BEING THERE

A guide to understanding mental health crises and how friends can react to them helpfully.

Citing recent statistics in her introduction, Currie-McGhee points to the rise in teen mental health problems. Acknowledging nonprofessionals’ limitations, she argues that teens can still have an impact by listening to their friends, urging them to seek care, and simply being there. Chapter 1 offers tips for teens to identify friends in crisis. The second chapter, “Talking and Listening,” explains various types of intervention within teens’ reach and describes training programs that help them learn how to recognize and respond to signs of suicidality in peers. Next, the author covers practical ways to support friends, such as educating oneself and dealing effectively with social media. The fourth chapter, “Reaching Out for Help,” covers professional attention, and the final chapter focuses on empathy fatigue, setting boundaries, and self-care for those who are supporting friends. Throughout, Currie-McGhee counsels intervening rather than ignoring problems. The book doesn’t need to be read cover to cover; some repetition of content allows it to be used as a resource to dip into as needed. The work is accessible and brings the clinical issues to life through clear, direct writing that incorporates anecdotes and uses a minimum of technical terms. Text boxes highlight quotations and elaborate on key concepts, and the colorful layout includes stock photos of a diverse array of young people.

An accessible, practical guide to a critical subject.