There are 1 000 different self-help books advertised on social media, each with their own tips and tricks. They all claim to cure mental illness through self-care. It doesn’t.
Self-care isn’t the cause and therefore, not the cure for a clinical disorder. You’d have the same luck if you put your arm in cast to cure flu.
There is a lot of misinformation out there, which can lead to confusion and emotional harm.
Some mental health treatments may include therapy books. It can be difficult to find therapy books for all ages, but this is especially true for children and teens.
If a therapy book is misused, it can cause confusion and harm. It’s like misusing a scalpel.
What are the best ways to use a therapy book for children and teens? Keep in mind these few important points:
1) SELECT A RELATIVE BOOK
Choose a book which is relevant to your child’s or teen’s situation. It is important to find a book that matches the child or teen’s situation.
Children and teens will have more difficulty understanding how the book is relevant to them than adults. You need to spend some time with your child or teen to discuss how they relate or do not relate to characters, situations, or beliefs.
You will never find a perfect match, but you can use a book close enough to discuss the connections.
2) BOOKS MAY BE MISUNDERSTOOD
Many mental disorders can cause “cognitive distortions” which are distorted views of things. A story about someone overcoming social anxieties may be twisted into a story that all other people are superior to the reader.
The “happy end” of stories is often a simple one, but the reality is much more complicated. This can confuse children and anger teens, who expect the stories to be fiction rather than reality.
You can use therapy books to help you understand how expectations and realities may differ. It is more important to listen to their interpretation than the storyline.
3) DO NOT USE BOOKS AS A WAY TO CLOSURE CONVERSATION
As an adult, it can be easier for you to compartmentalize your experiences and information. When a child uses a book to process an experience, it can be taken to mean, “This is the time for us to talk about what occurred and once we finish reading the book, that’s all we will ever say about it.”
This is not good. As kids mature, they have to think about things more than once. They learn more about themselves and the world.
Use books to open up discussions and questions, so that they can desensitize and process without being overwhelmed.
4) DO NOT LEAVE THERAPY BIBLES AROUND
The same as surgical instruments, therapy books can cause serious harm if they are misused.
It is tempting to leave them lying around, so “they can read it whenever they want.” This is not the norm.
The best way to use therapy books is with trusted adults, such as therapists or caregivers. It is important to set aside time to discuss what you have read.
The most important thing to do when using a therapy book is to read with your children and discuss each chapter with teenagers.
5) DO NOT SURPRISE THEM
It is important to make sure the child or teen feels in control. It is not a good idea to trick or trap them into discussing the topic of the book.
It takes a lot of planning to use a book for therapy. You should both agree that you will discuss the book while reading it.
It’s not effective to pressure children or teens into talking about things they’re not ready to discuss, such as cooking a clam. Before using therapy books, you need to teach them how they can feel safe.
