Mental Health & Self Care for Teens

These self-help books for teens are packed with useful tips on dealing with school, family, friendships, and working out who you are, as well as contending with anxiety or negative emotions.

Updated January 26, 2024
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The 7 habits of highly effective teens : the ultimate teenage success guide
Covey, Sean
Paper Book
Over 3 million copies sold. Adapted from the New York Times bestseller The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens is the ultimate teenage success guide--now updated for the digital age. Imagine you had...
Attention hijacked : using mindfulness to reclaim your brain from tech
Marcus, Erica B.
Paper Book
Technology surrounds us every day: a phone alarm wakes us up, an electronic calendar tracks assignment deadlines, GPS directs us to the new dentist's office, social media keeps us connected to friends and family, and streaming platforms make sure we're never without something new to binge-watch....
Be you, only better : real life self-care for young adults (and everyone else)
Hugstad, Kristi
Paper Book
Along with all the perks of becoming an adult come challenges and the need to learn skills that help you self-regulate as you venture into new experiences. Highlighting five key areas of life -- physical, mental, emotional, social, and financial -- Be You, Only Better offers science- and experience...
The beasts in your brain : understanding and living with anxiety and depression
Speller, Katherine
Paper Book
It can be hard to find the words to describe the icky feelings that seem to come from nowhere and sap all your joy and energy. You can tell that your brain just isn't pulling off the same tasks as others, and you're constantly bouncing between feeling nothing and feeling the weight of everything....
Blaze your own trail : ideas for teens to find and pursue your purpose
Ashley, Justin
Paper Book
Empower teens to build their own paths with strategies that encourage self-discovery, autonomy, and connection. Blaze Your Own Trail invites teens to consider their values, goals, and interests, and take steps toward building the life--and blazing the trail--they want...
Cherish : Cultivating relationships with parents, friends, guys, and more
Courtney, Vicki.
Paper Book
Instead of just surviving relationships, why not cherish them?  A teen girl's life is bursting with relationships--hard ones, favorite ones, and ones you would avoid if only you could. In Cherish, best-selling author Vicki Courtney offers...
Chill : stress-reducing techniques for a more balanced, peaceful you
Reber, Deborah
Paper Book
Feeling overwhelmed? This easy-to-follow guide to stress management is the perfect solution for teens in desperate need of downtime. With schedules packed full of obligations ranging from academic to athletic to social, today's teens know all too well the heavy toll that stress can take...
Courageous creativity : advice and encouragement for the creative life
Zarr, Sara
Paper Book
Being creative takes courage. It can be scary to create something. Before you can even work on your craft, you have to face down the fear of messing up or looking silly, the perfectionism that keeps you from even starting, and the negative voices inside your head that say you don't...
The creative spark : how musicians, writers, explorers, and other artists found their inner fire and followed their dreams
Shapiro, Michael
Paper Book
"Knowledgeable, probing, and thoughtful." --Foreword Reviews Smokey Robinson * Barbara Kingsolver * Francis Ford Coppola * David Sedaris * Jane Goodall and other luminaries reveal the secrets to their creative success. Amy Tan talks about how she finds truth by writing...
Dealing with stress : insights and tips for teenagers
Cognevich, Christie
Paper Book
Today's teenagers are dealing with stress at an unprecedented level. The inescapable flood of difficult news and world concerns can make anyone--but especially young adults--feel isolated and anxious. Dealing with Stress: Insights and Tips for Teenagers offers relatable anecdotes and...
Depression : insights and tips for teenagers
Cognevich, Christie
Paper Book
Adolescent depression is often dismissed as a normal teenage experience, a bad mood, or something to outgrow. This is far from the truth, and it's important that young adults and their families and friends understand how crucial it is to address any social, emotional, and physical difficulties they...
Eat well and feel great : the teenager's guide to nutrition and health
Lond-Caulk, Tina
Paper Book
'An essential evidence-based handbook for every family' - Gary Neville 'An amazing resource for families, teachers and teens' - Dr Gemma Newman, the Plant Power Doctor 'A great resource for teenagers, with practical tips and...
Failing up : how to take risks, aim higher, and never stop learning
Odom, Leslie, Jr.
Paper Book
Leslie Odom Jr., burst on the scene in 2015, originating the role of Aaron Burr in the Broadway musical phenomenon Hamilton. Since then, he has performed for sold-out audiences, sung for the Obamas at the White House, and won a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. But before he...
Fighting invisible tigers : stress management for teens
Hipp, Earl
Paper Book
Award-winning title offers teens straightforward advice on stress management, anxiety reduction, and digital well-being. Untempered stress among teens is approaching epidemic status. Prolonged and intense anxiety can feel like being stalked by a tiger, never knowing when...
Friendship : insights and tips for teenagers
Rawitt, Jean
Paper Book
In this age of social media, where many interactions with friends occur online, Friendship: Insights and Tips for Teenagers explores the greater meaning of friendship as a deeply significant and fulfilling area of life. Featuring lively and thoughtful anecdotes from young people who reveal...
