Mental health and mindfulness

Youth De stress

Five ways to de-stress 

It is totally normal to feel overwhelmed or anxious at times, but there are healthy and safe ways to deal with it. Here are five ways that you can de-stress. 

1. Meditation

Meditation can do wonders for your emotional health. It allows you to focus your thoughts and achieve a sense of calm. If you’re new to meditation, there are many guided meditation videos on YouTube.

2. Colouring

2. If meditation doesn’t feel like your thing, try mindfulness colouring! It's been proven to help achieve the same sense of calm as meditation. You can colour online, download free colouring art (e.g. Art is Fun), or use an app like Happy Color (available on iOS and Android).

3. Exercise

Exercise improves mood, reduces stress and even helps you sleep better. Try yoga, barre, high-intensity interval workouts. Or, better still, go for walk - check out this list of great walks in our local area for inspiration. 

4. Music

If you need something a little less intense, try relaxing to music.

5. Delve into a story 

A great way to get out of your own stressful thoughts is to delve into a story.

Check out eBooks and audiobooks from our eLibrary, or visit our Shelf-help page for some great booklists and recommendations.

At Kiama Library

Mindfulness and relaxation

Adults shelf help Australian rural authors Relaxation and meditation for teenagers by Gillian Ross

This moment is your life (and so is this one): A fun and easy guide to mindfulness, meditation and yoga by Mariam Gates

Trust: Guided relaxations to overcome anxiety and feel good by Alana Fairchild

Rewire your anxious brains for teens using CBT, neuroscience, and mindfulness to help you end anxiety, panic and worry by Debra Kissen, Ashley D. Kendall, PhD, Michelle Lozano, LMFT and Micah Ioffe

Overcoming depression and anxiety

Youth Mindfulness Depression and anxiety Everything is going to be ok Breaking up with depression: The superchick's guide to overcoming the blues by Michelle Summers

How to have a good day: The essential toolkit for a productive day at work and beyond by Caroline Webb

Living with it: A survivor's guide to overcoming panic and anxiety by Bev Aisbett

Taming the black dog: A guide to overcoming depression by Bev Aisbett

Everything is going to be ok: A little bit of inspiration goes a long way (Chronical Books)

You are so loved (Chronical Books)

Fiction (with mental health themes)

Youth Mindfulness Fiction Finding Audrey How it feels to float by Helena Fox 

Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella

Challenger deep by Neal Shusterman

The rest of us just live here by Patrick Ness

All the bright places by Jennifer Niven

Links

Support links

Youth Mental Health Beyond Blue Lifeline

Lifeline exists to ensure that no person in Australia has to face their darkest moments alone. Our experience has shown us that it is through connection that we can find hope. are available 24 hours a day to listen, without judgement to any person in Australia who is feeling overwhelmed, experiencing crisis or longs to be heard.

 

Kids Helpline

Kids Helpline is Australia’s only free (even from a mobile), confidential 24/7 online and phone counselling service for young people aged 5-25. Qualified counsellors at Kids Helpline are available via WebChat, phone or email anytime and for any reason.

 

Beyond Blue

Beyond Blue is Australia’s most well-known and visited mental health organisation, focused on supporting people affected by anxiety, depression and suicide.

 

Headspace

Headspace is the National Youth Mental Health Foundation providing early intervention mental health services to 12-25 year olds. Headspace can help young people with mental health, physical health (including sexual health) alcohol and other drug services, and work and study support.

 

Mental Health Online

Mental Health Online provides free resources and services to help people experiencing mental health difficulties, including anxiety, panic attacks and depression. Mental Health Online provides:

  • High quality information and resources to help you understand mental health difficulties and their treatment.
  • A comprehensive online psychological assessment program (e-PASS) to help you assess the type and severity of difficulties you may be experiencing, and to suggest treatments, including our free programs and therapist support.
  • Free 12-week online evidence-based treatment programs which you can complete in your own time. Mental Health Online offers programs for:
  • generalised anxiety disorder
  • depression
  • social anxiety disorder                                                                                        
  • oobsessive compulsive disorder
  • post-traumatic stress disorder
  • panic disorder with or without agoraphobia
  • Made-4-Me, a tailored program

 

Moodgym

Moodgym is like an interactive self-help book which helps you to learn and practise skills which can help to prevent and manage symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Free apps

Youth Mental health free app.png The Smiling Minds App

Smiling Mind is a unique tool developed by psychologists and educators to help bring balance to your life. We suggest 10 minutes a day.

 

The Resilience Project

The Resilience Project app is a daily well-being journal. Each day users will be prompted to identify their emotions, record moments of gratitude and practice mindfulness. The aim is to develop emotional literacy, engage with the positive things in life and be actively present.

 

ReachOut WorryTime

Everyone has worries pop into their head from time to time, but sometimes they won't go away and start to impact your everyday life. ReachOut WorryTime interrupts this repetitive thinking by setting aside your worries until later, so you don't get caught up in them and can get on with your day. This means you can deal with worries once a day, rather than carrying them around with you 24/7.

 

The Check-In App

Beyond Blue’s Check-in app was designed in consultation with young people to help take the fear out of having a conversation with a friend who might be struggling. This is often not an easy conversation to have.

 

MindShift

Is anxiety getting in the way of your life? MindShift™ CBT uses scientifically proven strategies based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to help you learn to relax and be mindful, develop more effective ways of thinking, and use active steps to take charge of your anxiety.

Podcasts

Youth Mental health Podcast.jpg H R U? Kid’s Helpline

From peer pressure, navigating finances, identity, relationships, and study or work-related stress, there's a lot on the plates of 18-25 year olds. H R U? is a safe and open place for conversation around mental health and the issues that you face.

 

Not Alone, with Marc Fennell

When it comes to mental health, we all have our own unique stories to tell. But no matter what we are going through, there are other people experiencing it too. From Beyond Blue, this is Not Alone. A podcast where everyday Australians talk about their mental health journey to help you with yours.

 

The Anxiety Shut-In Hour

Hosted by Erin and Anna, the two have an amazing chemistry and immediate rapport, which makes it a treat to listen to each episode. It's equally funny and self-aware with a professional, yet approachable, discussion about their experiences with mental health and anxiety.

 

Headspace Sessions

Headspace Sessions Podcast Adelaide is about all things youth mental health. Each episode features topical content that is handpicked by the young creative team as well as special guests, experts and practical advice delivered in an educational, engaging and inspirational format.

 

Mr Feels

Hosts Tyler May and Laura Benson share personal experiences and interview guests in an effort to erase the stigma surrounding mental health. Mr. Feels normalizes struggles with mental health and provides a community to make others feel understood and supported. Our goal is to educate listeners about mental health practices, share unique perspectives by amplifying quieted voices, destigmatize mental illness, spread empathy for others, and to make those who can relate feel a little less alone

 

Tiny Leaps Big Changes

Tiny Leaps, Big Changes is a personal development podcast focused on exploring the day-to-day behaviours we all engage in that determine the results we gain in our lives. Hosted by Gregg Clunis, the show shares simple strategies you can implement into your life to start moving the needle towards your biggest goals.

 

Mental Music

Made by teens for teens, Mental Music explores mental health  issues affecting young adults. Using music to help explore mental health, Mental Music acknowledges the role music plays is the lives of young people and its impact in helping people vent and creatively express themselves.

 

Generation Next

The Generation Next podcast makes the knowledge of our expert speakers on youth mental health and wellbeing available anytime and on the go! Hear excerpts from speaker lectures, interviews, Q&A from our Student Program audience and much more to come …