Depression books & resources

The following is a list of recommended books and resources about depression. The Location(s) available column shows where these books are available, eg, from your local Christchurch City Library (CCL) and/or from the Mental Health Education and Resource Centre (MHERC).

Books can be reserved online and checked out by visiting CCL or MHERC. If a book is not available, a librarian may be able to suggest another book or place a hold on a book. To borrow or place a hold on a book, you must be a member of the library. MHERC can post books and other resources out to its users, including those living in rural areas, and will include a post-paid bag for returning books. Once read, books need to be returned to the library.

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Cover

Title & Author

Description

Year

Location(s) available

Overcoming Depression and Low Mood

By Chris Williams

Year: 2009

Subject: Depression and low mood

Building on the success of previous editions, ‘Overcoming Depression and Low Mood’ presents a series of self-help workbooks for use in self-assessing and managing depression and periods of low mood, with support from a health care professional.

2009

Location

CCL

MHERC

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

By Christine Wilding

Year: 2015

Subject: CBT-based

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is now hugely popular, and as a self-help technique that has helped millions of people in the UK alone, and as an NHS-funded treatment for illnesses like depression.

2015

Location

CCL

MHERC

Taming The Black Dog

By Bev Aisbett

(SL only)

Year: 2000

Subject: Tips and humour

A simple guide to managing depression. Modelled on Bev’s successful Living with IT, this book, with its unique blend of wit, information and practical tips, will be an invaluable guide for sufferers of depression.

2000

Location

CCL

MHERC

Living With a Black Dog

By Matthew & Ainsley Johnstone

Year: 2008

Subject: Carer-perspective, humour

Living with a Black Dog speaks directly to the carer and offers practical and sometimes tongue-in-cheek tips on helping the depression sufferer, such as ‘Socks have little do with mental health. If people could just ‘snap out of it’ they would.’ and ‘Encourage any form of regular exercise. Fitness robs the Dog of its power’. Based on their own experiences, Matthew and his wife Ainsley treat the subject of depression sympathetically, hopefully and, most importantly, humorously.

2008

Location

CCL

MHERC

The Resilient Farmer: Weathering the challenges of life and the land

By D Avery

Year: 2017

Subject: Overcoming Challenges

“‘I had a destroyed farm, a destroyed bank account and destroyed hopes. I couldn’t afford to move, so I decided to make good of what I had.’ And so begins Doug Avery’s story of emotional resilience in the face of what at times seemed a hopeless situation. The Marlborough-based farmer suffered terribly during eight years of drought. His farm was depleted and so was he. Although he didn’t realise it at the time, Doug had severe depression. His story, he says, is common to many in the rural sector who soldier on in isolation, slipping further and further into debt, depression and desperation. In addition to providing people with practical solutions for emotional wellness, he espouses a more sustainable way of farming where soil health and respect for the land is paramount. Doug says the three pillars to successful farming are emotional, financial and environmental resilience. By tackling all three, farmers will prosper and be better placed to weather the inevitable ups and downs that come with farming”–Publisher information.

2017

Location

CCL

MHERC

Stand by me

By John Kirwan

(CCL & SL)

Year: 2014

Subject: Teenage focus on depression and anxiety

Investigates issues around teenage mental health, with a focus on depression and anxiety. A window into an all too real issue facing New Zealand families, and a powerful tool for anyone concerned about the wellbeing of young people in their care.

2014

Location

CCL

MHERC

The Mood Gym

By Helen Christensen & Kathleen Griffiths

Year: 2010

Subject: Interactive programme, CBT-based

All of us feel anxious from time to time, but for one in six people in the UK chronic depression can become unbearable and severely disrupt everyday life. “The Mood Gym” is an interactive programme designed for those who would like to manage existing negative emotions and prevent mental health problems in the future. Drawing on the latest research and based on two proven techniques – Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Interpersonal Therapy – this unique guide will: assess your mood and anxiety levels through interactive quizzes; help you to change unhelpful patterns of thought and behaviour; offer proven coping strategies to help you deal with depression and let you enjoy your life once more; and, outline complementary therapies, such as relaxation and meditation, to assist you in your recovery.

