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RESOURCES

Recommended Books for Bibliotherapy

Bibliotherapy, a therapeutic approach that uses literature to support good mental health, is a versatile and cost-effective treatment option often adapted or used to supplement other types of therapy. The use of specific reading materials and workbooks to address a variety of mental health concerns may provide self-help that can be conducted with or without the guidance of a therapist.

The use of literature as a healing method dates back to ancient Greece, when Grecian libraries were seen as sacred places with curative powers. Below is an ongoing list of recommended books.

Article from experts on Why do we get jealous in relationships?

Mental Health Resources

The following links are listed to provide you with additional online mental health care information. Please also check the additional links provided for physical health for a more comprehensive understanding of your over-all well-being. The following is not meant to be a comprehensive list, nor is it an endorsement of the content of the sites.

FOR IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE WITH A CRISIS, CALL 911.

National Suicide Prevention Hotline

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, across the United States. The Lifeline is comprised of a national network of over 160 local crisis centers, combining custom local care and resources with national standards and best practices.
Phone number: 1-800-723-8255
www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
Suicide Awareness Voices of Education
Suicide: Read This First

National Center for PTSD
Give an Hour— for veterans and their families
National Center for PTSD Real Warriors (U.S. Department of Defense)— for veterans and their families
The Gift From Within
Sidran Institute

NeuroWeb

The Trevor Project
The Trevor Project operates the only accredited, nationwide, around-the-clock crisis and suicide prevention helpline for LGBTQ youth
Phone Number: 1-866-488-7386
Website: www.TheTrevorProject.org

GLBT National Help Center
The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender National Hotline provides telephone and email peer-counseling, as well as factual information and local resources for cities and towns across the United States. Services are free and confidential. They speak with callers of all ages about coming-out issues, relationship concerns, HIV/AIDS anxiety and safer-sex information, and lots more! They also maintain the largest resource database of its kind in the world, with over 18,000 listings. Their database contains information on social and support groups, as well as gay-friendly religious organizations, sports leagues, student groups and more. They also have information on GLBT-friendly businesses including lawyers, doctors and various counseling professionals.
Phone Number: 1-888-843-4564
Website: www.glbthotline.org

Community United Against Violence
Community United Against Violence (CUAV) works to build the power of LGBTQQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning) communities to transform violence and oppression. We support the healing and leadership of those impacted by abuse and mobilize our broader communities to replace cycles of trauma with cycles of safety and liberation. As part of the larger social justice movement, CUAV works to create truly safe communities where everyone can thrive.
Phone Number for 24-hour Safety Line: 415-333-HELP (4357)
Website: www.cuav.org

DrugWatch.com provides up-to-date information about prescription and over-the-counter medications, including details about associated side effects.
Drugalert.org is a comprehensive database with information and news alerts about potentially dangerous drugs currently on the market or previously available worldwide.

Parenting Resources

The following links are listed to provide helpful, curated information on parenting and mental health-related materials for children and adolescents. The following is not meant to be a comprehensive list or a substitution for professional services.

    1. A resource roundup of podcasts, articles, and books to help parents get started: Your Kids Aren’t Too Young to Talk About Race
    2. Conversation Starters from Race Conscious – 100 Race Conscious Things You Can Say to Your Child
    3. Explaining Racism and Protest to your kids through books
    4. How to Use Books to Talk About Race
    5. Look, Listen, and Learn – an early learning education program showcasing Black and Indigenous people and people of color
    6. Resources for anti-racist parenting from Greater Good, a magazine that uses scientific research to create tips and tools for a more compassionate society
    7. Resource list for families on Racism, Police Violence, and Black Lives Matter from Families of Color Seattle
    8. Talking Race and Cultural Differences with Young Children
    9. Talking to Your Kids About Race and Other Difficult Things
    10. The prevalence of prejudice and implicit bias in society
    11. Thoughts and guidelines for talking about racism and equality in age-appropriate ways (with kids 2-5 years)
    12. Watch the Sesame Street Town Hall for kids and families, Coming Together: Standing Up to Racism – Sesame Street characters, adults, and kids share stories of prejudice, and explain white privilege alongside messages on how adults can talk with kids about racism, ways to take action, and create change
    13. Racism, Bias, and Discrimination Resources: https://www.apa.org/topics/race 
    14. Racism Resource Library (compiled by AACAP): https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Resource_Libraries/Racism_Resource_Library.aspx 
    15. Resource list on Talking about Race, Racism and Racialized Violence with Kids: https://centerracialjustice.org/resources/resources-for-talking-about-race-racism-and-racialized-violence-with-kids/ 
    16. Resource on Anti-Racism provided by APA: https://www.apadivisions.org/division-37/resources/anti-racism?_ga=2.166225918.1347825287.1608316112-134745782.1608316112

