Support can be practical, personal, and paced.
I include these helpful resources on this page because I frequently share the following recommendations with clients. Please contact me with any questions or concerns. And, remember, check the following out for yourself and get feedback with your doctor or therapist as needed before making any major changes.
A few places to begin
Move toward the topic that feels most useful today. You can always come back to the rest later.
For healing from trauma:
The Body Keeps Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Dr. Bessel Ven Der Kolk
In an Unspoken Voice: How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness by Dr. Peter A Levine
“Healing Trauma” guided meditation CD/Audio by Bellaruth Naparstek
For spiritual growth/cultivating mindfulness:
The Power of Now: a Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle
Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind by Shunryu Suzuki
The Journey: The Practical Guide to Healing your Life and Setting yourself Free by Brandon Bays
Mindfulness: An Eight-Week Plan to Find Peace in a Frantic World by Mark Williams
A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook by Bob Stahl
For improving partnerships/relationships:
The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work: A Practical Guide from the Country’s Foremost Relationship Expert by Dr. John Gottman and Nan Silver
The Man’s Guide to Women: Scientifically Proven Secrets from the “Love Lab” about what Women Really Want by Dr. John Gottman and Dr. Julie Schwartz Gottman
After the Affair: Healing the Pain and Rebuilding Trust When a Partner Has Been Unfaithful by Dr. Janis Abrahms Spring
The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts by Gary Chapman
The 5 Love Languages of Children by Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell
For female empowerment, especially for counseling professional women in the workplace:
Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg
Nice Girls Still Don’t Get the Corner Office
Women Don’t Ask by Linda Babcock and Sara Laschever
Ask for It by Linda Babcock and Sara Laschever
For managing chronic pain/illness:
“Mindfulness Meditation for Pain Relief” CD/Audio by Jon Kabat-Zinn
How to be Sick by Toni Bernhard
“Ease Pain” guided meditation CD/Audio by Bellaruth Naparstek
“Relieve Headaches” guided meditation CD/Audio by Bellaruth Naparstek
Heal Your Body by Louise Hay; she also has great website for suggestions on positive affirmations and other resources
For general holistic healing/health:
Earthing (Second Edition) by Clinton Ober, Dr. Stephen T. Sinatra, and Martin Zucker
Quantum Healing by Dr. Deepak Chopra
Your Hands Can Health You: Pranic Healing Energy Remedies to Boost Vitality and Speed Recovery from Common Health Problems by Stephen Co and Dr. Eric Robins
For body positivity:
The Body is not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love by Sonya Renee Taylor
The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty are Used Against Women by Naomi Wolf
For Highly Sensitive People/Empaths:
The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive when the World Overwhelms You by Dr. Elaine Aron
The Highly Sensitive Person Workbook: The Practical Guide for Highly Sensitive People and HSP Support Groups by Dr. Elaine Aron
The Empath’s Survival Guide by Dr. Judith Orloff
For better understanding and recovering from addiction/substance abuse:
“Pleasure Unwoven” by Dr. Kevin McCauley and The Institute for Addiction Study
“Addiction”, an HBO Series
“Stop Smoking” guided meditation CD/Audio by Bellaruth Naparstek
Additional guided imageries (all by Belleruth Naparstek as she is a great source for support on topics of all kinds, some of which are not even listed here, including depression, sleep issues, panic attacks, etc.): https://www.healthjourneys.com/
Books on nutrition and mental health:
The Obesity Code: Unlocking the Secrets of Weight Loss by Dr. Jason Fung
The Anti-anxiety Food Solution: How the Foods you Eat can Help you Calm your Anxious Mind, Improve your Mood, and End Cravings by Trudy Scott
The Anti-anxiety Diet: A Whole Body Program to Stop Racing Thoughts, Banish Worry and Live Panic Free by Ali Miller
Nutrition Essentials for Mental Health: A Complete Guide to the Food-Mood Connection by Dr. Leslie Korn; you can also find her website, with much more information here
Lore of Nutrition: Challenging Conventional Dietary Beliefs by Tim Noakes
The Craving Cure: Identify your Craving Type to Activate your Natural Appetite Control by Julia Ross (Also a great resource for any kind of addiction, not just issues with food!)
The Grain Brain: The Surprising Truth about Wheat, Carbs, and Sugar – Your Brain’s Silent Killers by Dr. David Perlmutter
Brain Maker: The Power of Gut Microbes to Heal and Protect your Brain – for Life by Dr. David Perlmutter
The Grain Brain Whole Life Plan: Boost Brain Performance, Lose Weight, and Achieve Optimal Health by Dr. David Perlmutter
Keto. by Maria Emmerich
The Keto Reset Diet: Reboot your Metabolism in 21 Days and Burn Fat Forever by Mark Sisson
Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition (Third Edition) by Paul Pitchford
Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 4th Edition by Phyllia Balch
Have a question about where to begin?
You do not have to sort through every possibility alone. Contact me for a free 15-minute phone consultation and we can talk through what may fit.