2010

Location

CCL

MHERC

All Blacks Don’t Cry

By John Kirwan

Year: 2010

Subject: Audio-clips, Personal journey, NZ best seller

This New Zealand best-seller now includes more than 20 audio clips of inspirational messages from John Kirwan himself creating an even more personal reading experience and a powerful tool to aid anyone suffering with depression.

2010

Location

CCL

MHERC

Depression and your child: a guide for parents and caregivers

By Deborah Serani

Year: 2013

Subject: Child, Personal journey

Provides a uniquely textured understanding of paediatric depression and its treatments. Serani weaves her own personal experiences of being a depressed child along with her clinical experiences as a psychologist treating depressed children. Readers will find a wealth of specific tips, recommendations, and case examples sure to make parenting a depressed child less challenging.

2013

Location

CCL

MHERC

The Mindful Way through Depression: Freeing yourself from chronic unhappiness

By Williams, Teasdale, Segal & Jo Kabat-Zinn

Year: 2007

Subject: Depression

In The Mindful Way through Depression, four uniquely qualified experts explain why our usual attempts to “think” our way out of a bad mood or just “snap out of it” lead us deeper into the downward spiral. Through insightful lessons drawn from both Eastern meditative traditions and cognitive therapy, they demonstrate how to sidestep the mental habits that lead to despair, including rumination and self-blame, so you can face life’s challenges with greater resilience. Jon Kabat-Zinn gently and encouragingly narrates the accompanying CD of guided meditations, making this a complete package for anyone seeking to regain a sense of hope and wellbeing.

2007

Location

CCL

MHERC

Lost Connections

By Johann Hari

Year: 2018

Subject: Causes of Depression

Across the world, Hari found social scientists who were uncovering evidence that depression and anxiety are not caused by a chemical imbalance in our brains. In fact, they believe they are largely caused by key problems with the way we live today. Hari’s journey took him from a series of experiments in Baltimore, to an Amish community in Indiana, to an uprising in Berlin. Once he had uncovered [what he argues are] nine real causes of depression and anxiety, they led him to scientists who are discovering seven very different solutions.

2018

Location

CCL

MHERC

Mind Over Mood: Change How You Feel by Changing the Way You Think

By Dennis Greenberger

Year: 2016

Subject: Depression, changing how you feel

Discover simple yet powerful steps you can take to overcome emotional distress–and feel happier, calmer, and more confident. This life-changing book has already helped more than 1,000,000 readers use cognitive-behavioral therapy–one of today’s most effective forms of psychotherapy–to conquer depression, anxiety, panic attacks, anger, guilt, shame, low self-esteem, eating disorders, substance abuse, and relationship problems.

2016

Location

CCL

MHERC

Overcoming depression

By Paul Gilbert

Year: 2009

Subject: Depression, how to overcome

A self-help book that has been of benefit to thousands of people. This fully revised third edition has been extensively updated and rewritten to reflect over ten years of new research on understanding and treating depression, particularly the importance of developing compassionate ways of thinking, behaving and feeling. It contains helpful case studies and new, easy-to-follow, step-by-step suggestions and exercises to help you understand your depression and lift your mood.

2009

Location

CCL

MHERC

Tyson & Joey: Two Worlds Collide

By T Watts

Year: 2016

Subject: Anxiety & Depression

The story has a self-help thread throughout, which is inspired by the author’s personal experience of living with anxiety and depression. The text conveys the truths that enabled him to rise out of suffering, and to live a life of peace and fulfilment.

2016

Location

MHERC

Teenage Depression – A CBT Guide for Parents

By M Parkinson & S Reynolds

Year: 2015

Subject: Depression

Depression is one of the most common mental health problems and is estimated to affect around 15 per cent of people at some point during their life. For many people depression is a life-long disorder which starts during the teenage years -around 10 per cent of teenagers are estimated to have an episode of depression and many more experience persistent low mood. This accessible companion book to Overcoming Your Low Mood for teenagers follows essentially the same structure and makes use of the same case studies, but looks at the issues from the parents’ point of view, and incorporates additional strategies for parents. From ‘what to look out for’, through what the evidence says about different forms of treatment, to family communication and relapse prevention. Each section includes troubleshooting boxes.

2015

Location

CCL