Resources

The Body Keeps the Score

By Bessel van der Kolk explores the profound impact trauma has on both the mind and body. It explains how traumatic experiences can affect physical health and emotional well-being, often leading to chronic stress, anxiety, and other mental health struggles. The book emphasizes the importance of understanding trauma, healing through a combination of therapy, mindfulness, and body-based practices, and how recovery can be possible when we reconnect with our bodies and emotions. This book can help clients better understand their experiences, learn how trauma manifests, and explore pathways to healing.

 

CPTSD: From Surviving to Thriving 

By Pete Walker is a comprehensive guide to understanding and healing from Complex PTSD (CPTSD). Drawing on his own experiences and clinical expertise, Walker explains how long-term trauma affects the mind, body, and emotions, offering tools for recovery. The book covers topics like emotional flashbacks, self-care, boundary-setting, and building resilience, providing actionable strategies for reclaiming a sense of safety, peace, and personal empowerment. It’s an invaluable resource for clients working through trauma, helping them understand their experiences and take steps toward healing and growth.

 

EMDR: Getting Past Your Past 

By Francine Shapiro introduces Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), a therapeutic technique designed to help individuals process and heal from trauma. Shapiro explains how EMDR works by using bilateral stimulation (typically through eye movements) to reprocess distressing memories, helping to reduce their emotional charge. The book guides readers through the science behind trauma and offers practical strategies for using EMDR to heal from past experiences. For clients, this book can offer insight into how EMDR can be a powerful tool in overcoming trauma, reducing anxiety, and fostering emotional well-being.

 

Waking the Tiger 

By Peter Levine explores the impact of trauma on the body and mind, offering a new perspective on healing. Levine, the creator of Somatic Experiencing, explains how trauma is stored in the body and can lead to a range of physical and emotional issues. The book emphasizes the importance of reconnecting with the body and releasing trapped energy through gentle movement and awareness. For clients, this book provides a compassionate, body-focused approach to healing trauma, encouraging them to access their body’s natural ability to restore balance and well-being.

 

It Didn’t Start with You 

By Mark Wolynn explores the concept of inherited family trauma and how unresolved emotional pain from previous generations can impact individuals. Wolynn explains how these traumas can be passed down through family systems, affecting relationships, behaviors, and mental health. The book offers practical exercises to help readers identify and release these inherited patterns, promoting healing and emotional freedom. For clients, this book can provide valuable insights into the deeper, often hidden causes of their struggles, offering a path toward breaking free from generational trauma and fostering personal growth.

 

Stop Walking on Eggshells

By Paul T. Mason and Randi Kreger offers practical guidance for individuals in relationships with someone who has borderline personality disorder (BPD). The book explains the symptoms and behaviors associated with BPD and provides strategies for setting healthy boundaries, managing emotional intensity, and improving communication. It also offers insights on how to protect one’s mental well-being while maintaining a relationship. For clients, this book is a helpful resource for understanding BPD dynamics, improving relationship skills, and navigating the challenges of living with or supporting someone with the disorder.

 

The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog 

by Bruce D. Perry and Maia Szalavitz explores the effects of childhood trauma on brain development and behavior. Through a series of real-life case studies, Perry, a renowned child psychiatrist, illustrates how extreme experiences—such as abuse, neglect, or witnessing violence—can profoundly impact a child’s emotional and psychological growth. The book emphasizes the importance of early intervention, neuroplasticity, and nurturing relationships in healing. It blends science with compassionate storytelling, offering insights into trauma-informed care. This book can be especially valuable as it provides a deep understanding of trauma’s impact on development and how healing can be facilitated through empathy and tailored support. It can help clients to grasp the neurobiological underpinnings of their struggles, fostering both self-compassion and a clearer path toward recovery.

 

Man’s Search for Meaning

By Viktor E. Frankl is a deeply impactful book that explores how finding meaning in life, even during suffering, can help people heal and grow. Frankl, a Holocaust survivor, shares his personal experiences in concentration camps and presents his philosophy of logotherapy, which emphasizes that our primary drive is the search for purpose. He argues that even in the most difficult situations, we can find meaning through our attitudes, relationships, and personal values. For clients in mental health, this book can provide hope, resilience, and the understanding that by finding meaning in our challenges, we can navigate life’s struggles with greater strength and purpose.

 

His Needs, Her Needs 

By Willard F. Harley Jr. explores the fundamental emotional needs that men and women have in romantic relationships and how understanding and meeting these needs can lead to stronger, more fulfilling partnerships. Harley identifies ten key needs—such as affection, communication, and sexual intimacy—and offers practical advice for how partners can meet each other’s needs in a way that strengthens trust and connection. For clients, this book provides valuable insights into relationship dynamics and offers tools for improving communication, reducing conflict, and deepening emotional intimacy in their partnerships.

 

The 7 Principles for Making Marriages Work

By Dr. John Gottman offers research-backed insights into building strong, lasting relationships. Gottman identifies key principles such as fostering friendship, managing conflict, and creating shared meaning, while highlighting the importance of emotional intelligence and effective communication. Through practical exercises, the book guides couples in deepening their connection, resolving disagreements constructively, and maintaining a positive bond. This book can be beneficial for clients in romantic relationships, providing tools to strengthen their marriages and navigate challenges with more understanding and compassion.

 

Make It Stick

By Peter Brown delves into the science of effective learning. It challenges traditional study methods, emphasizing that techniques like retrieval practice, spaced repetition, and applying knowledge in varied contexts are more effective than passive reading or cramming. The book explains how the brain retains information better when learning is effortful and mixed with challenges, rather than rote memorization. For clients, this book can be valuable in understanding how to approach learning, habit-building, and personal growth in ways that lead to long-term success and mastery.

 

Atomic Habits

By James Clear focuses on the power of small, incremental changes in building lasting habits. The book outlines a framework for making habits work for you by focusing on systems rather than goals, emphasizing how tiny changes compound over time. Clear breaks down how to build good habits, break bad ones, and create an environment that supports positive change. This book can help clients understand how to make small but powerful adjustments to their routines, offering practical strategies to improve mental health, productivity, and personal well-being.

 

Think Small

By Owain Service and Rory Gallagher emphasizes the power of small, simple changes to achieve big results. Drawing on behavioral science, the book highlights how making tiny adjustments in our daily lives—whether in habits, productivity, or decision-making—can lead to lasting transformation. It encourages readers to break down larger goals into manageable steps and to focus on the incremental progress that leads to success. For clients, this book offers a practical, approachable guide to achieving personal growth and making positive changes without feeling overwhelmed.

 

Mindset 

By Carol Dweck explores the concept of “fixed” vs. “growth” mindsets and how they shape our attitudes toward learning, challenges, and personal development. Dweck explains that those with a growth mindset believe abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort and perseverance, while those with a fixed mindset believe traits are innate and unchangeable. The book shows how adopting a growth mindset can lead to greater resilience, motivation, and success in various aspects of life. For clients, this book offers powerful insights into overcoming self-doubt and unlocking their potential by embracing challenges as opportunities for growth.