Self-Care
Anxiety Happens: 52 Ways to Find Peace of Mind, by John P. Forsyth, PhD and George H. Eifert, PhD. The authors of “The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Anxiety,” offer strategies that can be used anywhere and at any time to create calm.
Aware: The Science and Practice of Presence: The Groundbreaking Meditation Practice, by Daniel J. Siegel, MD A leading figure in meditation education, Daniel J. Siegel, MD, examines the science behind the usefulness of meditation and provides a guide to mindfulness practices.
The Book of Awakening: Having the Life You Want by Being Present to the Life You Have, by Mark Nepo An appeal to live life to its fullest, accompanied by exercises, written by a cancer survivor
Bouncing Back: Rewiring Your Brain for Maximum Resilience and Well-Being, by Linda Graham, MFT A guide to rewiring neural circuitry and unlearning unhelpful patterns in order to enhance wellbeing
Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone, by Brené Brown The bestselling author “redefines what it means to truly belong in an age of increasing polarization.”
Buddha’s Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love & Wisdom, by Rick Hanson, PhD, with Richard Mendius, MD Highlighting the latest research in neuroscience, the author guides readers in how to “activate the brain states of calm, joy, and compassion instead of worry, sorrow, and anger.”
Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle, by Emily Nagoski, PhD and Amelia Nagoski, DMA Tools and strategies women can use to combat burnout and achieve a state of relaxation
Choose Calm: A Journal for Healing Anxiety, Breathing In, and Letting Go, by Nadia Hayes Creative exercises to reduce worry and achieve calm
The Compassionate Mind, by Paul Gilbert, PhD “Reveals the evolutionary and social reasons why our brains react so readily to threats” and offers practical exercises based on research in neuroscience for deepening compassion for ourselves and others
The Disease to Please: Curing the People-Pleasing Syndrome, by Harriet B. Braiker, PhD For everyone who can’t say no, practical strategies for making long-lasting change
The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are, by Brené Brown, PhD, L.M.S.W. In this bestseller, Brown “explores the psychology of releasing our definitions of an ‘imperfect’ life and embracing living authentically.”
Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are so You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be, by Rachel Hollis The author “unpacks and examines the falsehood that once left her feeling overwhelmed and unworthy, and reveals the specific practical strategies that helped her move past them.
Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence, by Rick Hanson, PhD. The author, a clinical psychologist, “lays out a simple method that uses the hidden power of everyday experiences to build new neural structures full of happiness, love, confidence and peace.”
In It For the Long Haul: Overcoming Burnout and Passion Fatigue as Social Justice Change Agents, by Kathy Obear Directed toward advocates overwhelmed by passion fatigue, the book is equally useful for anyone who’s experiencing burnout or a sense of hopelessness.
The Kindness Handbook: A Practical Companion, by Sharon Salzberg A leading figure in meditation, Salzberg provides readers with “tools to cultivate forgiveness and turn compassion into action.”
Life Falls Apart, but You Don’t Have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos, by Julie Potiker The author shares methods for rewiring the brain for happiness, comforting yourself in the midst of chaos, practicing self-care rituals, and developing a mindfulness practice.
The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion: Freeing Yourself From Destructive Thoughts and Emotions, by Christopher K. Germer, PhD A therapist and mindfulness meditation practitioner offers evidence-based strategies for healing through self-compassion.
The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook: A Proven Way to Accept Yourself, Build Inner Strength, and Thrive, by Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer Based on the authors’ eight-week Mindful Self-Compassion program, the book offers guided meditations (with audio downloads) and informal practices that can be done anywhere to address a range of common problems.
The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation, by Thich Nhat Hanh A Zen master “offers gentle anecdotes and practical exercises as a means of learning the skills of mindfulness — being awake and fully aware”
The One Thing Holding You Back: Unleashing the Power of Emotional Connection, by Raphael Cushnir The author “asserts that mere emotional awareness, commonly referred to as emotional intelligence, is not enough. For maximum benefit we must directly and consistently connect with our emotions. In particular, we need to connect with the emotions we routinely avoid, resist, or attempt to dismiss.” She provides a step-by-step program for learning to connect.
