Health Issues

What’s normal anyway?

Into every life some rain must fall. Nobody is fine all the time, and if you’re feeling down or struggling with serious problems, you’re not alone. This clear and comforting guide is here to help you understand the mental health issues that can affect us all, and to help you look after your mind, body and soul. Touching on a range of topics, including anxiety, depression, loneliness, stress and self-esteem, this is a book for anyone and everyone who needs good advice, fresh ideas and kind words.

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Give your mind the one thing it needs this Christmas with the book everyone IS STILL talking about, from clinical psychologist and TikTok sensation Dr Julie Smith

THE NO. 1 SUNDAY TIMESBESTSELLER

‘Sound wisdom, easy to gulp down. I’m sure this book is already helping lots of people. Great work, Dr Julie’ MATT HAIG, bestselling author of REASONS TO STAY ALIVE

‘A toolkit of deceptively simple strategies for life’s troubles. Everyone could benefit from the wisdom of Dr Smith’ i ‘BEST NON-FICTION BOOKS OF 2022’

‘Brilliant. Bite-size. Easy to understand. Easy to flick through. It’s like a reference to how you feel’ Phillip Schofield on ITV’s THIS MORNING

‘Julie Smith is the psychology teacher you wish you’d had at school’ EVENING STANDARD
‘This book is a goldmine. I truly treat it like a handbook now’ STYLIST
‘It’s real, it’s authentic . . . Very practical and very, very helpful’ LORRAINE KELLY

AS FEATURED IN THE OBSERVER, STYLIST, EVENING STANDARD, WOMEN’S HEALTH, MARIE CLAIRE AND GRAZIA
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Drawing on years of experience as a clinical psychologist, online sensation Dr Julie Smith shares all the skills you need to get through life’s ups and downs.

Filled with secrets from a therapist’s toolkit, this is a must-have handbook for optimising your mental health. Dr Julie’s simple but expert advice and powerful coping techniques will help you stay resilient no matter what life throws your way.

Written in short, bite-sized entries, you can turn straight to the section you need depending on the challenge you’re facing – and immediately find the appropriate tools to help with . . .

– Managing anxiety
– Dealing with criticism
– Battling low mood
– Building self-confidence
– Finding motivation
– Learning to forgive yourself

This book tackles the everyday issues that affect us all and offers easy, practical solutions that might just change your life.
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‘Sound, therapeutic wisdom that is easy to gulp down. Full of principles and advice that work and comfort whether you are in a very bad situation or an everyday worrying one. I’m sure this book is already helping lots of people. Great work, Dr Julie’ MATT HAIG, bestselling author of REASONS TO STAY ALIVE

‘I’m blown away by her ability to communicate difficult ideas with ease, simplicity and practicality. Amazing. Go and buy it now!’ Jay Shetty

‘Relatable, real and easy to digest . . . As if your wise best friend is chatting to you. An essential mental-health bible for adults and teenagers’ YOU Magazine

‘If you want to feel like you have a therapist sitting across from you, empowering you with how to be your best self, this book is for you!’ Nicole LePera, New York Times bestselling author of How to Do the Work

‘Full of sound, helpful advice with life skills, from building confidence to managing stress’ Sunday Times

‘Smart, insightful, and warm. Dr Julie is both the expert and wise friend we all need’ Lori Gottlieb, New York Times bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone and co-host of the ‘Dear Therapists’ podcast

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Explore your inner world and be inspired with The Wellbeing Journal.

Developed in partnership with Mind, the mental health charity, each page of this gorgeous journal has been thoughtfully crafted and it includes activities, colouring, drawing prompts, contemplative quotes and lots of space for you to write about your own thoughts, feelings and experiences.

Creativity and reflection can have a powerful, positive influence on our lives. Now, with The Wellbeing Journal, you can enjoy practising these skills every day and wherever you go.

Also available:

9781789290387 Take A Moment
9781782435815 The Mindfulness Companion

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‘With Dr Kirren’s warm, practical and expert advice for managing anxiety, you’ll learn how to stop surviving and start thriving.’ – Vex King, author of Good Vibes, Good Life.

Feeling better starts now.

Dr Kirren Schnack is here to tell you that your anxiety isn’t here to stay. Whether you’re going through something and need support to feel like yourself again, or if you have been dealing with anxious thoughts for a long time, Ten Times Calmer has the help you’ve been looking for.

Dr Kirren is an Oxford trained and practicing NHS clinical psychologist with twenty years’ experience and half a million social media followers. In Ten Times Calmer she offers a first aid kit of tools to help you understand what you’re going through and change how you’re feeling – and it might just be easier than you think.

Not everyone has access to therapy and not everyone needs it, but we could all do with a little more calm in our lives. The ten chapters cover everything from dealing with anxious thoughts and stress to managing uncertainty and safely tackling trauma, each takes you a step closer to an anxiety-free life. Inside you’ll find short anxiety busting exercises with a big impact and a toolkit of well-researched and clinically proven tips that will help you find calm each and every day.

