Brought to you by
What is the Library of Life?
The Library of Life is a collection of video stories that will give all of us access to new perspectives on difficult situations we might be going through. Our stories are about journeys towards recovery and overcoming the hurdles of life, how we navigate towards safe harbour when seas are rough.
The Library Vault
Agoraphobia
Trigger warnings: isolation, panic
The Bump
Trigger warnings: child / parent in distress
Barry the Degu
Forgiveness
Trigger warnings: abuse, anxiety
Jon’s Recovery Journey
Trigger warnings: abuse, drug use, hospitalization
Persistence
Trigger warnings: incarceration, isolation
Trigger warnings: Postnatal Depression
Tam’s Story
Trigger warnings: stress, loud music
That’s all folks
Trigger warnings: anxiety
From Without Hope to With Hope
Trigger warnings: domestic abuse
For the invisible ones
Trigger warnings: neglect
ORC – My life isn’t in your book
Student voices talking about what the Recovery College means to them and how it has helped them find a way forward
The power of music
Work stress and using music in recovery.
The Situation
Getting the right help.
Finding me
Learning to live again after
The Moth
using poetry in recovery
One foot in front of the other
Borderline Personality Disorder, self harm, complex needs, faith and friendship
Learning to be
A journey of drawings
My mental health story
Through psychosis
If only
Everything happens for a reason.
A recipe for emotional stability
managing mental ill health at university
I think I’m alone now
Finding peace with myself
4 years in 24 slides
Using mental health services to find acceptance
Why me?
Finding strength after abuse
Sound of Silence
Hearing Loss
Mother of the Isles
Inspired by Proust and the Hebridean Isles
New in 2024
Finding My Voice
(Depression)
Has it ever gotten so bad that you thought about ending your life?
What’s In a Name?
(Family breakdown)
My search for who I am, an adoptee’s journey of self-discovery
Rebuilding
(Bullying)
The after effects of workplace bullying
The Power of Forgiveness
(Bullying in childhood)
Effect of bullying on mental health
The Big Bang
(Mental health crisis and parenting)
My recovery so far from a mental health crisis
A Good Enough Parent
(Neglect, trauma)
Breaking destructive parenting patterns to create a positive parenting relationship
Coming back to myself
(hospitalization)
Rediscovering ones identity
My Discovery Journey in my Ongoing Bipolar 2 Recovery
(Bipolar disorder)
The Little One
(Childhood trauma)
Exploring identity, and how to
express oneself when not seen or heard
Moving On
(Trauma, hospitalization)
Transitioning to community from the secure mental health services
The Lunatic Asylum
(Inpatient experiences)
Reflections on the history of mental health treatment in the Warneford Hospital Oxford.
About Us
These stories were created by the students and tutors of Oxfordshire Recovery College and the Forensic Recovery College. They were keen to share their journey with you, in the hope that their experience can help shine a light for others. We want those who find our Library to draw strength from knowing that others have struggled too.
For more information, you can contact us directly about the Library of Life on:
Email: libraryoflife@restore.org.uk