Books for Children on Anti-racism

    1. A list of books on race and social justice, for kids K-5, from Seattle Public Library
    2. A clickable bookshelf with resources for talking about race with children
    3. An open source document with a collection of books for kids, grouped by age
    4. Books can offer a window to diversity that your family may not encounter on a daily basis. Read more: Children’s Books as Mirrors and Windows (includes a list of infant-toddler board books that promote diversity)
    5. Books from the Coretta Scott King Book Awards winners list, for preschoolers to teens
    6. Talking to Kids About Race and Racism, Early and Often (a New York Times article that includes books to help start the conversation)
    7. 20 Picture Books – readings to embrace race, provide solace, and do good
    8. A Kid’s Book About Racism by Jelani Memory (ages 5-9)
    9. All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold (ages 5-9)
    10. Counting on Community by Innosanto Nagara (ages 3-5)
    11. I am Rosa Parks by Brad Meltzer (ages 5-9)
    12. Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña (ages 3-5)
    13. More, More, More, Said the Baby by Vera B. Williams (ages 0-3)
    14. Please, Baby, Please by Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee (ages 0-3)
    15. Something Happened in Our Town by Marianne Celano, Marietta Collins, Ann Hazzard (ages 5-9); (Animated version)
    16. Ten, Nine, Eight by Molly Bang (ages 0-3)
    17. The Colors of Us by Karen Katz (ages 3-5)
    18. The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson (ages 5-9)
    19. The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson (ages 5-9)
    20. We March by Shane W. Evans (ages 5-9)

