Here you will find a collection of books, apps, videos, podcasts and websites that I believe are worth sharing.
You will find a lot of options below. Different phases of life call for different types of support. Sometimes we need to work through difficult emotions, sometimes we need tools to calm and refocus ourselves, sometimes we need motivation and accountability to push us, sometimes we need information and answers, and sometimes we just need to hear from someone with a similar perspective. I hope that you will find something useful, for whichever phase you are in.
Workbooks
- Start Where You Are, by Meera Lee Patel: This workbook is full of creative activities for introspection and self-discovery. It is not chronic pain specific, but I think it is a great starting point for getting in touch with oneself.
- Put Your Worries Here, by Lisa M. Schab: This workbook helps build coping skills, and also serves as an outlet for worrisome thoughts, through creative activities and exercises. It is quite fun! It is designed to help teens who have anxiety, however it is certainly applicable to young people with pain too.
- Gratitude Journal: Journal 5 minutes a day to develop gratitude, mindfulness, and productivity, by Sujatha Lalgudi: I LOVE THIS JOURNAL! It is designed to take a couple of minutes first-thing in the morning, and then again right before bed. It asks a few quick, yet powerful questions to cultivate gratitude, set intentions for the day, and reflect on the positive moments.
- The Chronic Pain & Illness Workbook for Teens, by Rachell Zoffness PhD: This is an informative and interactive workbook, that brings the reader through a variety of cognitive behavioral therapy concepts and activities. I was not a fan of every single word I read in here, but over-all I believe there is value to a lot of the content. I also really liked the diagram used to explain the bio-psycho-social model of pain.
- The Resilience Workbook for Teens, by Cheryl M. Bradshaw, MA: This resource is packed with activities for cultivating resilience. I found that it was a little information heavy, however I thought it was worth mentioning for those who may be interested. It is made for anyone who wants help working through difficult experiences.
Mindfulness
- Stand Tall Like a Mountain : Mindfulness & Self-Care for Children & Parents, by Suzy Reading: This book is meant to be read by parents and caregivers, and is full of actionable ideas for teaching and engaging children in healthy self-care habits. I have mentioned before that my chronic pain makes me more sensitive to the basics of self-care, so even though this book is not chronic pain specific, it is definitely applicable. I loved so many of the ideas in this book. I especially love that it reminds us that self-care is important when we are doing well, and when we are having a hard time. I also really like how it stresses how personal self-care truly is, and how important it is to find things that work for YOU. I would highly recommend this one!
Habit tracking:
Chronic pain perspective:
The conversation on pain:
Information:
While I have found a good little collection of resources, my searches have highlighted the importance of creating more resources that are made for and with the help of young people who live with pain. We also need more resources for parents and caregivers, that give perspective into the child’s experience, and how to better support a child with chronic pain. This would not only help us as children, but also help the adults in our lives feel less powerless in the situation.
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Last Updated: September 22, 2020