‘The help you need is in this book, and I’m going to show you how simply and clearly you can beat anxiety and change your life.’ – Dr Kirren

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Setting out on the entrepreneur’s path can be intimidating. It will not only test your creativity and commitment but push you further than you thought possible. It’s also one of the most rewarding journeys you will ever make.

Dan Kieran, co-founder and former CEO of an award-winning publishing platform and self-confessed ‘accidental entrepreneur’, takes you through all aspects of running a business: from initial idea to getting started, building a brand, growing a team, raising money and dealing with investors, and perhaps most importantly, developing a founder’s mindset and managing your own mental health.

When you are unsure of who ― and what ― to rely on, Do Start will be your trusted guide. Until, finally, you discover that the real win is not the company you build or money you make, but the person you become.

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‘Powerful and thoughtful’ Don McRae, Guardian

‘A fascinating and incredibly honest insight into the pressurised life of an elite athlete, on and off the pitch’ Piers Morgan

RAW. REVEALING. REFLECTIVE. The candid autobiography.

Danny Cipriani has always been searching for something. On the pitch, it was a line-break or space. A chink of light to dart through. An angle that no one else could see. Off the pitch, it was seeking a path through the pressure, fame and chaos that came with being anointed the ‘Saviour of English Rugby’.

Who Am I? is the raw and powerful memoir of a man of mercurial talent who, with the world at his feet, made his England rugby debut aged 20. A man who, just a year later, contemplated suicide. A man whose safe space was on the field, away from the drink, the women and the drugs he turned to in an attempt to escape his thoughts.

Now, for the first time, one of the most compelling personalities in the sport reflects on who he was, where he’s come from and the man he’s become. Alongside his astute insight into playing under Martin Johnson, Stuart Lancaster and Eddie Jones, Danny also talks about chasing his dreams, his desire and passion to represent England, and his drive to become the best player he could be.

This is the story of a once complicated man. A man searching for answers. A man trying to understand who he is.

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‘Made us giggle and helped us forge a much deeper connection with our friends and family with ADHD. A godsend!’ – Davina McCall & Michael Douglas
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If you have ADHD – or love somebody who does – DIRTY LAUNDRY will change your life, and your relationships.

Do you feel crippling shame because you struggle with cleaning, personal hygiene, or time-keeping? Do you always feel misunderstood by the people close to you and find that they get frustrated by your behaviour?

DIRTY LAUNDRY is an unfiltered look into the chaos of real life with ADHD. It will transform your self-hatred into self-acceptance, with simple tips that actually work for your brain. It will also help to educate partners, parents and friends, to help them move from frustration to patience, understanding – and love.

Learn how to:
– Stop believing you are fundamentally broken
– Stop judging yourself by the standards of a neurotypical world
– Communicate your struggles to those who love you
– Support someone with ADHD in ways that work for them
– Be compassionate rather than judgemental …and much more.

From the husband-and-wife team behind social media phenomenon @ADHD_Love, whose viral videos have been viewed more than 200 million times, comes a fearless, often outrageously funny, account of life, learning, and growing with ADHD. They share the strategies they have used to reduce shame, improve communication, and find happiness in their neurodivergent household.

Filled with heartbreak and humour in equal measure, DIRTY LAUNDRY is an invaluable resource both for neurodivergents and the people who love them. The ultimate gift for anyone who wants to understand ADHD better.

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YOUR FIRST STEP TO A LIFE FREE FROM ANGER
Everyone feels angry from time to time, and anger is a natural and normal way to respond to the things in life that frustrate us. But it is all too easy to allow feelings of anger and displeasure to color your life and your relationships with other people. Managing these feelings is important, as apart from making you difficult to live with, anger has negative effects on your blood pressure and makes you more susceptible to heart attacks, depression and anxiety.

A PRACTICAL AND SUPPORTIVE 5-STEP COURSE TO SET YOU FREE FROM ANGER
By picking this book up you’ve taken the first stride to a life free from anger. Using the STEP system – a structured, CBT-based approach that delivers both support and proven techniques for managing anger – you can begin to transform your daily life.

Written by an expert author with many years of clinical experience, this book will help you get a better understanding of your anger and what keeps it going, tackle negative thoughts and behaviour, and progress to a healthier, happier outlook – without fear of setbacks or relapse.

ABOUT THE SERIES
Everyone feels overwhelmed sometimes. When that happens, you need clarity of thought and practical advice to progress beyond the problem. The How To Deal With series provides structured, CBT-based solutions from health professionals and top experts to help you deal with issues thoroughly, once and for all. Short, easy to read, and very reassuring, these books are your first step on a pathway to a happier future. They are perfect for self-directed use and are designed so that medical professionals can prescribe them to patients.

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The BESTSELLING book on BEING A TEEN, now updated into an all new edition.

In a world where there’s a lot of talk about ‘living your best life’ and being your ‘best self’, The Art of Being a Brilliant Teenager shows you how.

The book has a strong academic underpinning (its DNA is taken from the author’s PhD) but is written in a fun and non-patronising way. The Art of Being a Brilliant Teenager is a book that prepares young people for REAL life; addressing modern issues of screen time and social media, as well as the teenage perennials of confidence, positivity, motivation and relationships.

