RESOURCES

The following is a list of resources that we at L’Abri en ville have found useful over the years. Our suggestions are divided into several categories with comments on their usefulness to us.

Illness and Medications


American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 4th ed. Washington DC: American Psychiatric Association, 2000. 

This text contains the diagnostic criteria for the most common mental disorders, their description, treatments, and research findings.

Drummond, Edward, M.D. The Complete Guide to Psychiatric Drugs: Straight Talk for Best Results. Toronto: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2000.

A good reference source for information on all common psychiatric medications.

Miller, Rachel, and Susan E. Mason. Diagnosis Schizophrenia. New York: Columbia University Press, 2002.

A very readable and informative work on schizophrenia written with a modern
approach – highly recommended by our coordinators.

Rapoport, Judith L, M.D. The Body Who Couldn’t Stop Washing: The Experience and Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. New York: Signet, 1991.

An engrossing book which tells the story of obsessive-compulsive disorder from the perspectives of people living with the illness as well as from a medical expert

Torrey, E. Fuller, M.D. Surviving Schizophrenia: A Manual for Families, Consumers and Providers. 3rd ed. New York: HarperPerennial, 1995.

A seminal work on schizophrenia.

Torrey, E. Fuller and Michael B. Knable.  Surviving Manic Depression: A Manual On Bipolar Disorder for Patients, Families and Providers.  New York: Basic Books, 2002.

A comprehensive work on bi-polar disorder from the author of Surviving Schizophrenia. 

Resources for Coordinators

Bellack, Alan S., Kim T. Mueser, Susan Gingerich, and Julie Agresta. Social Skills ; Training for Schizophrenia: A Step-by-Step Guide. New York: The Guilford Press, 1997.

Contains interesting and effective activities, techniques and role-plays which encourage the development of social skills.

Bourne, Edmund J. Ph.D. The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook. Oakland: New Harbinger Publications, Inc., 1994.

Useful in one-on-one sessions with residents meant to help develop practical skills.  Contains exercises along with useful information. Part of a good series from New Harbinger Publications.

Davis, Martha, Ph.D., Elizabeth Robbins Eshelman, M.S.W., and Matthew McKay, Ph.D. The Relaxation & Stress Reduction Workbook. 4th ed. Oakland: New Harbinger Publications, Inc., 1999.

Part of the same series as Bourne’s work, this is another useful resource containing simple, step-by-step activities.

Egan, Gerard. The Skilled Helper: A Problem-Management and Opportunity-Development Approach to Helping. 7th ed. Pacific Grove: Brooks/Cole Thomson Learning, 2002.

Contains useful ideas on problem solving and communication.

Resources for Families

Backlar, Patricia. The Family Face of Schizophrenia. New York: G.P. Putnam 's Sons, 1994.

Combines personal stories with comments from different members of the medical community.

Lafond, Virginia. Grieving Mental Illness: A Guide for Patients and Their Caregivers. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1994.

Includes good exercises for family members and people with mental illness. 

Faith Communities

Palmer, Parker J. The Active Life: A Spirituality of Work, Creativity, and Caring. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1990.

An exploration of the ways different religious traditions can encourage and inspire social action.

The American Lutheran Church (Producer). A Place To Come Back To: Mental Illness & The Church.  St Paul: Seraphim Communications, Inc.   1568 Eustis Street, ST. Paul, MN, 55108.

A half-hour inspirational video often used by L’Abri en Ville with faith community outreach and during volunteer orientation sessions.

Inspiration, Recovery and Community Building

Carling, Paul J. Return to Community: Building Support Systems for People with Psychiatric Disabilities. New York: The Guilford Press, 1995.

A favourite at L’Abri en Ville. This is a motivating and informative work on the process of community building around those with mental illness.

Deegan, Patricia. “Recovery: The Lived Experience of Rehabilitation.” Psychosocial Rehabilitation Journal 1X (4) (1988): 11-19.

Patricia Deegan, diagnosed with schizophrenia as a teenager, earned her PhD in clinical psychology and is now the Director of Training at the National Empowerment Center. She addresses mental health issues from both the patient‘s and the doctor’s perspectives. L’Abri en Ville distributes this article to all new board members.

Schizophrenia Digest. Magpie Publishing Inc., 176 Catherine Street, Fort Erie, Ontario, L2A 2J5. www.schizophreniadigest.ca

A magazine of inspiration through interviews and up-to-date information on schizophrenia published by Bill MacPhee, who has schizophrenia.

Symansky, Adam, Gwynne Basen and Laura Sky (producers). Working Like Crazy. Montreal: National Film Board of Canada , 1999.

This film looks at the lives of many individuals working in businesses owned and run by psychiatric survivors. It demonstrates an alternative method of community building and shows the importance of personal connections and meaningful activity to the recovery process.

Vanier, Jean. Community & Growth: Our Pilgrimage Together. Toronto: Griffin House, 1979.

An important reflection on the value of community.

Websites

Mental illness

These sites provide information on the different mental illness, their treatments and the many resources available for people with mental illness and their families and friends.

The Canadian Mental Health Association.
www.cmha.ca

National Alliance for the Mentally Ill
www.nami.org

Canadian Health Network (Health Canada site)
www.canadian-health-network.ca

Internet Mental Health
www.mentalhealth.com

Schizophrenia Society of Canada
www.schizophrenia.ca

Schizophrenia Society of Ontario
www.schizophrenia.on.ca

Family Support

These three Montreal organizations provide support, resources and information for the families of those suffering from mental illness. 

AMI Quebec
www.amiquebec.org

Friends for Mental Health
www.asmfmh.org

Fédération des Familles et Amis de la Personne Atteinte de Maladie Mentale (FFAPAMM)
www.ffapamm.qc.ca

Inspiration and Recovery

Emerging Into Light
www.cmha.ca/emergingintolight/
           
This site is an on-line art gallery displaying the creative works of people living with mental illness, including paintings, drawings, poetry and creative writing.

Intentional Care

www.intentionalcare.org 

This is the official website of the organization founded by Patricia Deegan.  It outlines principles of recovery and highlights ways to implement these principles in day-to-day interactions with people with a mental illness