Reading List
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The books listed below are ones that I often find are helpful to my clients and repeatedly recommend or suggest. Although reading does not replace the full experience and benefits of therapy, they can be helpful if you are struggling to find a therapist who feels like a good fit or feel unsure of whether you would like to move forward with making an appointment.
*I have so many books on my list to read that the only way I can get through them fast enough is to listen to them. My favorite app to use is Scribd because you can listen to (or read) as many books as you’d like for a monthly subscription. If you would like to try Scribd, this link will give you a 60-day free trial.
Some things to consider
Take whatever information resonates with you and leave the rest
Most feelings, experiences, and behaviors exist on a spectrum of intensity
Much of the information presented in these books can be validating, but only you decide how you feel about the information and what it means to you
If you recognize any described behaviors in important people in your life, that does not mean that the person is bad or that you shouldn’t love them (chances are, this will happen, but this goes back to that whole spectrum thing)
The List:
The ACOA Trauma Syndrome: The Impact of Childhood Pain on Adult Relationships by Dr. Tian Dayton Ph.D.
Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents by Lindsay C. Gibson Psy.D.
Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Find —And Keep— Love by Amir Levine M.D. and Rachel Heller M.A.
Becoming the Narcissist’s Nightmare: How to Devalue and Discard the Narcissist While Supplying Yourself by Shahid Arabi
Codependency and the Power of Detachment by Karen Casey
Come As You Are: The Surprising New Science That Will Transform Your Sex Life by Emily Nagoski Ph.D.
Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving: A Guide and Map for Recovering from Childhood Trauma by Pete Walker
Escape: How to Beat the Narcissist by H G Tudor
The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown
Healing from Developmental Trauma by Laurence Heller Ph.D. and Aline LaPierre Psy.D.
Healing from Hidden Abuse: A Journey Through the Stages of Recovering from Psychological Abuse by Shannon Thomas LCSW
I Hate You, Don’t Leave Me by Jerold J. Kreisman M.D. and Hal Straus
If He’s So Great, Why Do I Feel So Bad by Avery Neal
I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn’t) by Brene Brown
Introduction to the Internal Family Systems Model by Richard Schwartz Ph. D.
Nonviolent Communication by Marshall B. Rosenberg Ph.D.
The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation by Deb Dana
The Practical Guide to Healing Developmental Trauma: Using the NeuroAffective Relational Model to Address Adverse Childhood Experiences and Resolve Complex Trauma by Laurence Heller Ph. D. and Brad J. Kammer LMFT
Rewire Your Anxious Brain: How to Use the Neuroscience of Fear to End Anxiety, Panic, and Worry by Catherine Pittman Ph.D. and Elizabeth M. Karle MLIS
Why Marriages Succeed or Fail by John Gottman, Ph.D.
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*Affiliate Disclosure: I am an Amazon Associate, which means I receive a commission fee for items purchased using the links below. You can read more about that here.