Recommended Reading

STRESS & PAIN MANAGEMENT

Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain and Illness, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D.
The author is another pioneer in the mind/body/health field. This is a practical guide of the Stress Reduction Clinic program at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. Published in 1990, this book has been used by many across the country who are living with chronic pain or chronic medical conditions to find relief from their symptoms and a new way of managing their health.

Managing Pain Before It Manages You, Margaret A. Caudill, M.D. Ph.D.
This book is based on a clinically tested program that is utilized in medical centers and Mind/Body centers around the country as effective self-management for pain. The author's program has also been proven to significantly lessen anxiety and depression that accompanies chronic pain. This book offers many techniques and tools for helping to manage pain that you can practice on your own or with the help of your counselor. This book begins with a practical discussion to help one understand pain and includes many useful worksheets and exercises.

The Wellness Series of CDs by Carolyn McManus, P.T., M.S., M.A.
www.carolynmcmanus.com
Five CDs are currently offered in this wonderful series by Carolyn McManus, a national speaker and highly respected Seattle-area clinician, author and researcher in mind-body medicine. McManus draws from over 20 years of experience in health care to create this popular relaxation, meditation and imagery series which includes the following titles: “Relax into Restful Sleep”, Mindfulness Meditation and Body Scan” and “Progressive Relaxation & Autogenic Training.”

PATIENT RIGHTS

“Know Your Rights: A Handbook for Patients With Chronic Illness” at www.advocacyforpatients.org
Provides advice and information on various topics including: how to get and keep health insurance; how to get health insurance coverage for particular treatments, drugs, and/or therapies; how to assert your rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act; how to assert your rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act; how to ensure that schools accommodate students with chronic illnesses.

SELF-CARE & COPING

A Delicate Balance: Living Successfully With Chronic Illness, Susan Milstrey Wells
This is a compassionate book that explores the challenges of chronic illness and provides helpful suggestions. Written by a professional writer who has Sjogren’s syndrome, fibromalgia, and interstitial cystitis.

The Spoon Theory , an essay by Christine Miserandino
This poignant essay, written by a young woman living with Lupus, can describe the experience of living with any chronic condition or illness and the difficult day-to-day choices one makes. The Spoon Theory explains the experience of chronic illness in a way that others living without illness can understand; it's something to share with family and friends. Available to read online at But You Don't Look Sick.

The Chronic Illness Workbook: Strategies and Solutions for Taking Back Your Life, Patricia Fennell, M.S.W.
My most frequent recommendation, this is a wonderful workbook that is helpful to use whether you are experiencing the crisis of initial diagnosis or are a long-time survivor of chronic illness.

You Don’t Look Sick! : Living Well With Invisible Chronic Illness, Joy H. Selak, Steven S. Overman, MD. MPH.
Written by a Seattle-area rheumatologist and his patient, Ms. Selak, this book chronicles her experience of interstitial cystitis and undifferentiated connective tissue disease, from diagnosis through learning new ways of living with chronic illness.

Just Fine: Unmasking Concealed Chronic Illness and Pain, Carol Sveilich, M.A.
Written by a mental health counselor who has fibromalgia and Crohn’s Disease, this is a reference guide to managing illness. Half of the book is devoted to stories of those living with various types of conditions including: ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, lupus, multiple sclerosis, and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Coping with Crohn’s Disease: Manage Your Physical Symptoms and Overcome the Emotional Challenges, Amy B. Trachter, Psy.D., Ph.D.
A practical and thorough guide that attends to both the body and the mind. The author has a doctorate in psychology and has Crohn’s Disease.

MINDFULNESS-BASED READING

The Mindful Way Through Depression: Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness, Mark Williams, Ph.D, John Teasdale, Ph.D, Zindel Segal, Ph.D and Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D.
This book is authored by psychologists (first three authors listed) who have researched and treated depression for many years. In this book they describe what their research has taught them about depression and unhappiness and have taken that knowledge and joined with Jon Kabat-Zinn in explaining a Mindfulness-Based Cognitive treatment to depression. (The authors advise against beginning this book on your own during an episode of major depression).

Kitchen Table Wisdom: Stories That Heal, Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D.
The author is a M.D. who is a pioneer in the mind/body/health field. She works with those with terminal cancer. She has Crohn’s Disease and in her writing she shares the wisdom she has gained from her patients and from her own experience of surviving serious illness. These are true stories of courage and inspiration.

When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice For Difficult Times, Pema Chodron
Written by an American Buddhist nun, this offers compassionate guidance in how to find courage during difficult times. Her wisdom is drawn from Buddhist principles and is very accessible for anyone interested in this approach.

FOR FAMILIES & TEENS

Chronic Illness and the Family: A Guide for Living Every Day, Dr. Linda Welsh and Marian Betancourt
Co-written by a psychologist, this is a practical guide for families dealing with the day-to-day stress of chronic illness. It is also a personal account of the author’s husband’s struggle with acute kidney disease and the subsequent years of hospitalizations he underwent.

Young People and Chronic Illness: True Stories, Help, and Hope, Kelly Huegel
Diagnosed as a teen with Crohn’s, the author then developed asthma. She has written a positive self-help book for teens that shares stories of young people living with various chronic illnesses, including cancer, IBD, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Also includes a Q&A and resource section.

Easy for You to Say: Q&As for Teens living with Chronic Illness or Disability, Miriam Kaufman, M.D.
The author offers a practical and straightforward guide for teens and families around family relationships, dating, friends and communicating with doctors. She includes: cancer, Crohn’s Disease, diabetes, HIV, lupus, and muscular dystrophy.