Supporting Mental Health and Wellbeing through Reading in Solihull
Jill Bonehill, a Senior Social Prescriber at Citizens Advice Solihull Borough, is taking an innovative approach to supporting patient wellbeing by using reading resources from the Reading Well collections. Jill’s work involves supporting people facing various life challenges, including mental health issues, bereavement, and caregiving.
Jill runs fortnightly coffee and information sessions for patients referred to her service in Solihull. These drop-ins serve as crucial touchpoints for community support, offering more than just information – they provide a compassionate, holistic approach to addressing individual needs. A key component of her strategy involves using Reading Well titles to support patients’ overall health and wellbeing.
Jill said: “The Reading Well Collection of books has provided me with a very useful additional resource which I can share with patients. It means that patients can access helpful reading material at a time that is convenient for them, even if that means in the middle of the night. Feedback from patients has been so encouraging and many have said that the resources have allowed them to not only have more understanding about their or a loved one’s health and wellbeing but also to feel more in control.”
Two specific experiences highlight the transformative power of these resources. Jill prescribed Manual for Heartache by Cathy Rentzenbrink to one patient struggling with low mood due to bereavement, with profound impacts. Along with providing the reader with emotional validation, the book gave them confidence to take practical steps with regards to sorting out a will and Lasting Power of Attorney. The patient also became more socially active and attended more social events after reading the book.
Another patient reported that the book helped them to understand the normality of their grief journey and acknowledge just how important it is to allow the time and space to grieve.
Jill’s approach demonstrates the powerful role that Reading Well and bibliotherapy play in social prescribing. By carefully selecting and sharing reading resources, she provides patients with tools to empower them and support better understanding and management of their health and wellbeing.
Reading Well helps people to understand and manage their health and wellbeing using recommended reading. The books are chosen and endorsed by health professionals and people with lived experience. Over 3.8 million books have been borrowed since 2013. 92% of adults found their book helpful and 90% of health professionals said the books helped support people outside of consultation time.
If you work as a social prescriber and would like information on how to embed Reading Well titles in your holistic care approach, please visit our FAQs or contact [email protected] to find out more.
