Thinking often makes us sad but doing rarely does. Singing in the Rain is an inspirational work book, all about taking action. Kelly’s 52 psychological exercises will take you on a journey of self-discovery, from the way you behave to how you would change the world. It is full of inventive and accessible activities, one for each week of the year, and is perfect for anyone who wants to be happier.
Flick through its pages to discover a treasure trove of things to do: the book is made of sturdy stuff. It can take whatever you throw at it or write in it. It will be there for you, without judgement.
The launch of the book took place at the Royal College of Nursing, in 2019, where The Secretary of State for Health & Social Care, Matt Hancock, gave an impassioned speech at the launch event for best selling author, Rachel Kelly's new 'Inspirational Workbook' entitled Singing in the Rain:
"You have personally contributed so much to the change in attitude across the whole nation that we are seeing right now, when it comes to mental health.
We published last week a plan for the next ten years of the NHS, and in it the biggest single rise in budgets was in mental health services. That wouldn’t have happened without the change in attitudes towards the need for parity between mental and physical health. And it is impossible to know, but I wouldn’t say that none of that was down to your work, in fact I’d say a lot of that was down to your work.
And I want to say thank you also because this latest book gives people a very practical guide, it gives people a way forward. And there is almost no one untouched by mental illness. This book gives us hope and instruction on how all of us can contribute and help. This is a self-help book about how all of us can help when we need to be there for somebody, and it fills me with joy that this is available.
I’ve had the chance to read it in advance and I recommend that everybody does, because there will be a moment when you need it, whether it’s for yourself or for somebody you love, there will be a moment."
“A 360 degree look at how to maintain wellbeing. A super easy way to action simple steps to ride out challenging times.”– Oliver Chittenden, founder of Head Talks.
“I absolutely love this book. Rachel Kelly is an alchemist for the spirit.” – Sir Anthony Seldon, Co-founder of Action for Happiness.
Rachel Kelly is the bestselling author of Walking on Sunshine: 52 Small Steps to Happiness (2015), The Happy Kitchen: Good Mood Food (2016) and Black Rainbow: How words healed me: my journey through depression (Hodder & Stoughton, 2014). Singing in the Rain is Rachel’s fourth book. Beginning her career as a journalist on The Times – after battling with depression in early adulthood – she became interested in health and therapy. She is now an official Ambassador for SANE, Rethink Mental Illness and The Counselling Foundation and lives in West London.
FEATURE ANGLES
Psychological growth during self-isolating: We all need psychological resources to boost our courage and strength at this difficult time. Singing in the Rain: 52 Practical Steps to Happiness is a practical workbook for people who are looking for just that - and a way out of anxiety and depression, which naturally are increasing right now. Written by bestselling author Rachel Kelly, there are 52 psychological exercises for people to do and complete without leaving the house.
Kindness: Something so simple can have such an impact, Rachel stresses the importance of little acts of kindness, towards yourself and others during a time of uncertainty.
Beating boredom: The workbook is full of mood boosting exercises that can help keep our minds active and entertained during isolation.
Staying social during social-distancing: Working with others through the book in a virtual group is a way of bridging the social distancing gap in a safe way. Prompting interesting conversations that can stimulate the mind and bring friends together.
Tips on staying sane in the present climate: With isolation affecting many people across the country, it is vital to focus on our mental wellbeing. Rachel shares her top tips on surviving this period with our sanity in tact.
Self-empowerment: Boosting one's sense of self-empowerment is a third leg on the stool of recovery, and one that can be neglected in the mental health world where it is easy to become dependent on others, whether psychiatrist or therapist. "Feeling passive, and powerless to do anything about my condition, was part of being depressed. The more I discovered my own ability to take action, the better I felt".
Workbooks are the new colouring books: Research suggests that while there is a place for rethinking, there is much to be said for taking action to boost our wellbeing. We regret what we don’t do, not what we do. This book is the perfect sequel to colouring books: a beautifully produced workbook, with delightful illustrations and clear, easy to follow precepts, puzzles, activities and tips for psychological health – there is something to do on every page… from writing a letter, to drawing something, filling in the blanks, answering a questionnaire, playing the half-speed game or making some origami.
Personal experience: The author’s own struggle with depression (as recorded in her memoir Black Rainbow) informs the strategies and tools offered in this book – it comprises a variety of approaches to staying well and coping after a breakdown. The exercises have also been road-tested by others suffering from low mood and anxiety thanks to the author’s own workshops and work alongside various mental health charities and are based on more than 50 psychological studies. They reflect what really works for people more broadly.
Customising the book: Singing in the Rain allows you to create your very own self-help book. By following its steps and filling it with your own insights, answers and responses to the exercises, you will be creating your own bespoke book customised to what you need. The book will be there for you to return to whenever you need it: this is a book about the reader, not the writer.
A wide approach: In an increasingly frenetic world, techniques to combat stress are more in demand now than ever before. The problem is that no one size fits all, yet many self-help books focus on one approach, be it breathing or mindfulness or ideas from cognitive behavioural therapy. The sheer breadth of ideas in Singing in the Rain encompasses a huge number of different strategies, so readers can pick and choose the steps that work for them. Rachel Kelly offers effective and practical stress-busting strategies for anyone who admits to ordinary unhappiness, or in Freud’s terms, ‘the worried well,' to create their own tailor-made solution. This really is an encyclopaedic approach with something for everyone.
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Zoja Minic
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