacks, anxiety attacks, and other symptoms
- Relieve wounding caused by others’ blaming and insensitivity
- Gain a sense of empowerment and hope for the future
Living With It
A thoroughly useful small book which clearly addresses anxiety and panic, provides a good understanding of how it develops what it is and how to overcome it. This is, in my opinion one of the most beneficial publications yet. This book summarises anxiety and simplifies a really useful way of managing and overcoming panic attacks.
How to Stop Worrying
In this easy-to-read manual, Dr Frank Tallis explains how to understand your fears, and how to control your worry and make it work for you in a positive way.
The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook
The book contains relaxation techniques based on the latest research, and draws from a variety of proven treatment methods, including progressive relaxation, autogenics, self-hypnosis, visualization, and mindfulness and acceptance therapy.
Lifestyle
- All
- Alcohol / Smoking / Drugs
- Breastfeeding
- Food Choices
- Relationships
Sex, Drugs, Gambling, & Chocolate
You can reduce almost any type of addictive behavior — from drinking to sex, eating, and the Internet — with this practical and effective workbook.
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding
Working mothers, stay-at-home moms, single moms, and mothers of multiples will all benefit from the book’s range of nursing advice, stories, and information—from preparing for breastfeeding during pregnancy to feeding cues, from nursing positions to expressing and storing breast milk. With all-new photos and illustrations, this ultimate support bible offers.
Crave: Why you Binge Eat and How to Stop
Through the stories of some of these patients–men and women, young and old–and with the guidance of Bulik, readers will develop a variety of strategies to use in conquering their cravings and establishing healthy eating habits.
Hold Me Tight
Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love
The message of Hold Me Tight is simple: Forget about learning how to argue better, analyzing your early childhood, making grand romantic gestures, or experimenting with new sexual positions.
Diabetes & Heart Disease
- All
- Diabetes
- Heart Disease
Diabetes and Wellbeing
“Diabetes and Wellbeing” presents a range of effective psychological principles proven to positively impact the emotional wellbeing of individuals with type 1 and 2 diabetes. The guide takes an explicitly Cognitive Behavioural Therapy approach to motivate sufferers in essential self-care tasks.
Living A Healthy Life With Chronic Conditions
Completely redesigned for easy reading and fully updated with the latest research and information on current practice, medication, legal matters, and specific conditions, this new edition of a vital resource is full of tips, suggestions, and strategies to deal with chronic illness and symptoms, such as fatigue, pain, shortness of breath, disability, and depression.
Mayo Clinic Healthy Heart for Life!
In The Mayo Clinic Healthy Heart for Life!, Mayo Clinic provides up-to-date, clinically proven information that addresses the key causes of heart disease and provides clear, actionable advice in an easy-to follow format
This Can’t Happen To Me – Tackling Type 2 Diabetes
Weaving practical advice with humorous and inspiring personal stories, Tim Bowden explains everything you need to know about Type 2 diabetes.
Mood Boosting
Just Listen
When she’s modeling, Annabel is the picture of perfection. But her real life is far from perfect. Fortunately, she’s got Owen. He’s intense, music-obsessed, and dedicated to always telling the truth. And most of all, he’s determined to make Annabel happy. . .
My Name is Mina
Mina loves the night. While everyone else is in a deep slumber, she gazes out the window, witness to the moon's silvery light. In the stillness, she can even hear her own heart beating. This is when Mina feels that anything is possible and her imagination is set free.
Reading in Bed
Opening at the Hay Festival, and ending with the prospect of a spring wedding, Sue Gee's novel is a lively story of tangled relationships and the sustaining powers of good books, loyal friends and conversation.
The Alchemist
Paulo Coelho's masterpiece tells the magical story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who yearns to travel in search of a worldly treasure as extravagant as any ever found.
The story of the treasures Santiago finds along the way teaches us, as only a few stories can, about the essential wisdom of listening to our hearts, learning to read the omens strewn along life's path, and, above all, following our dreams.
The Alphabet of the Human Heart
A handbook for the happy, and a bible for the broken-hearted, The Alphabet of the Human Heart is an enchanting and enriching journey through the upside and the downside of what it means to be human – our hopes and our fears, our strength and our weakness, our highs and our lows.
The Little Book of Resilience
The Little Book of Resilience is about how we can fortify our lives mentally, emotionally and physically. It is not about what happens when we get knocked down but more about what happens when we get up again. It is a book about what resilience is and how we grow and maintain it.
