The following resources include training, community partners, podcasts and books supporting the topics of mental health and resilience. If you have a resource to share on LibraryRecovery.org, please contact NorthNet Library System at NLSadmin@plpinfo.org.
Webinars and Education
- California State Library Mental Health InitiativeIn partnership with the California Center for the Book and libraries statewide, the CSL Mental Health Initiative offers a series of webinars on a wide range of topics, as well as the comprehensive course below:
- Building Compassionate Communities Infopeople CourseThis free course includes four modules exploring the library’s role as a protective factor, trauma-informed services, community partnerships and mental health programming
- California Center for the Book Mental Health PlaylistThis playlist includes videos from the Monterey Park Bruggemeyer Library on anxiety, depression and how to assist youth during a crises, as well as videos from San Diego Public Library’s project, “The Literacy of Lived Experience.”
- Cultivating Protective Factors for Safe Libraries and Resilient CommunitiesLearn more about how libraries serve as a protective factor for our communities and how Sacramento Public Library learned to build resilience in the midst of tragedy
- From Facilities to Trauma: Disaster Planning and Community Resiliency at Your LibraryLearn how New Jersey libraries are supporting disaster response and community recovery as “information first responders”
Training
- Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)MHFA trains people in identifying, understanding, and providing initial help and support to people experiencing mental illnesses, substance use disorder, or a crisis. Libraries throughout the country have used MHFA to help staff and volunteers better respond to patron needs and crisis situations.
- Psychological First Aid (PFA) and Skills for Psychological Recovery (SPR)The National Child Traumatic Stress Network offers training in PFA and SPR for library staff members looking to deepen their crisis-response skills.
Resilience Resources
- Positivity CenterThis website, created by the Claremont employee assistance program, offers resources for mindfulness, meditation, gratitude and ways to incorporate resilience practices in the workplace
- Palouse MindfulnessRetired therapist Dave Potter offers a free, eight-week course in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
- RAND Corporation’s report Building Community Resilience to Disasters offers a deep dive into actions organizations can take to improve mental health and resilience ahead of a disaster
Resources to Share
- The Children’s Psychological Health Center offers Guided Activity Workbooks organized by disaster type. The workbooks include activities to help children make sense of a disaster and to reflect in healthy ways about their experiences. Workbooks can be used as part of children’s programming or to help inform passive programs for all ages.
- The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA) offers extensive recovery resources, including printable tips for coping with grief after a disaster and a vast collection of disaster-specific resources.
Community Partners
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)NAMI is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization, made up of practitioners and advocates from around the country. Local NAMI chapters have also partnered with countless libraries to deliver mental health programming and supports.
- ACEs ConnectionACEs Connection is a social network working to address the impacts of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Regional communities also offer programming and partnership opportunities throughout California and nationwide.
- Listos CaliforniaListos California is working to improve preparedness and resilience across the state. They offer online and in-person preparedness courses, have trained numerous community groups and are working to expand access to resources during COVID-19.
- Uplift Family ServicesProviding mobile crisis support for children under 18, Uplift Family Services is available to help children under 18 in multiple California regions.
Podcasts & Media
- The Hilarious World of Depression PodcastThis podcast features frank and funny interviews with comedians speaking openly about their experience with depression and mental health.
- 10% Happier PodcastAuthor Dan Harris hosts this podcast exploring happiness from many angles, including mindfulness, meditation, gratitude and spirituality.
Recommended Reading
The following books offer insights into resilience, trauma and the effects of childhood adversity. For a more complete list of books, see the Mental Health Initiative Booklist created by the California Center for the Book.
- The Deepest Well: Healing the Long-Term Effects of Childhood Adversity by Nadine Burke Harris
- The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel Van Der Kolk
- Resilient: How to Grow an Unshakable Core of Calm, Strength, and Happiness by Rick Hanson
- Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World by Vivek Murthy
- Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed by Lori Gottlieb
- Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May
Vicarious Trauma and Compassion Fatigue
- Recognize the signs and symptoms of vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue with this guide from Alameda County. The page also includes links to additional resources.
- The Department of Justice also offers a vicarious trauma toolkit that includes extensive resources and an introductory video on strategies for “Creating a Vicarious Trauma-Informed Organization.”