MUST READS
In her most revealing and powerful memoir yet, the activist, speaker, best-selling author, “patron saint of female empowerment” (People) explores the joy and peace we discover when we stop striving to meet others' expectations and start trusting the voice deep within us.
Emotional Agility - Susan David Ph.D.
The counterintuitive approach to achieving your true potential, heralded by the Harvard Business Review as a groundbreaking idea of the year.
Permission To Feel - Marc Brackett Ph.D
The mental wellbeing of our children is shockingly poor. Marc Brackett, author of Permission to Feel, knows why. And he knows what we can do.
Humans are social creatures: In this simple and obvious fact lies both the problem and the solution to the current crisis of loneliness.
The Mind-Gut Connection - Emeran Mayer MD
Combining cutting-edge neuroscience with the latest discoveries on the human microbiome, a practical guide in the tradition of Wheat Belly and Grain Brain that conclusively demonstrates the inextricable biological link between mind and body.
The Gifts of Imperfection - Brene Brown Ph.D. LCSW
With original research and plenty of encouragement, Brown explores the psychology of releasing our definitions of an “imperfect” life and embracing living authentically.
Balancing between soulful spirituality and cheerful pragmatism, Gilbert encourages us to uncover the "strange jewels" that are hidden within each of us. Whether we are looking to write a book, make art, find new ways to address challenges in our work, embark on a dream long deferred, or simply infuse our everyday lives with more mindfulness and passion, Big Magic cracks open a world of wonder and joy.
Instead of asking us to ignore the very real obstacles and societal pressures that stand between women and well-being, they explain with compassion and optimism what we’re up against - and show us how to fight back.
Why Won’t You Apologize?- Harriet Lerner PhD
Renowned psychologist and best-selling author of The Dance of Anger sheds new light on the two most important words in the English language - I'm sorry - and offers a unique perspective on the challenge of healing broken connections and restoring trust.
The best on TRAUMA
The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog - Bruce Perry MD
Perry shows how simple things like surroundings, affection, language, and touch can deeply impact the developing brain, for better or for worse. In this deeply informed and moving book, Bruce Perry dramatically demonstrates that only when we understand the science of the mind can we hope to heal the spirit of even the most wounded child.
The Body Keeps Score - Bessel Van Der Kolk, MD
A pioneering researcher and one of the world’s foremost experts on traumatic stress offers a bold new paradigm for healing Trauma. Groundbreaking, insightful and necessary.
The Deepest Well - Nadine Burke Harris MD
A pioneering physician reveals how childhood stress can lead to lifelong health problems and shows us what we can do to break the cycle.
Getting Past Your Past - Francine Shapiro Ph.D.
An easy conversational style, humor, and fascinating real life stories make it simple to understand the brain science behind why we get stuck in various ways and what we can about it.
It Didn’t Start With You - Mark Wolynn
A groundbreaking approach to transforming traumatic legacies passed down in families over generations, by an acclaimed expert in the field.
Waking The Tiger - Peter A Levine
Waking the Tiger offers a new and hopeful vision of trauma. It employs a series of exercises that help us focus on bodily sensations, and through heightened awareness of these sensations, trauma can be healed.
The best on MINDFULNESS
Present Over Perfect - Shauna Niequist
Present Over Perfect is a hand reaching out, pulling you free from the constant pressure to perform faster, push harder, and produce more, all while maintaining an exhausting image of perfection.
The Power Of Now - Eckhart Tolle
When you become fully present and accepting of what is, you open yourself to the transforming experience of The Power of Now.
The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion -Christopher K Germer Ph.D.
You'll master practical techniques for living more fully in the present moment - especially when hard-to-bear emotions arise - and for being kind to yourself when you need it the most.
A simple guide to breathwork by a lauded expert that takes you through 25 simple practices for everyday situations, such as de-stressing, managing anger, falling asleep, connecting with others, and more.
Radical Acceptance - Tara Brach PhD
Radical Acceptance does not mean self-indulgence or passivity. Instead it empowers genuine change: healing fear and shame and helping to build loving, authentic relationships. When we stop being at war with ourselves, we are free to live fully every precious moment of our lives.
Trauma- Sensitive Mindfulness - David Treleaven
Through grounded scholarship and wide-ranging case examples, Treleaven illustrates the ways mindfulness can help―or hinder―trauma recovery.
The best on PARENTING
No Drama Discipline - Dan Siegel MD
Highlighting the fascinating link between a child’s neurological development and the way a parent reacts to misbehavior, No-Drama Discipline provides an effective, compassionate road map for dealing with tantrums, tensions, and tears - without causing a scene.
The Awakened Family - Shefali Tsabary PhD
This book will take you on a journey to transcending your fears and illusions around parenting and help you become the parent you always wanted to be: fully present and conscious.
Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child - John Gottman PhD
Dr. Gottman's research has shown that children who learn to master their emotions have more self-confidence, do better in school, and have a better chance of living happy, emotionally healthy lives.
