Reading Well to improve your mental wellbeing

A series of free books to help people to improve their mental wellbeing are now available in libraries across Cumbria.

The books, published under a series called Reading Well, are aimed at adults experiencing common mental health problems have been endorsed by health professionals in partnership with Cumbria County Council Library Services.

‘Shared Reading’ Therapy Eases Chronic Pain Symptoms

Shared reading (SR) — a literature-based intervention — can be a useful therapy for people suffering with chronic pain, according to a new study at the University of Liverpool in England. By engaging the whole person through literature, the treatment helps patients become consciously aware of and able to confront their deeper emotions related to chronic pain.

The researchers believe the therapeutic benefits of shared reading can extend even beyond those of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a treatment that has traditionally helped patients change their awareness of pain and develop stronger coping skills.