Heads up : changing minds on mental health
Siebert, Melanie
Paper Book
Key Selling Points It's time to open up about mental health. One in five children and youth in Canada are affected by mental illness right now. And less than half of the youth who seek services get the help they need. This is the one book every kid, family, teacher and youth...
How to like yourself : a teen's guide to quieting your inner critic and building lasting self-esteem
Bradshaw, Cheryl
Paper Book
Don't let your inner critic get in the way of being confident! How to Like Yourself offers a quirky, inspiring, and practical guide to help you overcome feelings of self-criticism, improve self-esteem, and be the true star in your life. With all the pressures of school,...
Ignite your spark : discovering who you are from the inside out
Wooster, Patricia
Paper Book
Forge your own path, engage your passions, and light thousands of sparks to become the person you want to be with this interactive guide filled with quizzes and activities to help you along the way. It's no secret that your teen years can be tumultuous, confusing, and even sucky,...
Ikigai for teens : finding your reason for being
García, Héctor
Paper Book
A bestselling motivational book based on the Japanese concept of finding happiness in everyday life, now for young readers! The Japanese people say everybody has an "Ikigai," or a reason to live. Some people have found their Ikigai and are aware of it. Other people have it inside, but have not...
In my feelings : a teen guide to discovering what you feel so you can decide what to do
Annan, Vidal, Jr.
Paper Book
Give teens the tools to decipher their emotions, understand themselves, and improve their lives. The simple and empowering message of In My Feelings is that emotions, especially unpleasant ones, are not just to be avoided, controlled, or treated. Emotions can serve as...
Letters to a young athlete
Bosh, Chris
Paper Book
A legendary NBA player shares his remarkable story, infused with hard-earned wisdom about the journey to self-mastery from a life at the highest level of professional sports Chris Bosh, NBA Hall of Famer, eleven-time All-Star, two-time NBA champion, Olympic gold medalist, and the...
Like ability : the truth about popularity
Getz, Lori
Paper Book
This is a must-have volume for all teens who want to demystify what popularity really is. "A reader-friendly guide to breaking down the components of popularity and likability and helping readers achieve their goals.... Concise, accessible chapters unpack the phenomenon of...
Luminary : a magical guide to self-care
Scelsa, Kate
Paper Book
A collection of mystical practices and exercises, Luminary is a "respectful, in-depth" (Booklist), and one-of-a-kind guide to mindfulness and self-care for teens to support a life of empowerment, confidence, and, of course, magic! Self-care is not only necessary, it...
Mind your head
Dawson, Juno
Paper Book
From the critically acclaimed author James Dawson, now writing as Juno Dawson, comes a book written specifically for teens about mental health and how to manage it.
Mindfulness and meditation : handling life with a calm and focused mind
Stewart, Whitney
Paper Book
From hormones to homework, parents to peers, health issues to bad habits, life can be a pressure cooker. How can we find relief? Author Whitney Stewart introduces readers to the practice of mindfulness. With its roots in ancient Buddhist teachings, mindfulness--the practice of purposefully...
Not Everyone Is Going to Like You : Thoughts from a Former People Pleaser
Perkins, Rinny
Paper Book
A debut illustrated manifesto by Rinny Perkins (@RinnyRiot) about what she's learned as a queer Black woman throughthe art of self-validation. As seen on Tamron Hall! In this graphic collection of mini essays, comedian Rinny Perkins illustrates her experiences as the owner of a...
A perfectionist's guide to not being perfect
Zucker, Bonnie
Paper Book
It's hard for teens to be happy when they've created a very narrow window of what defines success. The goal of this helpful book is to encourage teens to maintain their desire to achieve without striving to always be perfect and to appreciate and love who they are just as they...
Positively teen : a practical guide to a more positive, more confident you
Morgan, Nicola
Paper Book
An uplifting and optimistic guide to navigating the ups and downs of teen years and preparing for adulthood. Author Nicola Morgan is an international expert on teen development and mental health. During her talks to parents of pre-teens, she immediately...
The Queer Eye guide : how to love yourself the Fab Five way
Murray, Dale Edwin
Paper Book
This insightful and detailed guide will help middle schoolers and high schoolers survive adolescence . . . with style! Whether you're craving some advice on after-school snacks or what to wear to prom, looking for a bedroom make-better, or searching for ways to work what you've...
Rookie on love : 45 voices on romance, friendship, and self-care
Gevinson, Tavi
Paper Book
A single-subject anthology about the heart's most powerful emotion, edited by Tavi Gevinson. Featuring exclusive, never-before-seen essays, poems, comics, and interviews from contributors like Jenny Zhang, Emma Straub, Hilton Als, Janet Mock, John Green, Rainbow Rowell, Gabourey Sidibe, Mitski,...
The self-compassionate teen : mindfulness & compassion skills to help you conquer your critical inner voice
Bluth, Karen
Paper Book
Are you kind to everyone but yourself? This book will help you find the strength and courage to move beyond self-criticism and just be you. Do you ever feel like you're just not good enough? Do you often compare yourself to friends, classmates, or even celebrities and models?...