The Coddling of the American Mind - Greg Lukianoff & Jonathan Haidt
This is a book for anyone who is confused by what’s happening on college campuses today, or has children, or is concerned about the growing inability of Americans to live and work and cooperate across party lines.
Siegel offers teens and parents a road map for understanding the adolescent mind that will help families not just survive but also thrive through the “teenage years” and beyond.
Listen introduces parents to five simple, practical skills even the most harried parent can use. These tools will help parents strengthen their connection with their child and help build their child's intelligence, cooperation, and ability to learn as they grow.
The best for COUPLES
Attached - Amir Levine MD & Rachel Heller MA
Discover how an understanding of adult attachment - the most advanced relationship science in existence today - can help us find and sustain love
Through case studies from her practice, illuminating advice, and practical exercises, couples will learn how to nurture their relationships and ensure a lifetime of love.
The Seven Principles for Making a Marriage Work - John Gottman PhD
Gottman helps couples focus on each other, on paying attention to the small day-to-day moments that, strung together, make up the heart and soul of any relationship.
Getting the Love You Want - Harville Hendrix PhD & Helen Lakelly Hunt PhD
Become the most connected couple you know with this revolutionary guide, combining behavioral science, depth psychology, social learning theory, Gestalt therapy, and interpersonal neuroscience to help you and your partner recapture joy, enhance closeness, and experience the reward of a deeply fulfilling relationship.
Mating In Captivity - Esther Perel
Mating in Captivity invites us to explore the paradoxical union of domesticity and sexual desire, and explains what it takes to bring lust home.
Conscious Uncoupling - Katherine Woodward
Conscious Uncoupling promises to be a substantial book that will inspire people to begin thinking differently about breakups and divorce in addition to helping them heal their heartbreak.
The best for MOMS
Transformed By Birth - Britta Bushnell PhD
Childbirth is more than just having a baby. Transformed by Birth invites you to discover that childbirth is an experience that alters your knowing of who you are and lasts long after pregnancy and birth are over.
What No One Tells You - Alexandra Sacks & Catherine Birndorf MD
Here, finally, is the first-ever practical guide to help new mothers feel less guilt and more self-esteem, less isolation and more kinship, less resentment and more intimacy, less exhaustion and more pleasure, and learn other tips to navigate the ups and downs of this exciting, demanding time
A comprehensive and judgement-free pregnancy companion: Nurture is the only all-in-one pregnancy and birthing book for modern mothers-to-be and their partners who want a more integrative approach.
Introducing the "five expressions of motherhood" - Action Mama, Flow Mama, Rebel Mama, Vulnerable Mama, and Free Mama - Lori offers supportive advice, exercises, meditations, and yoga practices to cultivate a healthy balanced life and stronger bonds
Ordinary Insanity - Sarah Menkedick
A groundbreaking exposé and diagnosis of the silent epidemic of fear afflicting new mothers, and a candid, feminist deep dive into the culture, science, history, and psychology of contemporary motherhood
You’re a F*cking Awesome Mom - Leslie Anne Bruce
Loaded with unfettered support from a mom who has been through it all, You Are a F*cking Awesome Mom offers a lifeline of encouragement, inspiration, and community for the new mama who got a baby, lost her mind, and desperately wants to find herself again.
The best on GRIEF
The Invisible String - Patrice Karst
This heartwarming picture book for all ages explores questions about the intangible yet unbreakable connections between us, and opens up deeper conversations about love.
Finding Meaning - David Kessler
Many people look for “closure” after a loss. Kessler argues that it’s finding meaning beyond the stages of grief most of us are familiar with - denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance - that can transform grief into a more peaceful and hopeful experience.
The Other side of Sadness - George Bonanno
In this thoroughly revised and updated classic, a renowned psychologist shows that mourning is far from predictable, and all of us share a surprising ability to be resilient
A Manual For Heartache - Cathy Rentzenbrink
This is a moving, warm and uplifting book that offers solidarity and comfort to anyone going through a painful time, whatever it might be. It's a book that will help to soothe an aching heart and assure its readers that they're not alone.
Bearing the Unbearable - Joanne Cacciatore PhD
Bearing the Unbearable is a companion for life’s most difficult times, revealing how grief can open our hearts to connection, compassion, and the very essence of our shared humanity.
Healing After Loss - Martha Hickman
For those who have suffered the loss of a loved one, here are thoughtful words and guided meditations to strengthen, inspire and comfort.
Healing with POETRY
In this powerful and innovative book of poetry and wisdom, award-winning spoken-word poet, songwriter, and performer IN-Q inspires us to question everything we know and see around us and inside us, to discover what matters most.
Cleo Wade - the artist, poet, and speaker who has been called "the Millennial Oprah" by New York magazine - offers creative inspiration and life lessons through poetry, mantras, and affirmations, perfect for fans of the best seller Milk & Honey.
