Resources
My Books Recommendations on Parenting
- “Parenting from the Inside Out” by Daniel J. Siegel and Mary Hartzell, which helps parents explore how their own childhood affects their parenting, promoting self-awareness and intentional parenting.
- “Good Inside” by Dr. Becky Kennedy, focusing on reducing stress for parents and nurturing the understanding that “kids are good inside,” offering practical and encouraging tools for overwhelmed parents.
- “How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk” by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish, often called a “parenting Bible,” for its down-to-earth, effective communication techniques that improve parent-child relationships.
- “The Whole-Brain Child” by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson. It blends neuroscience with practical, easy-to-use strategies for supporting children’s emotional development and managing behavior with compassion. This book is great for parents of toddlers to tweens and helps build children’s emotional intelligence and resilience through understanding brain development.
Books for Dealing with Depression and Anxiety
The Happiness Trap: How to Stop Struggling and Start Living by Russ Harris; Focuses on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) which helps people manage anxiety and depression by accepting bad feelings instead of fighting them, combined with practical exercises.
Retrain Your Brain: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in 7 Weeks by Seth J. Gillihan; A practical 7-week CBT course that helps change thought patterns contributing to anxiety and depression. It’s beginner-friendly and based on psychological science.
Don’t Feed the Monkey Mind by Jennifer Shannon; Uses illustrations and combines CBT, mindfulness, and ACT techniques to address anxious thoughts without trying to eliminate them entirely.
Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy by David D. Burns; A classic CBT-based book known for its practical strategies to alleviate depression and improve mood.
The Mindful Way Through Depression by Mark Williams et al.; Integrates mindfulness practices to free oneself from chronic unhappiness and depression.
First, We Make the Beast Beautiful by Sarah Wilson; A vivid and energetic account of living with severe anxiety, showing how one can function and thrive despite it. It creatively blends personal story with research.
Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins; This book offers a powerful mindset shift to ease anxiety by encouraging people to release control over what others think, say, and do. It teaches readers to protect their peace by adopting a compassionate boundary of detachment, focusing on what they can control rather than trying to control others. The theory helps reduce overthinking, promotes emotional boundaries, and builds resilience to rejection, making space for self-compassion and acceptance of imperfection.