I found You’ll Never Walk Alone completely surprising. Whilst I always enjoy exploring poems and I love being out in the natural world, I’d never truly considered poetry as a seasonal entity – despite studying and teaching seasonal poems in my past! There are also short prose pieces too that balance the book and provide another perspective. Right now it’s ‘Wild Geese’ by Mary Oliver. I change what I find the most compelling poem in the book according to my mood. But Oliver really speaks to me right now. Here’s the poem, and below I’ve written about why I love it so much and why I turn to it in times of trouble.

Thus we can reverse the narrative that to love ourselves is selfish and wrong. It is natural, and normal, and should be part of our everyday lives: an ordinariness suggested by your ‘own door’ and your ‘own mirror’, and the gentle invocation to ‘sit here. Eat.’ I didn’t think of others at all. Only when I began to get better did I want to share my experience and the reality of severe mental illness, how it could happen to anyone, and why charities like SANE are lifesavers to those who were desperate like me. The pursuit of happiness is about connecting more deeply with yourself, not attempting to be like anybody else. Rachel Kelly is a keynote speaker, bestselling writer and mental health campaigner. She shares her experience of depression and evidence-based strategies that helped her recover. Rachel has spoken all over the world from Delhi to Sydney, America and across the UK. Her critically acclaimed books are published in over 10 countries.Yet the spiritual achieves its power by juxtaposing the longing for freedom, and the desire to be reunited with home in every sense, with the finality and utter desperation of the last line: ‘But we’re so far from home’. And, despite all this suffering, at no point does the writer call for retribution.

Like Rachel Kelly, I passionately believe in the power of poetry to reach the soul. In times of heartache and joy, this wonderful anthology will help and delight all through the year. Kelly’s brilliant introduction and explanations of each choice make this an indispensable companion, always.’ Yes. The sheer volume of people who believe they are suffering from mental health problems, with 8.6 million people now taking antidepressants, means that the NHS is overwhelmed with some who may be worried, rather than those who really need psychiatric help. Kelly, Rachel (1 April 2017). "Talking about mental illness is no substitute for offering real help - Rachel Kelly". The Guardian. Motherless children have a hard time Motherless children have such a hard time Motherless children have such a really hard timeRachel Kelly runs poetry workshops and is also an official ambassador for mental health charities Rethink Mental Illness, SANE, The Counselling Foundation and Head Talks. Just before Christmas I was kindly sent a signed copy of this lovely book. A collection of wonderful poems to help us through some of life’s challenges. As some of you may know I love poetry and find it soothing and powerful. I dip into my poetry books when I need a mood boost or to sit with my feelings, but feel comforted, knowing that I’m not the only one to feel that way. Which is what this book is meant to do. There’s a wonderful selection of poems, old friends and some new faces too. Whatever you’re going through, poetry can help remind us to keep going. You’ll be ok.

We had the chance to talk with acclaimed author, mental health advocate, and SANE Ambassador Rachel Kelly, during her latest visit to our offices where she delved into the pressing issue of the NHS mental health crisis and shared invaluable insights on her personal journey, the transformative power of poetry, and her latest book, “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” a beacon of hope for those facing mental health challenges. The government needs to stress the importance of diet to the nation’s mental health and recommend we all eat more oily fish: My mother’s belief that fish is good for the brain turns out to have been absolutely right. Rachel is also a well-known media commentator and former Times journalist as well as an official ambassador for mental health charities Rethink Mental Illness, SANE, The Counselling Foundation and Head Talks. The new book is You”ll Never Walk Alone: Poems for Life’s Ups and Down. It is a selection of poems and writing, prefaced by Kelly’s thoughts on why she chose to include each one. The range is broad, from Sappho through Keats and Wordsworth to Mary Oliver and Derek Walcott, the author of her favourite poem in the book, Love. You’ll Never Walk Alone: Poems for life’s ups and downs is a collection of the kind of inspirational texts – mainly poems – that can accompany us, whatever we are feeling, from sorrow to delight. The poems are organised according to the season in which they ‘belong’: we all have seasons of our minds, be they wintery and dark, or more spring-like and hopeful.

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You’ll Never Walk Alone is a collection of the kind of inspirational texts – mainly poems – that can accompany us, whatever we are feeling, from sorrow to delight. The texts are not just about words which can console us or comfort us – though they often do this too. Rather these are poems that allow us to enjoy a full range of emotions. The poems are organised according to the season in which they ‘belong’: we all have seasons of our minds, be they wintery and dark, or more spring-like and hopeful. Comprising 52 poems, with analysis by Rachel, You’ll Never Walk Alone introduces a poem for each week of the year plus tips on bringing poetry into your life.