Articles and Resources for White Parents to Raise Anti-Racist Children

  1. A Letter to White Parents
  2. How White Parents with Young Children Can Undo Racism – Seattle Times
  3. How White Parents Can Talk About Race – NPR
  4. Teaching Your Child About Black History Month – PBS
  5. The Top 5 Reasons Well Meaning White Parents Do Not Discuss Race With Their White Children
  6. The White Ally toolkit
  7. Whites for Black Rights – Website providing education and action for white allies, founded by PEPS alumni
  8. 5 Pandemic Parenting Lessons by Cindy Wang Brandt (podcast episode)
  9. 75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice
  1. Korean American Families in Immigrant America: How Teens and Parents Navigate Race (book): https://nyupress.org/9781479836680/korean-american-families-in-immigrant-america/
  2. Coping with and Contextualizing Anti-Asian Racism and Pandemics (Video – panel conversation with Dr. Hua-Yu Sebastian Cherng, Dr. Sumi Okazaki, Dr. William Tsai, and Joyce Tan): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUZNAvFjGsI&feature=youtu.be 
  3. Anti-Hate/Anti-Racism Parenting: Taking the Proactive Approach from the Perspective of an Asian Mom (Article): https://www.the1891-cwba.org/post/anti-hate-anti-racism-parenting-taking-the-proactive-approach-from-the-perspective-of-an-asian-mom 
  4. Talking to Your South Asian Family about Anti-Blackness & Black Lives Matter: https://www.sasmha.org/blm-resources 
  5. 6 Ways Asian Americans Can Tackle Anti-Black Racism in Their Families: https://everydayfeminism.com/2016/01/asian-americans-tackle-anti-black-racism/ 
  6. 20+ Allyshiop Actions for Asians to Show Up for the Black Community Right Now: https://medium.com/awaken-blog/20-allyship-actions-for-asians-to-show-up-for-the-black-community-right-now-464e5689cf3e 
  7. 30+ Ways Asian Perpetuate Anti-Black Racism Everyday: https://medium.com/awaken-blog/30-ways-asians-perpetuate-anti-black-racism-everyday-32886c9b3075 
  1. Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Teens: Facts for Teens and Their Parents: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/teen/dating-sex/Pages/Gay-Lesbian-and-Bisexual-Teens-Facts-for-Teens-and-Their-Parents.aspx
  2. Parents’ Influence on the Health of Lesbiann, Gay, and Bisexual Teens: What Parents and Families Should Know: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/protective/pdf/parents_influence_lgb.pdf
  3. Parents play a key role in preventing and responding to bullying. If you know or suspect that your child is involved in bullying, this website provides resources that may help: https://www.stopbullying.gov/resources/what-you-can-do
  4. The Coronavirus Guide for Transgender: https://transequality.org/covid19
  1. Guidance for social pods: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_to_form_a_pandemic_pod
  2. Looking forward and not backward helps with the helpless feelings that young parents’ experience: www.nytimes.com/2020/08/18/parenting/homeschool-siblings.html
  3. Parenting During Coronavirus: https://www.helpguide.org/articles/parenting-family/parenting-during-coronavirus.htm
  4. 9 Tips for Motivating Children to Learn at Home: https://www.apa.org/topics/covid-19/parenting-caregiving/motivating-children-tips.pdf 
  5. Helping Children and Teens Cope with Anxiety About COVID-19: https://pulse.seattlechildrens.org/helping-children-and-teens-cope-with-anxiety-covid-19/
  6. Free books on Covid for children (in multiple languages): https://nycdoe.libguides.com/COVID-19ebooks/free 
  7. Video – supporting Asian/Asian-American children and youth during COVID-19: https://www.srcd.org/event/supporting-asianasian-american-children-and-youth-during-covid-19-pandemic 
  • Family Media Plan from American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP): Tool to help parents create a personalized family media use plan to support in setting boundaries and rules around tech use:
      1. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/media/Pages/default.aspx
  • Digital Guidelines: Promoting Healthy Technology Use for Children (from American Psychological Association):
    1. https://www.apa.org/topics/healthy-technology-use-children
  2. How Much Screen Time is OK for kid(s)?
    1. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/screen-time/how-much-screen-time-is-ok-for-my-kids
  3. Books on Parenting in a Digital Age
    1. The Big Disconnect: Protecting Childhood and Family Relationships in the Digital Age by Catherine Steiner-Adair, Ed.D. 
    2. It’s Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens by Danah Boyd
    3. Technology and Digital Media in the Early Years: Tools for Teaching and Learning by Chip Donohue
    4. Screen Time: How Electronic Media–From Baby Videos to Educational Software–Affects Your Young Child by Lisa Guernsey
    5. Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World by Devorah Heitner
    6. Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World by Cal Newport
    7. Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other by Sherry Turkle
    8. Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age by Sherry Turkle
    9. iGen: Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy–and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood–and What That Means for the Rest of Us by Jean M. Twenge, PhD
    10. Media Moms & Digital Dads by Yadha Yhls
  1. Kelly Fradin, MD – Harvard graduate – Mom and pediatrician offering advice on various topics through blogs and media on parenting during the pandemic:  https://adviceigivemyfriends.com
  2. Articles – Tips and Strategies
    1. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/COVID-19/Pages/Parenting-in-a-Pandemic.aspx
    2. https://www.helpguide.org/articles/parenting-family/parenting-during-coronavirus.htm
  1. CDC essential parenting videos: https://www.cdc.gov/parents/essentials/videos/index.html
  2. Practice Parenting Skills – Free videos and examples: https://www.cdc.gov/parents/essentials/activities/index.html 
  3. A youtube channel from a passionate parent who stays informed and practicing parenting skills, using “peaceful parenting” methods, while also providing weekly advice videos: https://www.youtube.com/user/theparentingjunkie
  4. Advice and tip given by medical professionals on various parenting topics: https://www.youtube.com/user/ChildrensHospitalStl
  5. Bridging the Gap: Parents and Teens Talking Together (PDF powerpoint): https://www.apa.org/pi/families/children-awareness-day-webinar-slides.pdf