The book is built on a rock-solid foundation of wellbeing and human flourishing but is quirky in tone and entertaining to read. Dr Andy Cope’s words are brilliantly brought to life by award winning illustrator, Amy Bradley. The book includes activities and thought-provoking questions that encourage the user to interact with the material. Reflecting and journalling helps make the messages stick.

Learn how to:

• Stay upbeat in a fast-paced world
• Be resilient and rise to life’s challenges
• Create strong relationships
• Conquer anxiety
• Tap into your values and use them to guide your life
• Shape your future

The book has a deliberately light touch but is not light-weight. It doesn’t dodge the issues. In a world of rising anxiety, The Art of Being a Brilliant Teenager provides a personal upgrade to ‘world class’. It shows young people how to let go of bad habits and develop positive traits that will fire up their future. It covers themes of resilience, values, consumerism, purpose and communication, in a page-turning way.

The Art of Being a Brilliant Teenager is THE go-to book to ease young people into adulthood.

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Bring nature into your home with the inspiring true story of hope and the healing powers of the natural world, in one of the most talked about books of the decade

FROM THE MILLION-COPY BESTSELLING AUTHOR

‘This is what you need right now to muster hope and resilience . . . a beautiful story and a reminder that humans can endure adversity’ Stylist

‘A beautiful book, it really lives up to the hype . . . an enjoyable, gentle yet moving read’ Pandora Sykes on The High Low
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Just days after Raynor learns that Moth, her husband of 32 years, is terminally ill, their home is taken away and they lose their livelihood. With nothing left and little time, they make the brave and impulsive decision to walk the 630 miles of the sea-swept South West Coast Path, from Somerset to Dorset, via Devon and Cornwall.

Carrying only the essentials for survival on their backs, they live wild in the ancient, weathered landscape of cliffs, sea and sky. Yet through every step, every encounter and every test along the way, their walk becomes a remarkable journey.

The Salt Path is an honest and life-affirming true story of coming to terms with grief and the healing power of the natural world. Ultimately, it is a portrayal of home, and how it can be lost, rebuilt and rediscovered in the most unexpected ways.
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THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER, WINNER OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY LITERATURE CHRISTOPHER BLAND PRIZE & SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2018 COSTA BIOGRAPHY AWARD & WAINWRIGHT GOLDEN BEER BOOK PRIZE 2018

GUARDIAN BEST BOOKS OF SUMMER

‘A beautiful, thoughtful, lyrical story of homelessness, human strength and endurance’ Guardian

‘Mesmerising. It is one of the most uplifting, inspiring books that I’ve ever read’ i

‘The most inspirational book of this year’ The Times

‘Luminescent. A literary phenomenon’ Mail on Sunday

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You know those things you’re supposed to know how to do as an adult, but you really don’t know? Ever been in that situation where you’re looking for the adult in the room, and then you realise YOU are the adult? Yeah, that. There’s adulting, then there’s adulting for the messy mind. Sometimes you just need extra maps and a GPS. This manual is for adults that sometimes need a little extra help.

From top small talk tips to use next time you’re at the hairdressers to advice on how to ask for help, this interactive journal offers a safe place for people to explore their mental health and express themselves.

Written by Milly Smith, a mental health and body acceptance advocate and public speaker. Milly uses her Instagram account @millykeepsgoing to send positive messages to her 170,000 strong following.

Milly’s wise words are accompanied by the whimsical and quirky illustrations of Katie Abey. Katie’s motivational and pun-filled illustrations have a huge appeal to adults.
Milly’s wise words are accompanied by the whimsical and quirky illustrations of Katie Abey. Katie’s motivational and pun-filled illustrations have a huge appeal to adults.

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‘A radical antidote to the constraints of our current conceptualisation of mental health’ Dazed

‘Exposes the underlying truth that capitalism is fundamentally incompatible with our wellbeing, and teaches us how to transform the ways we understand madness, illness, and disability to build a better world’ Beatrice Adler-Bolton, co-author of Health Communism

Mental health is a political issue, but we often discuss it as a personal one. How is the current mental health crisis connected to capitalism, racism and other social issues? In a different world, how might we transform the ways that we think about mental health, diagnosis and treatment?

These are some of the big questions Micha Frazer-Carroll asks as she reveals mental health to be an urgent political concern that needs deeper understanding beyond today’s ‘awareness-raising’ campaigns.

Exploring the history of asylums and psychiatry; the relationship between disability justice, queer liberation and mental health; art and creativity; prisons and abolition; and alternative models of care; Mad World is a radical and hopeful antidote to pathologisation, gatekeeping and the policing of imagination.

Micha Frazer-Carroll is a columnist at the Independent. Micha has written for Vogue, HuffPost, Huck, gal-dem and Dazed. She was nominated for the Comment Awards’ Fresh New Voice of the Year Award, and the Observer/Anthony Burgess Award for Arts Criticism.

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