Thrive List™ · Downloadable PDF guide

Mental Health & Wellbeing

Depression, self-esteem, body image and low mood in children and teenagers — resources that hold hope without pretending things are fine.

36 recommendations8 categoriesPrint-ready A4Updated 30 July 2026

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Thrive Parenting Company

Therapist-curated resource guide

Mental Health & Wellbeing

A Thrive List™ for the Mental Health & Wellbeing pathway

Best Parent Books9

Best Children's Books5

Best Teen Books4

Best Podcasts4

Best Apps5

Best Websites3

Best YouTube Channels3

Helpful Organisations3

Last updated 30 July 2026

From the therapist

This guide covers everyday wellbeing and early difficulty. If your child is in crisis, skip straight to the organisations on the final page — that is what they are there for, and using them early is not an overreaction.

If you're overwhelmed, start here

01
Untangled(find this book on Amazon, opens in a new tab)
Lisa Damour
02
The Emotional Lives of Teenagers(find this book on Amazon, opens in a new tab)
Lisa Damour
03
Helping Your Child with Low Self-Esteem(find this book on Amazon, opens in a new tab)
Cathy Creswell

If today is not the day for a reading list: take the three Start Here picks, ignore everything else, and come back in a month.

What's inside

Preview · first three of each category

Book titles link to our Amazon shop. As an Amazon Associate we may earn a small commission — it never changes what we recommend, or what you pay.

Best Parent Books

9 recommendations

01
Top pick
Untangled(find this book on Amazon, opens in a new tab)
Lisa Damour
02
Top pick
The Emotional Lives of Teenagers(find this book on Amazon, opens in a new tab)
Lisa Damour
03
Top pick
Helping Your Child with Low Self-Esteem(find this book on Amazon, opens in a new tab)
Cathy Creswell

6 more in the PDF

Best Children's Books

5 recommendations

01
Top pick
The Huge Bag of Worries(find this book on Amazon, opens in a new tab)
Virginia Ironside
02
Meesha Makes Friends(find this book on Amazon, opens in a new tab)
Tom Percival
03
Top pick
Perfectly Norman(find this book on Amazon, opens in a new tab)
Tom Percival

2 more in the PDF

Best Teen Books

4 recommendations

01
Top pick
Mind Your Head(find this book on Amazon, opens in a new tab)
Juno Dawson
02
Top pick
The Self-Esteem Workbook for Teens(find this book on Amazon, opens in a new tab)
Lisa Schab
03
It's All in Your Head(find this book on Amazon, opens in a new tab)
Rae Earl

1 more in the PDF

Best Podcasts

4 recommendations

01
Top pick
Ask Lisa: The Psychology of Parenting(opens in a new tab)
Lisa Damour
02
Top pick
The Happiness Lab(opens in a new tab)
Laurie Santos
03
Feel Better, Live More(opens in a new tab)
Rangan Chatterjee

1 more in the PDF

Best Apps

5 recommendations

01
Top pick
Smiling Mind(opens in a new tab)
Smiling Mind
02
Top pick
Clear Fear(opens in a new tab)
Stem4
03
Top pick
Combined Minds(opens in a new tab)
Stem4

2 more in the PDF

Best Websites

3 recommendations

01
Top pick
YoungMinds(opens in a new tab)
YoungMinds
02
Top pick
Child Mind Institute(opens in a new tab)
Child Mind Institute
03
Top pick
Stem4(opens in a new tab)
Stem4

Best YouTube Channels

3 recommendations

01
Top pick
What Is Depression?(opens in a new tab)
TED-Ed
02
Stem4 Mental Health Films(opens in a new tab)
Stem4
03
The Power of Vulnerability(opens in a new tab)
Brené Brown

Helpful Organisations

3 recommendations

01
Top pick
Samaritans(opens in a new tab)
Samaritans
02
Top pick
Shout(opens in a new tab)
Shout 85258
03
Top pick
Papyrus HOPELINE247(opens in a new tab)
Papyrus

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