Parenting Tips Free PDFs

  1. Tips to help your child thrive
    1. http://www.challengesuccess.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/TipsforEmail.png
  2. Structuring playtime, downtime and family time for Teens
    1. http://www.challengesuccess.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/PDF-for-Teens.png
  3. Structuring playtime, downtime and family time for Elementary-aged kids
    1. http://www.challengesuccess.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/PDF-for-Elem.png
  4. Tips for Parenting Preschoolers
    1. http://www.challengesuccess.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Pre-School-Tips.png
  1. Why Self-Care is Essential to Parenting (Article from childmind.org)
    1. https://childmind.org/article/fighting-caregiver-burnout-special-needs-kids/
  2. Self-Care Assessment from NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) – simple tool to help adults discover which element of self-care they’re lacking and pinpoint how to improve: https://www.nami.org/getattachment/Extranet/Education,-Training-and-Outreach-Programs/Signature-Classes/NAMI-Homefront/HF-Additional-Resources/HF15AR6SelfCare.pdf
  3. Self-Care for Parents: https://www.peps.org/ParentResources/by-topic/self-care/self-care-for-parents
  4. Self-Care for Parents with Newborns: https://www.peps.org/ParentResources/by-topic/self-care/parents-of-newborns
  5. Self-Care Apps
    1. Headspace – $12.99/month or $94.99/year – guided meditation app
    2. Shine – $9.99/month or $53.99/year – app that provides support for topics on productivity, mindfulness, and improving sleep.
    3. Calm – free seven day trial, $12.99/month, or $59.99/year – guided meditation and breathing.
    4. Pacifica Stress & Anxiety – free to use, but for premium features is $8.99/month or $53.99/year – psychologist-designed tools to help manage stress/anxiety/depression, such as CBT and other coping skills.
    5. Relax Melodies: Sleep Sounds – free sleep sounds, premium features $9.99/month or $59.00/year – to help improve sleep.
  • Guides from Child Mind Institute – useful information, covering a range of topics that’s easy to navigate, for parents to understand what’s happening with their child and give them the essentials they need to make informed choices:

Anxiety and Depression Resources

      1. Anxiety and Depression in Children: Facts
        1. https://www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth/features/anxiety-depression-children.html 
      2. Parental Depression Resources
        1. https://www.apa.org/pi/families/resources/newsletter/2014/05/families-parental-depression 

ADHD

  1. ADHD – A Guide for Families: https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Resource_Centers/ADHD_Resource_Center/ADHD_A_Guide_for_Families/Home.aspx 
  2. ADHD: The Basics: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd-the-basics/index.shtml 
  3. Parenting a Child with ADHD Factsheet: https://chadd.org/for-parents/overview/ 
  4. Parent to Parent – Providing ADHD Training and Support for Parents: https://chadd.org/parent-to-parent/ 
  5. Free 8-Week Course for Parents – Introduction to ADHD: https://chadd.thinkific.com/courses/p2pm1 
  6. Free Online Support Community for Parents/Caregivers of Children with ADHD: https://healthunlocked.com/adhd-parents 
  7. Video: Two families talk about their experiences living with ADHD and Tourette Syndrome:  https://www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth/video/index.html 
  8. Book: YOUR CHILD – A Parent’s Guide to What’s Normal, What’s Not and When to Seek Help (1998) AACAP, Harper Collins, New York.
    1. Click here to purchase Your Child from Harper Collins

Anger

    1. What Parents Can Do When Children are Angry and Fight
      1. https://www.apa.org/act/resources/fact-sheets/children-fight 
    2. Tips for Effective Discipline
      1. https://www.apa.org/act/resources/fact-sheets/effective-discipline 
    3. Helping Children Express Anger
      1. https://www.apa.org/act/resources/fact-sheets/express-anger 

Substance Use and Addiction

    1. Addiction Information: https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/addiction 

Free Therapy Worksheets and Resources

Listed below are supplemental materials to provide guidance in your journey towards healing, self-improvement, and transformation. The following is not meant to be a comprehensive list or a substitution for professional services.

  1. Free Online Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Course
  2. Tara Brach is a psychologist, author and meditation teacher. She blends Western Psychology and Eastern Spiritual Practices. I highly recommend her books, Radical Acceptance and True Refuge. She also offers free weekly podcasts here.
  3. Insight Timer: This is a free app that you can download to your phone. It has hundreds of guided meditations of all different lengths and also offers a timer for unguided meditation. Bonus: you can see how many people you are meditating with worldwide!
  4. One of the most beloved of American Buddhist teachers, Pema Chödrön, has devoted her life to inspiring people toward awakening. She is the author of many influential books, such as When Things Fall Apart, Living Beautifully, and The Places that Scare You. Her writing, which explores Buddhist concepts and offers paths to conquering subjects such as suffering, fear, and difficult times, has inspired people worldwide.
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