Recommended Literature
Our Lifescape team values the significance of finding empowerment through literature. Below are a list of team’s favorites and highly recommended reads. Enjoy!
African-American Mental Wellness
Becoming by Michelle Obama
Year of Yes: How to Dance it Out, Stand in the Sun and Be Your Own Person by Shonda Rhimes
Black Pain: It Just Looks like We're Not Hurting by Terrie M. Williams
Introductions by Mary J. Blige and Susan L. Taylor
The Hate U Give by Thomas
White Like Me by Tim Wise
Waking Up White by Debby Irving
Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together In The Cafeteria? by Beverly Daniel Tatum
Stonewall by Martin Duberman
Coolie Woman by Gaiutra Bahadur
Trauma by Elizabeth Jaikaran
Authenticity
The Gifts of Imperfection by Dr. Brene Brown
Daring Greatly by Dr. Brene Brown
Rising Strong by Dr. Brene Brown
Present over Perfect by Shauna Niequist
Imperfect Courage by Jessica Honegger
You are a Badass by Jen Sincero
I am that Girl by Alexis Jones
Divorce
Divorcing a Narcissist by Tina Swithin
A Healthy Divorce by Lois Gold, MSW
The Smart Divorce by Deborah Moskovitch
Education and Teens
The Whole Brain Child by Dr. Dan Siegel
How to Talk so Teens can Learn by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish
My Child Is Special Needs.. Now What?: The Ultimate Understandable Handbook To Advocating For Your Exceptional Child by Ilene Mille
The Teenage Brain: A Neuroscientist's Survival Guide to Raising Adolescents and Young Adults by Amy Ellis Nutt and Frances E. Jensen
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey
Empaths
The Empath's Survival Guide: Life Strategies for Sensitive People by Judith Orloff
Awakened Empath: The Ultimate Guide to Emotional, Psychological and Spiritual Healing by Luna & Sol
The Empath's Empowerment Journal: Your Self-Care Companion by Judith Orloff
Empowerment
The Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz
Unfu*k Yourself: Get Out of Your Head and Into Your Life by Gary John Bishop
Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
Healing the Wounded Child Within by Ricky Roberts III
Codependent No More by Melody Beattie
The Power Is Within You by Louise L. Hay
Girl, Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis
Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis
Brave Not Perfect by Reshma Saujani
Faith-Based
What happens when women walk in faith: Trysting God takes you to amazing places by Lysa TerKeurst
Praying women: What to pray when you don’t know what to say by Sheila Walsh
Intuitive Eating
Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Program that Works by Elyse Resch and Evelyn Tribole
Boundaries: When to say yes. How to say no. Take Take Control of Your Life. by Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. john Townsend
Leadership
Dare to Lead by Dr. Brene Brown
Braving the Wilderness by Dr. Brene Brown
Imperfect Courage by Jessica Honegger
Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist
Becoming by MIchelle Obama
LGBTQ+
What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours by HELEN OYEYEMI
Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls: A Memoir by T KIRA MADDEN
Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by JEANETTE WINTERSON
You'll Grow out of It by Jessi Klein
Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story by JACOB TOBIA
Tomorrow Will Be Different: Love, Loss, and the Fight for Trans Equality' by SARAH MCBRIDE
Mindfulness
Radical Acceptance by Dr. Tara Brach
The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle
Mindfulness for Two: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Approach to Mindfulness in Psychotherapy by Kelly G. Wilson and Troy DuFrene
The Happiness Trap: Stop Struggling, Start Living by Russ Harris
When Less Becomes More: Making Space for Slow, Simple, and Good by Emily Ley
Parenting
Raising Good Humans: A Mindful Guide to Breaking the Cycle of Reactive Parenting and Raising Kind, Confident Kids by Hunter Clarke-Fields MSAE
Breathe, Mama, Breathe: 5-Minute Mindfulness for Busy Moms by Shonda Moralis MSW LCSW
The Highly Sensitive Parent: Be Brilliant in Your Role, Even When the World Overwhelms You by Elaine N. Aron Ph.D.
The Self-Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives by William Stixrud PhD and Ned Johnson
The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson
Helping Children Understand Mental Health
The Princess and the Fog: A Story for Children with Depression
by Lloyd Jones
Helicopter Man by Elizabeth Fensham
Up and Down the Worry Hill: A Children's Book about Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and its Treatment by Aureen Pinto Wagner Ph.D.
Michael Rosen's Sad Book by Michael Rosen
Recovery
Alcoholics Anonymous, Big Book 4th Edition
Narcotics Anonymous
Just for Today by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services
Paths to Recovery: Al-Anon’s Steps, Traditions and Concepts by Al-Anon Family Groups
One Day at a Time in Al-Anon by Al-Anon Family Groups
Hope for Today by Al-Anon Family Groups
Courage to Change by Al-Anon Family Groups
Sharing Experience Strength & Hope by Nar-Anon Family Groups
Perfect Daughters: Adult Daughters of Alcoholics by Robert J. Ackerman
Relationships
Attached by Amir Levine and Rachel S. F. Heller
The Five Love Languages by Gary D. Chapman
Eight Dates: Essential Conversations for a Lifetime of Love by John Gottman PhD, Julie Schwartz Gottman PhD, et al.
The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work: A Practical Guide from the Country’s Foremost Relationship Expert by John M. Gottman PhD, Nan Silver, et al.
Self-Love
Untamed by Glennon Doyle
Taming Your Outer Child: A Revolutionary Program to Overcome Self-Defeating Patterns by Susan Anderson
The Journey from Abandonment to Healing: Revised and Updated: Surviving Through and Recovering from the Five Stages That Accompany the Loss of Love by Susan Anderson
Trauma Resiliency
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk
How to do the Work by Dr. Nicole LePera
It Didn’t Start with You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle by Mark Wolynn