‘Words of Wellness’ is where Northborough book lovers and mental health unite | News

NORTHBOROUGH — Asking for help can be hard, said Northborough social worker Caitlin Mitchell.

Could a book club help?

“Words of Wellness” at the Northborough Free Library will give locals the chance to explore mental health tools and dive into personal growth. Facilitated by Mitchell and library staff, the book club will meet once a month.

Its first meeting will be April 15.

“I think we’re all, at some point in our life, looking for something that is going to help us grow, learn, and improve ourselves,” Mitchell said. “Sometimes books and authors are the avenue.”

The first book the club will tackle is “Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before?” by Dr. Julie Smith. The next book will be “Chatter” by Ethan Kross, which will be discussed at the May 20 meeting.

Smith dives into everyday issues, offering readers advice and strategies to improve mental health overall. According to Mitchell, the club can be somewhere for people to seek out these strategies and discuss it with other community members.

The goal isn’t to turn your life upside down, but rather, to find small ways to make an impact day-to-day, she said.

“If a person can take away one tool or one quote that sticks with them, I think that’s more impactful,” Mitchell said.

The initial idea of a book club was conceived during a Northborough Youth Commission meeting in January. Mitchell, who joined as the town’s social worker that same month, took the idea and ran with it.

Now, she’s hoping “Words of Wellness” will draw more attention to mental health and give people the resources to seek support.

“Asking for help is such a difficult thing,” Mitchell said. “…We think of it mostly when we’re younger, but then as we grow older, we kind of build that disconnect. It’s harder because it seems more vulnerable.”

Whether someone reads the whole book or just a few chapters, if they’re excited to share their thoughts or content to sit and listen, everyone is encouraged to join, Mitchell said.

As a self-professed book lover, Mitchell said she hopes the book club will have the same impact on her as it will on the community. And as a social worker, she said it’s even more important.

“We talk about self-care all the time, but it’s so important and sometimes we don’t practice it as good as we want to,” she said.

Mitchell also started drop-in hours at the library on April 8, a new resource for Northborough residents. It’s one she hopes more can utilize in the future as a bridge to seek therapy and counseling.

Those looking to grab a copy of “Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before?” or “Chatter” can do so at the front desk of the library. Audiobooks and books with bigger text may be available upon request.