Tuesdays with Morrie
Maybe it was a grandparent, or a teacher, or a colleague. Someone older, patient and wise, who understood you when you were young and searching, helped you see the world as a more profound place, gave you sound advice to help you make your way through it.
For Mitch Albom, that person was Morrie Schwartz, his college professor from nearly twenty years ago.
Resources for Children
- All
- Anxiety
- Emotions
- Grief
- Mindfulness
- OCD
- Resilience
- Self-Esteem
- Worry
From Worrier to Warrior
From Worrier to Warrior, a companion book to Make Your Worrier a Warrior (for parents), is designed to teach you how to conquer the Worry Monster. This book shows you how to overcome worry and fear using several easy-to-follow strategies. Read the book and learn the strategies yourself, or read along with a parent or other adult.
Luna’s Red Hat
This book is designed to be read with children aged 6 years and over who have experienced the loss of a family member by suicide. Luna’s Red Hat addresses issues such as grief, sadness, anger, anxiety, guilt and depression, as Luna talks to her father on the anniversary of her mother’s death. At the end of the story, Luna’s father shows how the family can begin to focus on happier things, while still acknowledging the significance of the loved one who has died.
Incredible You!
Dr Wayne W. Dyer has taken then 10 concepts from his book for adults “10 Secrets for Success & Inner Peace” and interpreted them for children, creating “Incredible You”! Wayne believes that it’s never too early for children to know that they’re unique and powerful beings, and they have everything they need within themselves to create happy, successful lives.
With this book, parents can introduce these important ideas to their children. The ten concepts are numbered, titled and set in rhyming verse, and vibrant illustrations bring each point to life. At the end, there are questions that kids can answer to connect these ideas to their own lives, and make them realize how incredible they truly are.
Rising Tide
This New Zealand written book is an engaging story that follows Ari and his family through some big events. The book explores themes of worry, family bonds, self-belief, resilience and self-doubt. Additionally, at the conclusion of the story a very good Appendix is provided that both explains this disability and includes exercises for adults on how they can help a child or children in this situation.
Mr Worry
This easy to read and well-illustrated book is suitable for adults and children to help them to gain an understanding about OCD and strategies that can help.
Mr Worry provides a story that children can relate to and understand and is a platform for discussion between parents and children.The story follows a young boy called Kevin and his daily struggle with OCD.
Manukura: The White Kiwi
True story by world-renowned writer Joy Cowley about the beautiful rare white kiwi Manukura in picture book format for young children.
When a rare white kiwi was born in captivity at Pukaha Mount Bruce, Maori recognised this as something very special – a treasure and a sign of new beginnings.
In this beautiful picture book Joy Cowley tells the story of Manukura the little white kiwi and offers an uplifting message to all young New Zealanders.
Maia and the Worry Bug
This is an easily read book for children aged 6 to 10, designed to be read by parents and primary school children together. The story unfolds how anxiety, in the form of a worry bug, arrives at Maia’s house and takes over. The more attention the family members give to the worry bug the larger it gets, until a young neighbour points out what is happening. The family then talk about what they can do together to manage their anxiety and take back control of their lives.
Visiting Feelings
This hardcover book is a beautifully illustrated children`s book that looks at children`s feelings, and explores how they can be welcomed in. It allows children to fully experience the present moment and accept their feelings using awareness and mindfulness. Visiting Feelings is easy to read and takes children on a safe mindfulness journey.
Also included is a note to parents section that provides more information about emotional awareness and mindfulness. This includes practical advice and activities for introducing mindfulness into daily family routines, and helpful guidance when dealing with childhood stress and anxiety.
The Sound of Silence
The words and illustrations in this story come together beautifully to tell the story of little Yoshio who lives in Tokyo, Japan. He’s curious about his world, particularly sounds. He meets an elderly woman playing the koto, a traditional stringed instrument, who tells him that the most beautiful sound is in fact “ma” (silence). As he moves through the hustle and bustle of the day, Yoshio eventually becomes aware that silence is always there too, if only you learn how to notice it. The ideas explored in this book align nicely with some of the Five Ways to Wellbeing concepts, and the story encourages children to be curious, to contemplate, to get out and explore, connect with others, and to be respectful of the passing of knowledge between generations.