Mental Health Post #11: Book List

Today will be short and sweet.  Here is a list of books I love and have read that deal directly and peripherally with mental health, trauma and accompanying issues, in no particular order.  I'd love to hear any others you recommend.  I prefer the book copy, but I'm sure you can get any of these on Kindle or Audible if you prefer--none are obscure titles.

 1.     The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk, MD: deals with childhood and intergenerational trauma and how they impact physical health

2.     Childhood Disrupted by Donna Nacazawa: also topical on trauma and physical health.  This book is sort of a spiritual successor to The Body Keeps the Score and builds on many of it’s ideas.  This is one of the main reasons the ACE score was popularized by the media.

3.     How to Hug a Porcupine by John L. Lund: talks about having relationships with difficult personalities.

4.     The Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine Aron: this is one of my very most favoritest of all because of instead of pathologizing a sensitive personality, it exalts it.  I highly recommend it to everyone because even if you aren’t sensitive, I guarantee that you will have interactions with someone who is!

5.     Securely Attached by Kristin & Mike Berry: full disclosure, I read this as someone preparing to adopt.  But it has so many great ideas about dealing with childhood trauma and mental health that I got a lot out of it for myself!

6.     The Out of Sync Child by Carol Kranowitz: I think of this one as a nice companion to the Highly Sensitive Person.  It talks about sensory processing disorders, and while I skipped some of the heavy science parts of it, it had some really great info for coping with constant overstimulation for anyone whether diagnosed or no. 

7.     The Boy Who Was Raised As a Dog by Bruce Perry: I should warn you that if you struggle to read about real people who were abused, this may not be a book for you.  I found it an important read as a future adoptive parent, and also very informative on how trauma affects the emotional growth process.

8.     Boys Adrift, Girls On the Edge & The Collapse of Parenting by Leonard Sax: these are really great books that take a look at how parenting and child raising has changed and some ideas on how to ameliorate some of the mental health issue kids have today.  I don’t necessarily agree with everything, but there are definitely some good ideas.

9.     The Anxiety Survival Guide for Teens by Jennifer Shannon, LMFT: this is a favorite hands down.  We paid our kids $10 each to read it years ago.  It is simple and explains how the monkey mind works and how to make better habits to overcome anxiety.  It also lays out some common anxiety issues.  I can’t recommend it highly enough.

This is literally just the tiniest tip of the iceberg.  There are sooooo many great CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) workbooks, and zillions of books about any mental health issue you can think of.  There are some great videos online (I like Prager U for one) that have science-based information that is really accessible.  When you are looking for stuff online, remember to turn on your BS radar and if something seems off about what is being said, fact-check the crap out of it!  Don’t worry if what you found turns out to be garbage—in an age where there is endless information (and endless trolls) you are bound to run in to stuff that isn’t good.  Or something that isn’t helpful to you.  The beauty is that you know you and can hopefully find the information that will help YOU to grow and be healthier. 

 Photo note: Emperor Sol relaxing in his Royal Corner...