Psychology & Psychiatry

A DAILY TELEGRAPH and IRISH TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR

The must-read music book of the year, now with a brand new chapter covering the death of Taylor Hawkins and his massive Wembley memorial concert.

In Bodies, author Ian Winwood explores the music industry’s many failures, from addiction and mental health issues to its ongoing exploitation of artists. Much more than a touchline reporter, Winwood also tells the story of his own mental health collapse, following the shocking death of his father, in which extinction-level behaviour was given perfect cover by a reckless industry.

‘This is such a shrewd, funny, psychologically perceptive, frank, well-written, jawdropping book . Absolutely buy and read the hell out of this.’ DAVID STUBBS

‘Winwood makes a compelling argument and overturns some long-held notions about “rock and roll excess” by deftly tying together a vast amount of information . . . and liberally lacing it with dark, self-deprecating humour.’ ALEXIS PETRIDIS

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The Sunday Times bestseller by Jay Blades, the beloved star of hit BBC One show The Repair Shop. Making It is an inspirational memoir about beating the odds and turning things around even when it all seems hopeless.

We had our hardships, and there were times that we didn’t have a lot of food and didn’t have a lot of money. But that didn’t stop me having the time of my life.

In his book, Jay shares the details of his life, from his childhood growing up sheltered and innocent on a council estate in Hackney, to his adolescence when he was introduced to violent racism at secondary school, to being brutalized by police as a teen, to finally becoming the presenter of the hit primetime show The Repair Shop.

Jay reflects on strength, weakness and what it means to be a man. He questions the boundaries society places on male vulnerability and how letting himself be nurtured helped him flourish into the person he is today. An expert at giving a second life to cherished items, Jay’s positivity, pragmatism and kindness shine through these pages and show that with care and love, anything can be mended.

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This groundbreaking and empowering book examines the impact of growing up and surviving as a gay man in a society still learning to accept all identities.

In The Velvet Rage, psychologist Alan Downs draws on his own struggle with shame and anger, contemporary research, and stories from his patients to passionately describe the stages of a gay man’s journey out of shame and offers practical and inspired strategies to stop the cycle of avoidance and self-defeating behavior. The Velvet Rage is an empowering book that has already changed the public discourse on gay culture and helped shape the identity of an entire generation of gay men.

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THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER and a Times, Spectator and Observer Book of the Year 2021

‘In the first decade of this century, it was unthinkable that a gender-critical book could even be published by a prominent publishing house, let alone become a bestseller.’ Louise Perry, New Statesman

‘Thank goodness for Helen Joyce.’ Christina Patterson, Sunday Times

‘Reasonable, methodical, sane, and utterly unintimidated by extremist orthodoxy, Trans is a riveting read.’ Lionel Shriver

‘A tour de force.’ Evening Standard

Biological sex is no longer accepted as a basic fact of life. It is forbidden to admit that female people sometimes need protection and privacy from male ones. In an analysis that is at once expert, sympathetic and urgent, Helen Joyce offers an antidote to the chaos and cancelling.

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‘Sweet and funny and weird…as well as genuinely insightful about cooking’ – Hadley Freeman, The Sunday Times

‘As touching as it is delicious’ – The Evening Standard

From Spaced and Hot Fuzz to Paul and Truth Seekers, Nick Frost has lit up our screens for decades with his perfectly observed, just-the-right-side-of-absurd sketches and films. He’s also a keen, self-taught cook: so keen, in fact, that in lockdown, he personally delivered pies to his Instagram followers.

This book is his love letter to food, to kitchens and the people in them.

Nick’s favourite thing to eat aged 10 was his mother’s stroganoff and as her alcoholism worsened, he began to learn to cook it himself, gradually taking over and using it as a magic trick to conjure up the very best bits of her – the stable, sober bits, which became harder to find as the years went on. This was the beginning of a lifelong love of process and technique, of escaping into a world of hisses, blips and thunks of a knife on a board.

A Slice of Fried Gold is a delicious mixture of hearty recipes, stories and digressions from one of Britain’s most loved actors and writers.

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Do you ever feel so frustrated with school, friends, parents, and life in general that you lose control of your emotions and lash out? You shouldn’t feel ashamed. Being a teen in today’s world is hard, but it’s even harder when you’re unable to keep your cool in stressful situations. Fortunately, there are things you can do to make positive changes in your life.

Using proven effective mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), Mindfulness for Teen Anger will teach you the difference between healthy and unhealthy forms of anger. Inside, you’ll learn how to make better choices, how to stop overreacting, find emotional balance, and be more aware of your thoughts and feelings in the moment. You’ll also learn skills for building positive relationships with peers, friends, and family.

As a teen, the relationship skills you learn now can help you thrive in the future. With a little help, and by cultivating compassion and understanding for yourself and others, you will be able to transform your fear and anger into confidence and kindness.

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OCD, or obsessive compulsive disorder, is a common and difficult condition characterised by intrusive thoughts which produce worry and the compulsive desire to carry out repetitive behaviours aimed at reducing anxiety. OCD symptoms can range from mild to severe, and can really impact upon our mental health and ability to enjoy life. Recovery from OCD is possible, however.

By picking this book up you’ve taken the first stride. Now, using the STEP system – a structured, CBT-based approach that delivers both support and proven techniques for combating obsessive thoughts – 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 OCD, take practical steps to 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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‘A remarkable read’ – Woman’s Own
‘In My Stride is just as bubbly and positive as the woman herself’ – HELLO!
‘An honest record and reflection of a remarkable life’ – Cumbria Life

Helen Skelton is no stranger to doing hard things, from kayaking the entire length of the Amazon to competing in a boxing match for Sports Relief. Her ability to dig deep and find the inner strength and to carry on no matter the challenge – physical, mental, or emotional – is nothing short of remarkable. Helen grew up on a farm in Cumbria and credits her deep connection with nature and family for grounding her throughout the experiences in her life.

In My Stride explores the lessons Helen has learned through life and adventure, sharing how getting out in nature can help us heal, grow, and find the resilience to move through challenging times in our lives. It tells stories of finding confidence, authenticity, courage, resilience, acceptance, community, and freedom against the backdrop of life’s peaks and troughs and through the power of the natural world.

Helen shows us how putting one foot in front of the other – whether that’s on the Strictly dance floor or in the great outdoors – can help us to journey back to ourselves.

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Scattered Minds explodes the myth of attention deficit disorder as genetically based – and offers real hope and advice for children and adults who live with the condition.

Gabor Maté is a revered physician who specializes in neurology, psychiatry and psychology – and himself has ADD. With wisdom gained through years of medical practice and research, Scattered Minds is a must-read for parents – and for anyone interested how experiences in infancy shape the biology and psychology of the human brain.

Scattered Minds:
– Demonstrates that ADD is not an inherited illness, but a reversible impairment and developmental delay
– Explains that in ADD, circuits in the brain whose job is emotional self-regulation and attention control fail to develop in infancy – and why
– Shows how ‘distractibility’ is the psychological product of life experience
– Allows parents to understand what makes their ADD children tick, and adults with ADD to gain insights into their emotions and behaviours
– Expresses optimism about neurological development even in adulthood
– Presents a programme of how to promote this development in both children and adults

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