The self-love revolution : radical body positivity for girls of color
Tovar, Virgie
Paper Book
"A terrific resource that shows readers how to start feeling good about their body and rewire their sense of self-worth." --School Library Journal starred review It's time to ditch harmful, outdated beauty standards and build real, lasting body positivity. It...
Slaying digital dragons : tips and tools for protecting your body, brain, psyche, and thumbs from the digital dark side
Packer, Alex J.
Paper Book
Empower teens to take charge of their digital lives. Without avoiding the dark side of technology, this interactive and comprehensive reference book empowers teens to take charge of their digital life and improve their mental health and well-being. Quizzes and exercises guide...
Stress less : a teen's guide to a calm chill life
Tompkins, Michael A.
Paper Book
​Stress Less teaches concrete skills for managing stress and anxiety, organized into common "stress domains" such as family, friends, dating, school, and media. Let's get real. Stress is part of every teen's life--stress of exams, college applications, a big game,...
The stress survival guide for teens : CBT skills to worry less, develop grit, & live your best life
Bernstein, Jeffrey
Paper Book
Is stress getting the best of you? Do you ever feel overwhelmed, like your life is zooming by? This practical, proven-effective, and easy-to-use survival guide has your back! School pressure, BFF drama, body changes, social media, dating--is it any wonder you're feeling...
Stuff that sucks : a teen's guide to accepting what you can't change and committing to what you can
Sedley, Ben
Paper Book
Sometimes everything sucks. This unique, illustrated guide will help you move past negative thoughts and feelings and discover what truly matters to you. If you struggle with negative thoughts and emotions, you should know that your pain is real. No one should try to...
Stuff that's loud : a teen's guide to unspiraling when OCD gets noisy
Sedley, Ben (Psychologist)
Paper Book
An OCD book just for you--full of powerful tools and engaging illustrations to help you live the life you want to live, instead of being controlled by OCD.  Do you have thoughts that seem loud? Do your worries spiral out of control and then suck you in? Do intrusive...
Teen's guide to face to face connections in a screen-to-screen world : 40 tips to meaningful communication
McKee, Jonathan R.
Paper Book
What if your phone truly helped you connect with people more than disconnect with those around you? You CAN dare to be relationally different in a screen-to-screen culture.   But. . .honestly, I like my phone.<...
There is no right way to meditate
Sakugawa, Yumi
Paper Book
Take a moment and breathe. ... With Yumi's uplifting guidance, you will dig deeper into your soul to discover the tranquility already surrounding you. In There Is No Right Way to Meditate, award-winning artist Yumi Sakugawa helps you tap into your inner self and...
Walk boldly : empowerment toolkit for young Black men
Fie?vre, M. J.
Paper Book
Embrace Who You Are as a Male Black TeenEmbrace the color of your skin and celebrate your identity. Finding the courage to live freely and authentically is not easy. This black teen book is designed to help you facilitate your creative drive, promote positive self-awareness, and boost your...
Where to start : a survival guide to anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges
Correll, Gemma
Paper Book
A comforting and useful resource for anyone who's struggling emotionally and looking for help―from the nation's leading community-based nonprofit that addresses the needs of those living with mental illness It can be extremely hard to figure out what's going on in our own...
Whole girl : live vibrantly, love your entire self, and make friends with food
Radinsky, Sadie
Paper Book
As seen in the New York Times, Rachael Ray Show, E! Daily Pop, ABC TV (KATU), Justine, mindbodygreen, and Shape. "Sadie's clearly the smartest person in the room, and she's just 19 ... Sadie, you're brilliant." --Rachael Ray ...
You are more than magic : the black and brown girls' guide to finding your voice
Harts, Minda
Paper Book
"Every parent of a Black or brown girl should buy this book, read it to their child, and pass it along to the other parents in their circle."-Evette Dionne, National Book Award longlisted and Coretta Scott King honor-winning author of Lifting as We Climb Perfect for graduation...
Your brain needs a hug : life, love, mental health, and sandwiches
Earl, Rae
Paper Book
Imbued with a sense of humor, understanding, and hope, Your Brain Needs a Hug is a judgment-free guide for living well with your mind. My Mad Fat Diary author Rae Earl offers her personalized advice on the A to Zs of mental health, social media, family and...
Your life, your way : skills to help teens manage emotions and build resilience
Ciarrochi, Joseph
Paper Book
The ultimate teen guide to handling all the pressures and challenges of life--your own way! Being a teen in today's world is tough. Between school pressure, family, friends, and extracurricular activities--sometimes it can feel like you're being pulled in a dozen different...
Zero to 60 : a teen's guide to manage frustration, anger, and everyday irritations
Tompkins, Michael A.
Paper Book
Expert author Michael Tompkins offers tips and tricks to help stall anger and leave it by the side of the road. High performance cars can go from zero to sixty in just a few seconds. Anger can feel a lot like that for teens. One minute they are calm, but the next, something sets...

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