We live in an unprecedented world, and by now, we have understood that there is no magic way to deal with this uncertainty, stress, anxiety, and dozens of mental health issues that are part of our new normal.
Well, this is totally understandable, to be honest.
The ability to cope and deal with everyday stressors is not something like a personality trait you are born with. It is a learned skill that you have to work hard to develop.
Now, we understand you are busy, and toiling hard to work on your mental health, might not really be on your to-do list right now. But what if there was a fun, easy, and engaging way to take care of your mental health?
Yes. With mental health activity books, you can do just that. Packed with thoughtful prompts, interactive exercises, and important pieces of advice – mental health activity books are the perfect spot for you to get started.
With nine of our favorite picks, let us dive deeper into the exciting world of mental health activity books. From journaling to mindfulness, workbooks, and coloring books – there’ll be something for everyone here.
Top Mental Health Activity Books
1. The Big Activity Book for Anxious People by Jordan Reid
Are you feeling anxious? As per official statistics, around 264 million people suffer from anxiety disorder worldwide. And given the tumultuous environment we live in, for most people, anxiety is now a troublesome but regular part of their lives.
Part weird but effective coping mechanisms, part coloring book, and part a collection of soothing facts, the Big Activity Book is a safe outlet for anyone looking to take a break from their difficult lives, laugh through their fears, and understand that they are not alone.
2. The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook by Edmund J. Bourne
This classic mental health activity book which is in its fifth edition now is often the one recommended by therapists to their clients. Anxiety and Phobia is one of the best mental health workbooks for adults to start working on their mental well-being. It consists of multiple exercises designed to help you learn skills like reframing your thoughts, combating negative self-talk, quitting overthinking, and much more.
3. Essential Art Therapy Exercises by Leah Guzman
You do not really have to consider yourself an artist or even a creative person in order to use this essential art therapy workbook by Leag Guzman. You might feel like art therapy is an intimidating and challenging field to step into. But trust us when we say that art therapy comes in varied forms and has something that fits people of all skill sets. In fact, you won’t even need traditional art therapy supplies for most exercises in this workbook. All you need is a little bit of motivation, and you can dive right into the beautiful and effective world of art therapy.
4. The Breakup Workbook by Your Mental Health Pal
There are very few things as disorienting and disturbing as a breakup. It turns your world upside down and directly affects your mental and emotional well-being. What you need during this time is a companion that helps you in this challenging journey of moving from heartbreak to healing. The breakup workbook is just that. Packed with pieces of advice, guided journal prompts, worksheets, and much more, this is one of the best mental health workbooks to begin the tough yet important process of moving on and finding yourself once again.
5. The Body Awareness Workbook for Trauma by Julie Brown Yau
While dealing with stressful times, it is common for past, unhealed traumas to resurface and start causing you immense emotional distress. For people dealing with any kind of trauma, this is one of the best mental health workbooks out there to help you cope. With thoughtful exercises, it has the power to help you tap into your body’s in-built abilities to cope, heal, and grow.
6. The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook by Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer
We live in a world full of pressure – the pressure to be perfect on social media, ace your tests, hit all the sales targets, and whatnot. This constant competitiveness can take a toll on your self-esteem, and you might start being unnecessarily hard on yourself. This is why self-compassion is a necessary tool for survival. It helps you to show yourself the kindness with which you treat your loved ones. Filled with practical advice, worksheets, guided meditation techniques, and personal stories– this one from our suggestion of mental health activity books will be your reminder that you are perfectly enough.
7. The Assertiveness Workbook by Randy J. Paterson
If you are one of those who chose to put aside their opinions to avoid conflicts and please people, this one from our list of mental health activity books is precisely meant for you. Assertiveness is one of the most important life skills. Given our blurry work-life boundaries, tense relationships, and overall conflicting world, it gets even more important. Throughout the Assertive Workbook, you will learn how to stand up for yourself, respectfully voice your opinions, and articulate your thoughts and emotions the right way.
8. Notes to Self: A Journal for Self-Care by Lisa Currie
We at Your Mental Health Pal often say that figuring out a personal and effective self-care plan is a process of experimentation and creativity. This process can sound intimidating, especially if you don’t know the right place to start your journey from. Well, if you are unsure where to start experimenting for self-care, a journal filled with thoughtful guided prompts is one of the best mental health activity books for you. It is filled with so many beautiful ideas; working on this journal will begin to feel like self-care in itself.
9. The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook by Matthew McKay, Jeffrey C. Wood, and Jeffrey Brantley
Dialectical behavior therapy is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy that helps deal with emotional distress and develop stress tolerance. While it is typically used to treat mental health disorders like bipolar disorder, eating disorders, depression, and much more, DBT consists of multiple skills from which we can all benefit. Especially during unsteady times like these, where we are dealing with stressors every step of the way, this mental health workbook will come in handy for all of us. With multiple exercises and worksheets, this book will help you build and hone your emotional regulation skills.
Conclusion:
Mental health activity books are an engaging and effective way to care for your mental health. They are beneficial for all people, irrespective of their age or skill sets. They help explore and understand different aspects of your well-being and can also work as great conversation starters for subjects like mental health, mindfulness, etc.
While working through these mental health workbooks, it is essential to understand that good mental health is not a destination but a journey. We hope our suggestion of mental health activity books is a good place for you to start this journey toward mental wellness.
While activity books are a good place to work on regular stressors, if you are dealing with issues that affect your daily life and cause emotional distress on a regular basis, choosing professional help might be the right way out. Getting professional help is now much easier with the advent of online therapy platforms. To know more about them, click here.
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