Can you recommend a good book about depression and anxiety? I can't afford a therapist.

I am happy to make some recommendations about reading resources for depression and anxiety and I also wanted to provide a list of counseling services which are available in the city on a sliding fee scale basis so that your out of pocket expenses are minimal.

Following is a list of books on the topics of anxiety and depression:

• J. Raymond DePaula. Understanding Depression. What we know and what we can do about it. The Dana Press. N.Y. 2002
• Charles L. Whitfield. The Truth About Depression-Choices For Healing. Health Communications Inc. Florida. 2003(Whitfield is a physician and psychotherapist and this is one of my favorite books)
• David D. Burns. The Feeling Good Handbook. A Plume Book. N.Y. 1999
• Keith Kramlinger. Mayo Clinic On Depression (Answers to help you
  understand, recognize and manage depression). Kensington Publishing. 2005
• James Gardner, Arthur H. Bell. Overcoming Anxiety, Panic and Depression. Career Press. N.J. 2000
• Jonathan Davidson, Henry Dreher. The Anxiety Book-Developing Strength in the Face of Fear. Riverhead Books. N.Y. 2003(This is a good guide for dealing with anxiety)
• Gary Null. 7 Steps to Overcoming Depression and Anxiety(A Practical Guide to Mental, Physical and Spiritual Wellness). ibooks. N.Y. 2003
• Andrew Solomon. The Noonday Demon. An Atlas of Depression. Simon and Schuster. N.Y. 2001
• Maga Jackson-Triche, Kenneth B. Wells, Katherine Minnium. Beating Depression. The Journey to Hope. McGraw-Hill. N.Y. 2002
• Zindel V. Segal, J. Mark G. Williams, John D. Teasdale. Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression-A New Approach for Preventing Relapse. Guilford Publications Inc. N.Y. 2002

Counseling services with a sliding fee scale (you pay according to what you can afford) or professional services free to Albertans affected by mental health issues are provided by the following Calgary agencies:

• Calgary Counseling Centre - 265-4980 - www.calgarycounselling.com
• Calgary Family Services - 269-9888
• Catholic Family Service - 233-2360
• Alberta Counseling Services - 244-0244
• A Better Way Counseling Services - 251-4103
• Women's Health Collective - 265-9590
• Wood's Homes Eastside (299-9696) and Westside Family Centre (288-3313)
• Mood Clinic-Foothills Hospital-944-1491
• Alberta Mental Health Services
• Calgary Central Clinic-297-7311
• N.W. Calgary Office-297-7345
• N.E. Calgary Office-297-7196

I hope that these various resources are helpful for you.