Recommended Reading from the 3C Bookshelf

Reading can create space for reflection, perspective, and understanding—offering language for experiences that may feel difficult to name and the reminder that we are not alone in what we experience.

These books are shared as supportive resources for reflection, learning, and personal growth. Some offer practical tools, while others may help you better understand emotional experiences, relationships, trauma, parenting, anxiety, or patterns that feel difficult to put into words.

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“The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.”
— Carl Rogers

Understanding emotions/yourself

Books for learning more about emotions, your nervous system, your values and how to reclaim time and space for yourself.

• Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience – Brene Brown, PhD, MSW
• Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself – Nedra Glover Tawwab, MSW, LCSW
• Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory- Deb Dana

Mindfulness

Books to help you learn about mindfulness and understand practical ways of practicing being “in the moment” in everyday life

• Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life – John Kabat Zinn
• The Mindfulness Revolution – edited by Barry Boyce

Meaning and Purpose

Books for exploring identity, finding meaning/purpose and finding your way in the world

• Journey to the Heart – Melody Beattie
• My Little Ikigai Journal – Amanda Kudo
• Finding Your Own North Star : claiming the life you were meant to live – Martha Beck

Trauma

Books for understanding how complex trauma experiences impact the mind, body and relationships. Offering approaches for starting or continuing working through an ongoing process of healing and rebuilding after difficult experiences.

• What Happened to You: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience and Healing – Dr. Bruce D. Perry and Oprah Winfrey
• What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma – Stephanie Foo
• Dissociation Made Simple: A stigma-free guide to embracing your dissociative mind and navigating daily life – Jamie Marich, PhD
• The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind and Body in the Healing of Trauma – Bessel Van Der Kolk, M.D.
• Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents: How to Heal from Distant, Rejecting, or Self-Involved Parents – Lindsay C. Gibson, PsyD
• When Religion Hurts You: Healing from Religious Trauma and the Impact of High-Control Religion – Laura E. Anderson, PhD

Parenting

Books for parenting with a more intentional approach and learning skills for self-regulation, building stronger attachments and re-parenting yourself when you’ve experienced trauma

• Good Inside: A Guide to Becoming the Parent You Want to Be – Dr. Becky Kennedy
• No Drama Discipline: The Whole Brain Way to Calm the Chaos and Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind – Daniel J. Siegel, M.D. and Tina Payne Bryson, PhD
• Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids: How to Stop Yelling and Start Connecting – Dr. Laura Markham
• Brain-Body Parenting: How to Stop Managing Behavior and Start Raising Joyful, Resilient Kids – Mona Delahooke, PhD
• How to Raise an Amazing Child the Montessori Way – Tim Seldin
• Hunt, Gather, Parent – Michaeleen Doucleff, PhD
• Raising Securely Attached Kids – Eli Harwood, MA, LPC

Managing relationships, self care and home management

Books for learning more about balancing the mental load, strengthening relationships for couples, learn about attachment styles, and self-care

• How to Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing – KC Davis, LPC

• Fair Play: A Game-Changing Solution for When You Have Too Much to Do (and More Life to Live) – Eve Rodsky

• The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work – John Gottman, PhD

• Thriving as an Empath:365 days of Self Care for Sensitive People – Judith Orloff, MD

• The Set Boundaries Workbook: Practical Exercises for Understanding Your Needs and Setting Healthy Limits – Nedra Glover Tawwab, LCSW

• Securely Attached: Transform your Attachment Patterns into Loving, Lasting Romantic Relationships- Eli Harwood, MA, LPC

Neurodivergence

Books for learning more about Autism, ADHD, and living with challenges of neurodivergence

• Unmasking Autism – Devon Price, PhD

• Too Loud, Too bright, too fast, too tight: What to do if you are sensory defensive in an overstimulating world – Sharon Heller, PhD

• Autistic Burnout Recovery: Your Guide to Your Personal Recovery Plan – Dr. Megan Anna Neff

• Raising Twice Exceptional Children: A Handbook for Parents of Neurodivergent and Gifted kids – Emily Kircher-Morris

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Different books resonate with different people at different times. You are encouraged to take what feels helpful and leave what does not.

If you are looking for additional support, you can explore my Resources page, learn more about who I support or check out the services available at 3C Counseling and Wellness.

Having questions or wanting to further explore any thoughts or feelings that come up for you on these topics? Reach out and set up some time to identify next steps and we can process your feelings, needs, and goals together.