Overcoming Trauma through Yoga: Reclaiming Your Body, by David Emerson Based on the understanding that trauma resides in the body, trauma-informed yoga “allows trauma survivors to cultivate a more positive relationship to their body through gentle breath, mindfulness, and movement practices.”
The Power of Vulnerability: Teachings of Authenticity, Connection, and Courage (audiobook), by Brené Brown, PhD The author’s thesis is that “when we dare to drop the armor that protects us from feeling vulnerable, we open ourselves to the experiences that bring purpose and meaning to our lives. Here she dispels the cultural myth that vulnerability is weakness and reveals that it is, in truth, our most accurate measure of courage.”
Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation: A 28-Day Program, by Sharon Salzberg “Cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society, author of “Lovingkindness,” “Faith,” and other books, Ms. Salzberg distills 30 years of teaching meditation into a 28-day program that will change lives.”
Rising Strong: How the Ability to Reset Transforms the Way We Live, Parent, and Lead, by Brené Brown, PhD, LMSW “It is the rise from falling that Brown takes as her subject in “Rising Strong.” As a grounded theory researcher, Brown has listened as a range of people — from leaders in Fortune 500 companies and the military to artists, couples in long-term relationships, teachers, and parents — shared their stories of being brave, falling, and getting back up.”
Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself, by Kristin Neff, PhD The author “offers expert advice on how to limit criticism and offset its negative effects, enabling you to achieve your highest potential and a more contented, fulfilled life.
The Story You Need to Tell: Writing to Health From Trauma, Illness, or Loss, by Sandra Marinella “A practical and inspiring guide to transformational personal storytelling, ‘The Story You Need to Tell’ is the product of Sandra Marinella’s pioneering work with veterans and cancer patients, her years of teaching writing, and her research into its profound healing properties.” Filled with exercises, prompts, and techniques.
The Tapping Solution: A Revolutionary System for Stress-Free Living, by Nick Ortner Techniques for using tapping — Emotional Freedom Techniques that “calm the nervous system to restore the balance of energy in the body, and in turn rewire the brain to respond in healthy ways.”
Unconditional Self-Acceptance: The Do-It-Yourself Course, by Cheri Huber In this audio retreat, the Zen-trained teacher provides “an effective process to release the blocked energies and conditioned messages that keep us from attaining our personal and professional goals.”
When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times, by Pema Chodron “There’s only one approach to suffering that is of lasting benefit, Pema teaches, and that approach involves moving toward painful situations with friendliness and curiosity, relaxing into the essential groundlessness of our entire situation. It is there, in the midst of chaos, that we can discover the truth and love that are indestructible.”
Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life, by Jon Kabat-Zinn A classic reference from the leading scholar and practitioner of mindfulness meditation
The Wisdom of Not Knowing: Discovering a Life of Wonder by Embracing Uncertainty, by Estelle Frankel “Drawing on insights from Kabbalah, depth psychology, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, and ancient myth, Frankel explores how we can grow our souls by tapping into the wisdom of not knowing. She also includes case studies of individuals who have grappled with their fears of the unknown and, as a result, have come out wiser, stronger, and more resilient. Each chapter includes experiential exercises and/or meditations for befriending the unknown.”Calm
Insight TimerOprah’s SuperSoul Conversations Oprah’s interviews with best-selling authors, health and wellness experts, and thought leadersBrené Brown A research professor at the University of Houston and the author of five bestselling books, Brené Brown writes about courage, empathy, shame, and vulnerability.
Mindfulness Meditation with Jon Kabat-Zinn A store where CDs and MP3 files for Jon Kabat-Zinn’s teachings on mindfulness are available.
The Self-Acceptance Project Created and hosted by Sounds True, the Self-Acceptance Project is a free online video event series with presentations from leaders in their fields discussing self-acceptance.
Self-Compassion Dr. Kristin Neff Kristin Neff and Chris Germer are the creators of an 8-week program to teach self-compassion skills, Mindful Self-Compassion. She offers a number of guided meditations and self-compassion exercises at her website.
Sharon Salzburg — Mindfulness Meditation One of the best known meditation teachers and authors, Salzburg’s website offers many resources, from articles to podcasts.
Tara Brach – Mindfulness Meditation and Radical Acceptance A psychologist who blends Eastern spiritual practices and Western psychology, Tara Brach offers guided meditations and meditation resources and talks about topics such as forgiveness.