Be Well@NCL
A collection of books to help you understand and manage your mental health and wellbeing.
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Be well@NCL is a collection of tried and tested books, chosen in partnership with the University's Student Health and Wellbeing Service and other health professionals. They are available to be borrowed by anyone in the University to help understand and manage their mental health and wellbeing.
How can reading a book help?
There is evidence from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) that self-help books, like those in the Be well@NCL collection, can help people to understand and manage common mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety. Reading a book written by someone who understands the difficulties you're facing can help you start to feel better.
How are the books chosen?
The books in the collection are based on the national Reading Well scheme (which is rigorously put together by a range of health professionals), and include additional titles from therapists in the University’s Student Health and Wellbeing Service. We do not include any books in the collection which are not tried and tested by health professionals.
Where are the collections located?
The collections are available in the Philip Robinson Library, the Walton Library and also the Law Library.
- In the Philip Robinson Library, the books are at the start of the study skills section on Level 3.
- In the Walton Library, they are located in the quiet study area.
- In the Law Library, they can be found in the Books (346-999) area by the window seats.
Some of the titles are also available as e-books so you can read them online. You can check if a book is available before going to the Library, by looking it up on Library Search.
What if someone else has the book already out on loan?
If the book is already out on loan, simply log on to Library Search and reserve the title. You'll receive an email to let you know when it's ready to collect. The titles of books on the reservation shelf are covered up, so no-one else will see which book you're collecting.
Which books are available in the Be well@NCL collection?
The collection includes titles that offer more healthy ways of thinking, such as practising mindfulness and challenging unhelpful thought patterns. There are also books about common feelings, experiences, and issues, such as:
- anger
- anxiety - including health anxiety and social anxiety
- bereavement, loss and grief
- body image issues and Body Dysmorphic Disorder
- caring for someone with a mental health issue
- depression – including postnatal depression
- eating disorders and eating distress
- low self-esteem
- mood swings
- obsessive-compulsive disorder
- phobias and panic
- sleep problems
- stress
Some of the books are illustrated below, but you can access them all via them all on the Be Well@NCL reading list.
What if the books don't help?
If you find the book you are reading is not helping, please contact your GP or health professional. If you are a student you can also contact the counselling team.