In this informative and ground-breaking book, Burns uses cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to help people with depression see, target, and change any self-defeating thoughts that they may have. He also includes a useful guide to the many medications which are used to control mood, and he outlines some of their effects. This best-seller, originally published in 1980, brought CBT into the mainstream and it remains an important book in the fight against depression. It is helpful for sufferers, family and friends.

Now in its 3rd edition, there is a great deal of wisdom, help and understanding in this book for sufferers and carers alike. Please note, though, that it has a narrow focus – stress-related depression – and some of the author’s ‘facts’ about depression are currently just persuasive theories. Nevertheless, this is an excellent book from a psychiatrist who has a wealth of expertise in treating depressive illness.

This is a compelling book by the world-renowned writer and clinical psychologist Dorothy Rowe. She looks at depression as a defence mechanism to pain rather than a mental disorder which always needs medication. If this is something which resonates with you then this book will be useful for you. In general, her books on mental health are powerful and often offer new ways of seeing things. She offers compassion and knowledge in equal measure throughout all of her many books.

An exceptional book that encourages us to trust our gut instinct when we could be under physical threat. Sometimes fear is there for a good reason and we need to listen to it.

When looking for books on grief, Kubler-Ross offers us compassion and expertise which is based on years of deep research and understanding. On Grief And Grieving is one of the most famous books ever written for its impact on how we view grief and bereavement. One of her other books, On Death & Dying, is also a must-read if you have a loved one who is terminally ill, or family and friends in this position. How do we cope with this? What should we do and say? Kubler-Ross tells us what those who are dying really need and shows us how we can help them and also help ourselves cope with death. Her books are supportive, gentle and kind – all the things we need when experiencing this most difficult of emotions.

Novels can help us as much, and sometimes more, than dedicated self-help books. We see people undergoing the things we are experiencing and this connects with us in a powerful and visceral way. The Snow Child, set in Alaska’s frontier territory, is a poignantly sad story and yet it is full of hope. Woven into the story, it describes with great insight not only grief and loss but also a way to find a meaningful life alongside these most difficult emotions. It is a beautiful and captivating novel which has never left me.

Another novel which powerfully looks at grief and how it can divide us. Following the death of 18-year-old Miranda we see how the family cope with their grief. We all cope in different ways with grief and this novel shows us this. It is compelling and heartbreaking and a real-life picture of how grief affects a family. It is a beautifully crafted work of fiction from a master storyteller. It shows us, as vividly as any textbook, the different ways family members deal with loss and the devastating effects this has on them all.