links

This selection is compiled with care for you in mind and to assist your recovery.

They are resources I find or have found helpful and comforting.

I am not recommending them as a means of sole treatment, but to be used, if you find them helpful and meaningful, to aid your healing in conjunction with other treatment such as counselling, psychotherapy or other primary or secondary care interventions.

Mindfulness practices can be very difficult at the beginning. This is completely natural as you start to connect to your body, thoughts, sensations and emotions. If it is too intolerable, just pause. Take it slow. If you are in crisis, it may not be suitable, it may feel too overwhelming, so just stop and seek immediate help.

This is a very limited list! There are plenty of other resources out there.

To find a private therapist in your area

Some mindfulness / meditation resources (websites)

What is mindfulness?
Center for Mindful Self-Compassion - This is a new wesbite combining the meditations of Chris Germer and Kristin Neff. It has different resources but this directs you straight to the meditation page, which you can download or listen to via web browser.
This Beautiful Work – Joanna has recorded and made available some mini-meditations, I particularly like Presuming Okayness (scroll down page to locate.)
Meditation Oasis - has all sorts of resources (most free!) so take a look!
Meditation Oasis podcast is fabulous. They have many guided meditations – including anger and inner child* – you can either listen from your web browser or subscribe and listen on your mobile device.
Eckhart Tolle You Tube Channel - awakening to presence and spiritual practice

*Inner child work can be a very powerful emotional experience; please be mindful of your capacity to engage with this material and take care of yourself/seek support as/if necessary

Some mindfulness / meditation / anxiety resources (smart phone apps)

Breath Ball - I love this app because you can change settings to suit your breath capacity. Simple, effective. If you are stressed, anxious, depressed, panicked, try it.
What's Up? - I think this is a lovely, simple and free app with loads of resources to help manage emotional storms.
Stop, Breathe, Think – free, but I think you have to register.
Insight Timer – simple bell chimes (and background sounds if you like) to facilitate your own guided meditations.
Meditation Oasis - they do a good sleep meditation.
Headspace – free and paid for services.

Diet and nutrition

Another tool to add to your mood maintenance toolbox is an awareness of your diet and nutritional intake.

Dale Pinnock – I really like Dale’s approach to food and nutrition and he has some tasty, simple (usually!) and affordable recipes.
Jack Monroe - this wonderful woman, (at the time) a single mother on the dole and with very little money, was inspired to produce super affordable recipies. A legend!
Food and Your Mood - A lovely leaflet produced by Nottingham University Hospitals.

Exercise

It can be difficult to engage in exercise when you are not feeling well mentally. But when you feel up to it, you might like these free resources.

Video

Brene Brown - presented on the power of vulnerability (watch this first) and shame. As well as being hugely important topics, she is also a fantastic speaker.
Also Brene Brown - a fabulous presentation on Netflix.
Jill Bolte - this video blows my left and right brain to peices! It is such a wonderful experiential story of what it is like to be fully be in your right brain (the 'emotional" brain) when the left brain ('the thinking brain") doesn't function any more. From a brain researcher who had a stroke. Beautiful viewing!
Iain McGilchrist - more right brain / left brain stuff

Books

Why Love Matters by Sue Gerhardt - this is a great read and I think quite accessible even without any knowledge of neuroscience. Sue talks about how we are shaped neurobiologically/emotionally by our attachment figures and relationships and how love is key to our human experience.
The Mindful Path to Self Compassion by Christopher Germer
The Mindful Way Through Depression by John Kabat-Zinn et al
The Five Invitations: Discovering What Death Can Teach Us About Living - Frank Ostaseski

Feeling isolated and want to connect with others?

Meet Up – tap in your postcode and search for stuff you like to do.

Local support groups

Google local support groups in your area. For example:

Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide (SOBS)
The Survivors Trust (for men and women who have suffered any form of sexual abuse, violence or rape as either adults and/or as children)