Books for Clients

I’ve gathered a selection of books that may support your healing journey, offering insights and perspectives that can complement our work together. These are simply suggestions, as there are so many wonderful books out there. Feel free to explore what feels right for you.

Trauma and Healing

• What Happened To You? – Bruce Perry & Oprah Winfrey
  A conversation exploring how childhood trauma shapes our lives and how healing is possible. Many of my clients have found this to be a helpful introduction to understanding trauma.

• The Origins of You – Vienna Pharaon
  A practical and compassionate guide to uncovering how early relationship patterns shape our adult lives. Building on themes from What Happened to You?, this book introduces five “origin wounds” that can influence how we connect, cope, and feel about ourselves—with tools to begin healing and change.

• Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving – Pete Walker
  This book offers a more structured, clinical lens on complex PTSD, while still being accessible to general readers. It resonates with my clients who want to better understand the psychological frameworks behind their experiences and appreciate a direct, educational approach to healing.

• When the Body Says No – Gabor Maté
  An exploration of the mind-body connection and how stress and trauma can manifest physically. Many of my clients who manage chronic pain found this illuminating.

• A Headache in the Pelvis – David Wise & Rodney Anderson
  A resource for understanding and treating chronic pelvic pain syndromes.

• The Wisdom of Your Body – Hillary McBride
  A beautiful invitation to reconnect with your body as a source of wisdom, healing, and truth. This book gently guides you toward reclaiming your relationship with your body, especially if disconnection or shame have shaped your experience.

• Reclaiming Body Trust – Hilary Kinavey & Dana Sturtevant
  This book offers a supportive path back to feeling at home in your body, especially for those navigating food, body image, or health challenges. A powerful resource for healing the effects of internalized shame and chronic disconnection.

• It's Okay That You're Not Okay — Megan Devine
  A compassionate and honest look at grief that challenges the cultural pressure to “move on,” offering permission to feel your pain and live alongside loss, not beyond it.

• Surviving a Borderline Parent – Kimberlee Roth & Freda B. Friedman
  A guide for adults who grew up with a parent who has borderline personality disorder, offering strategies for healing and setting boundaries.

Boundaries and Self-Compassion

• Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle – Emily & Amelia Nagoski
  Insights into managing stress and preventing burnout, especially for women.

• Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents – Lindsay C. Gibson
  Guidance for those dealing with the lasting effects of having emotionally immature parents.

• The Gifts of Imperfection – Brené Brown
  Encouragement to embrace our imperfections and live authentically.

• Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself – Nedra Glover Tawwab
  A practical guide to establishing healthy boundaries in various aspects of life.

• Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself – Kristin Neff
  An introduction to the concept of self-compassion and its benefits for emotional well-being.

Relationships and Attachment

• The Power of Attachment - Diane Poole Heller
  This book offers a gentle guide to understanding your attachment style and building deeper, more secure connections in all areas of life.

• Fair Play – Eve Rodsky
  A practical guide to setting boundaries and improving communication around shared responsibilities in relationships.

• Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love – Sue Johnson
  A guide to building stronger emotional connections in romantic relationships.

• The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work – John Gottman
  Research-based principles for maintaining a healthy and lasting marriage.

• Polysecure: Attachment, Trauma and Consensual Nonmonogamy- Jessica Fern
  You don’t have to be polyamorous to benefit from this book. Polysecure shares a compassionate,
  trauma-informed look at attachment that applies to all relationships—monogamous or not.

Memoirs and Personal Stories

• What My Bones Know – Stephanie Foo
  A powerful memoir about the author’s journey with complex PTSD, told with honesty, intelligence, and heart. Foo also shares her experience with endometriosis, offering a nuanced look at the connection between emotional and physical pain. Many of my clients have found this story deeply moving and relatable.

• Educated – Tara Westover
  A memoir about a woman who grows up in a strict and abusive household in rural Idaho but eventually escapes to learn about the wider world through education.

• Unmasking Autism – Devon Price
  A powerful blend of memoir and research that explores the experience of autism and the journey toward authentic self-expression.

• Crying in H Mart – Michelle Zauner
  A memoir about family, food, grief, and endurance, exploring the author's relationship with her Korean heritage and her mother.

• I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter – Erika L. Sánchez
  A novel that delves into the struggles of a Mexican-American teenager dealing with family expectations and personal identity.

If a book feels like the right fit for you, that’s wonderful. And if not, that’s okay too — your healing journey is uniquely yours.