Reach Out: Tips for Helping Someone in Crisis: ISBN 978-1-6782-0584-3 / eBook: 978-1-6782-0585-0
Kirkus Reviews, July 1, 2023

A concise overview that explores how young people can support their peers through mental health crises.
The book opens by emphasizing that these problems can affect anyone. Chapter 1 presents statistics on mental health concerns among tweens and teens. Musicians like Taylor Swift, Demi Lovato, and Selena Gomez are highlighted for sharing their struggles through music. The second chapter describes the elements of emotional intelligence—social awareness, self-awareness, self-management, and relationship management—as the basis for being able to help others. The chapter called “Starting a Conversation” helps readers with ways to assist others while emphasizing that it is not their responsibility to solve everything. Chapter 5 focuses on self-care as a way of cultivating resilience and being a better support person. Suggestions include volunteering, journaling, and regular mindfulness practices. Crucially, the book explores how identity affects one’s risk of mental health struggles, including poverty, gender, sexual orientation, and racism. Text boxes punctuate the narrative, adding valuable and interesting background information (e.g., “How It Feels: Panic Attack” and “Robot Therapists”) along with quotes from mental health professionals. Stock photos showing racially diverse young people brighten the book. This accessible title written in a conversational and reassuring tone is a valuable and inviting resource for young people looking for ways to support their peers.
A considered and compassionate mental health support guide for adolescents. (content warning, source notes, further research, index, image credits) (Nonfiction. 12-18)

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