Your Soul is a River - Nikita Gill
This is a book about the journey of healing from trauma and becoming whole again.
Directions: apply to your soul gently, whilst sitting under the stars.
Throughout her celebrated career, Mary Oliver has touched countless readers with her brilliantly crafted verse, expounding on her love for the physical world and the powerful bonds between all living things.
Flux takes readers through a raw and sorrowful journey of each and every bitter moment of heartbreak. Forewarning, Flux is best read with a warm cup of coffee in hand.
From poet, meditator, and speaker Yung Pueblo, comes a collection of poetry and prose that explores the movement from self-love to unconditional love, the power of letting go, and the wisdom that comes when we truly try to know ourselves. It serves as a reminder to the reader that healing, transformation, and freedom are possible.
The best on SOCIETY
“Beautiful and propulsive.... Despite the singularity of [Tara Westover’s] childhood, the questions her book poses are universal: How much of ourselves should we give to those we love? And how much must we betray them to grow up?” (Vogue)
Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race - Reni Eddo-Lodge
Full of passionate, personal and keenly felt argument, Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race is a wake-up call to a nation in denial about the structural and institutional racism occurring in our homes.
Know My Name will forever transform the way we think about sexual assault, challenging our beliefs about what is acceptable and speaking truth to the tumultuous reality of healing.
Brené Brown has taught us what it means to dare greatly, rise strong, and brave the wilderness. Now, based on new research conducted with leaders, change makers, and culture shifters, she’s showing us how to put those ideas into practice so we can step up and lead.
How To Change Your Mind - Michael Pollan
A brilliant and brave investigation into the medical and scientific revolution taking place around psychedelic drugs - and the spellbinding story of his own life-changing psychedelic experiences
How To Not Always Be Working - Marlee Grace
Essential for everyone who feels overwhelmed and anxious about our hyperconnected world - whether you’re a corporate lawyer, a student, a sales person, or a yoga instructor - How to Not Always Be Working includes practical suggestions and thoughtful musings that prompt you to honestly examine your behavior - how you burn yourself out and why you’re doing it.
The best on physical HEALTH
Designed to help readers find the information quickly and easily, loaded with practical advice, style, and attitude, this practical guide—written by a runner for runners—makes it clear that to succeed, all you need to do is shut up and run!
Beyond the Label - Dr. Christina Bjorndal ND
An inspiring and empowering guide to emotional freedom, from a Naturopathic Doctor who took charge of her own life and mental health. “This book should be on the shelves of every person struggling with their moods.”
The First Forty Days - Heng OU
The book includes 60 simple recipes for healing soups; replenishing meals and snacks; and calming and lactation-boosting teas, all formulated to support the unique needs of the new mother. In addition to the recipes, this warm and encouraging guide offers advice on arranging a system of help during the postpartum period, navigating relationship challenges, and honoring the significance of pregnancy and birth.
In Defense of Food - Michael Pollan
Pollan’s bracing and eloquent manifesto shows us how we can start making thoughtful food choices that will enrich our lives, enlarge our sense of what it means to be healthy, and bring pleasure back to eating.
The Mind-Gut Connection Emeran Mayer MD
In The Mind-Gut Connection, Dr. Emeran Mayer, executive director of the UCLA Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, offers a revolutionary look at this developing science, teaching us how to harness the power of the mind-gut connection to take charge of our health.
In Spark, John J. Ratey, M.D., embarks upon a fascinating and entertaining journey through the mind-body connection, presenting startling research to prove that exercise is truly our best defense against everything from depression to ADD to addiction to aggression to menopause to Alzheimer's.
We all need some HUMOR
Sincero, a former skeptic herself, delivers the goods minus the New Age cheese, giving even the snarkiest of poo-pooers exactly what they need to get out of their ruts and start kicking some ass.
Lessons From Lucy - Dave Barry
Laugh-out-loud hilarious, whether he’s trying to “Pay Attention to the People You Love” (even when your brain is not listening) or deciding to “Let Go of Your Anger”, Dave Barry’s Lessons from Lucy is a witty and wise guide to joyous living.
I’m Fine, and Other Lies - Whitney Cummings
“Whitney Cummings has written a book about being, well, not fine—and what to do when you find yourself with brutal anxiety and a co-dependency disorder; all in her trademark wit, humor, and honesty. This book, however, is fine as hell.”—Sophia Amoruso, author of #Girlboss
A hilarious, thoughtful, and in-depth exploration of the pleasures and perils of modern romance from one of this generation's most popular and sharpest comedic voices.
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone - Lori Gottlieb
With startling wisdom and humor, Gottlieb invites us into her world as both clinician and patient, examining the truths and fictions we tell ourselves and others as we teeter on the tightrope between love and desire, meaning and mortality, guilt and redemption, terror and courage, hope and change.
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck - Mark Manson
In this generation-defining self-help guide, a superstar blogger cuts through the crap to show us how to stop trying to be positive all the time so that we can truly become better, happier people.