Recommended Resources

Curated for your healing journey — a blend of science, creativity, and soul. These are books, podcasts, and tools I’ve either loved personally or often recommend to clients and colleagues. Whether you’re tending to your nervous system, craving creative spark, or simply looking for reminders of what’s possible, you’ll find something here.

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Trauma Healing & Nervous System Regulation

Understanding trauma is a brave and empowering step. These resources offer compassionate science and practical tools to help you feel less alone and more equipped to gently befriend your nervous system.

• The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk

• Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma by Peter Levine

• Scattered Minds by Dr. Gabor Maté

• Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents by Lindsay Gibson

• My Grandmother’s Hands by Resmaa Menakem

• What Happened to You? by Dr. Bruce Perry & Oprah Winfrey

• Anchored (Podcast) by Deb Dana

• Trauma Rewired (Podcast) by Jennifer Wallace & Elisabeth Kristof

• Nervous System Healing (Podcast) by Irene Lyon

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Somatic Therapy & Mind-Body Connection

Your body holds wisdom beyond words. These resources explore the dance between body, brain, and healing — because regulation starts from within.

• The Wisdom of Your Body by Hillary McBride

• The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy by Deb Dana

• Reclaiming Body Trust by Hilary Kinavey and Dana Sturtevant

• The Healing Power of the Vagus Nerve by Stanley Rosenberg

• Move Your DNA (Podcast) by Katy Bowman

• On Being (Podcast) by Krista Tippett — especially embodiment episodes

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Creative Expression & Expressive Arts

Creativity is not a luxury — it’s a lifeline. Whether you’re an artist or just craving playful exploration, these resources will nourish your creative spirit.

• The Creative Cure by Jacob Nordby

• Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

• The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

• Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross

• Creative Pep Talk (Podcast) by Andy J. Pizza

• Art Heals by Shaun McNiff

• The Creativity Sessions (Podcast) by Nicholas Wilton

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Grief, Loss & Tender Spaces

Grief is not something to fix — it’s something to tend. These books and podcasts offer gentle companionship for sorrow, honoring the full landscape of love and loss.

• The Wild Edge of Sorrow by Francis Weller

• It’s OK That You’re Not OK by Megan Devine

• Bearing the Unbearable by Joanne Cacciatore

• Griefcast (Podcast) by Cariad Lloyd

• Terrible, Thanks for Asking (Podcast) by Nora McInerny

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Self-Compassion & Mindful Living

Being human is hard. These resources offer practical ways to turn toward yourself with warmth and kindness, especially on the messy days.

• Radical Compassion by Tara Brach

• Self-Compassion by Kristin Neff

• Fierce Self-Compassion by Kristin Neff

• Good Inside (Podcast) by Dr. Becky Kennedy

• The Mindful Kind (Podcast) by Rachael Kable

• Insight Timer App (free guided meditations and talks)

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Intersectional Wellness & Social Justice in Healing

Healing doesn’t happen in a vacuum. These resources honor the complexities of identity, community care, and collective liberation.

• Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey (The Nap Ministry)

• Healing Justice Lineages by Cara Page and Erica Woodland

• Decolonizing Trauma Work by Renee Linklater

• Call to Mind (Podcast) by American Public Media

• For the Wild (Podcast) by Ayana Young

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Play, Joy & Creativity for the Nervous System

Joy is a form of resilience. These resources celebrate the science and soul of playfulness, pleasure, and delight.

• Play by Dr. Stuart Brown

• Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness by Ingrid Fetell Lee

• The Joy Factor (Podcast) by Julie Hanson

• How to Break Up With Your Phone by Catherine Price

• 1000 Hours Outside (challenge to increase outdoor playtime)

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Memoir & Storytelling for the Soul

Stories have the power to crack us open and remind us of our shared humanity. These memoirs and novels bring both grit and grace to the journey.

• Untamed by Glennon Doyle

• Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle

• When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

• The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

• Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed

• Educated by Tara Westover

• Braving the Wilderness by Brené Brown

• The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown

• The Choice by Dr. Edith Eva Eger

• Wild by Cheryl Strayed

• Everything Happens for a Reason (And Other Lies I’ve Loved) by Kate Bowler

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For Children & Teens (and Their Grown-Ups)

Gentle tools for big feelings, brave conversations, and nervous system care for little (and not-so-little) ones.

For Young Children (Ages 3–8):

• Listening to My Body by Gabi Garcia

• A Little Spot of Emotion series by Diane Alber

• Breathe Like a Bear by Kira Willey

• The Invisible String by Patrice Karst

• Ruby Finds a Worry by Tom Percival

For Tweens & Teens:

• Just As You Are by Michelle Mitchell

• The Self-Compassion Workbook for Teens by Karen Bluth

• You Are Enough: A Book About Inclusion by Margaret O’Hair

• What’s Going On in My Brain? by Nicola Morgan

• Mindfulness for Teen Anxiety by Christopher Willard

For Parents & Caregivers:

• The Whole-Brain Child by Dan Siegel & Tina Payne Bryson

• Brain-Body Parenting by Mona Delahooke

• Parenting from the Inside Out by Dan Siegel & Mary Hartzell

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Online Courses & Learning Platforms

For deeper dives and embodied learning.

• Sounds True — Wide range of courses on mindfulness, trauma healing, creativity

• The Embody Lab — Somatic therapy training and workshops

• The Polyvagal Institute — Courses on nervous system science and practice

• The Nap Ministry’s Rest Deck — Guided rest practices

• Insight Timer Courses — Affordable mini-courses on meditation, nervous system regulation, and more