Brené Brown’s renowned TED Talk on the power of vulnerability. Brené Brown studies human connection — our ability to empathize, belong, and love. In a poignant, funny talk at TEDxHouston, she shares a deep insight from her research, one that sent her on a personal quest to know herself as well as to understand humanity.
Dan Gilbert, author of Stumbling on Happiness, challenges the idea that we’ll be miserable if we don’t get what we want. Our “psychological immune system” lets us feel truly happy even when things don’t go as planned.
Exploring Relationships and Reflection in the Cultivation of Well-Being. Daniel Siegel, MD, is Clinical Professor of psychiatry at UCLA, Co-Director of Mindful Awareness Research Center, Executive Director of Mindsight Institute, author, and recipient of numerous awards and honorary fellowships. This talk examines how relationships and reflection support the development of resilience in children and serve as the basic ‘3 R’s” of a new internal education of the mind.
Certain negative communication styles are so lethal to a relationship that Dr. John Gottman calls them the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. They predict relationship failure with over 90% accuracy if the behavior isn’t changed. So, what can you do?
Writer Andrew Solomon has spent his career telling stories of the hardships of others. Now he turns inward, bringing us into a childhood of struggle, while also spinning tales of the courageous people he’s met in the years since. In a moving, heartfelt and at times downright funny talk, Solomon gives a powerful call to action to forge meaning from our biggest struggles.
Glennon Doyle Melton is the author of the New York Times Bestseller, CARRY ON, WARRIOR and founder of www.momastery.com. Glennon believes that life is equal parts beautiful and brutal, and writes about the “brutiful” she finds in marriage, motherhood, faith, addiction and recovery. Glennon unleashes her wit, courage and irreverence to call us to accept ourselves exactly as we are today, but also incidentally inspires us to live bolder, more meaningful lives for others.
What is the best way to ease someone’s pain and suffering? In this beautifully animated RSA Short, Dr Brené Brown reminds us that we can only create a genuine empathic connection if we are brave enough to really get in touch with our own fragilities.
The parenting section of the bookstore is overwhelming—it’s “a giant, candy-colored monument to our collective panic,” as writer Jennifer Senior puts it. Why is parenthood filled with so much anxiety? Because the goal of modern, middle-class parents—to raise happy children—is so elusive. In this honest talk, she offers some kinder and more achievable aims.
Brené Brown’s renowned TED Talk on the power of vulnerability. Brené Brown studies human connection — our ability to empathize, belong, and love. In a poignant, funny talk at TEDxHouston, she shares a deep insight from her research, one that sent her on a personal quest to know herself as well as to understand humanity.
In conjunction with psychotherapy, I often recommend various books, articles, and websites for clients to explore. Below is a list of some of these readings. None of these resources should be considered an alternative to psychotherapy; instead, they are ways of bolstering the work done in therapy.
Mating in Captivity: Unlocking Erotic Intelligence
Esther Perel
Getting the Love You Want
Harville Hendrix
The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work
John M. Gottman and Nan Silver
The New Rules of Marriage: What You Need to Know to Make Love Work
Terrence Real
Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love
Sue Johnson
atlantafsa.com – Atlanta Fertility Support Alliance
resolve.org – The National Infertility Association
asrm.org – American Society for Reproductive Medicine
The Art of Waiting: On Infertility, Medicine, and Motherhood
Belle Boggs
I Am More Than My Infertility: 7 Proven Tools for Turning a Life Crisis into a Personal Breakthrough
Marina Lombardo and Linda J. Parker
Coping With Infertility, Miscarriage, and Neonatal Loss: Finding Perspective and Creating Meaning
Amy Wenzel, PhD
And Baby Makes Three: The Six-Step Plan for Preserving Marital Intimacy and Rekindling Romance After Baby Arrives
John Gottman, PhD and Julie Schwartz Gottman
All Joy and No Fun: The Paradox of Modern Parenthood
Jennifer Senior
Momma Zen: Walking the Crooked Path of Motherhood
Karen Maezen Miller
The Blessing of a Skinned Knee: Using Jewish Teachings to Raise Self-Reliant Children
Wendy Mogel, PhD
Parenting from the Inside Out
Dan Siegel, Mary Hartzell
Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child
Marc Weissbluth, MD
Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy
David Burns
The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook, 6th Edition
Edmund J. Bourne
Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring For Yourself
Melody Beattie
The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are
Brené Brown, PhD, LMSW
Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead
Brené Brown, PhD, LMSW
Rising Strong: The Reckoning, The Rumble, The Revolution
Brené Brown, PhD, LMSW
In case you need immediate help: If ever you are feeling hopeless, suicidal, or simply in need of speaking with someone, there are numerous free and anonymous hotlines with trained operators available.
Hopeline (Suicide Prevention: 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433)
Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-Talk (1-800-8255)
- National Drug Information Treatment and Referral Hotline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
- Alcohol Abuse and Crisis Intervention: 1-800-234-0246
- National Cocaine Hotline: 1-800-COCAINE (262-2463)
- Al-Anon/Alateen Hotline (for friends and family) 1-800-344-2666
Childhelp (Child Abuse): 1-800-4ACHILD (1-800-422-4453)
Nat’l. Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
RAINN Nat’l. Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
Nat’l. Center on Elder Abuse: 1-800-677-1116
National Runaway Switchboard: 1-800-621-4000
GLBT National Help Center 1-888-843-4564
Planned Parenthood: 1-800-230-PLAN (7526)
Nat’l. STD Hotline: 1-800-227-8922
National AIDS Hotline: 1-800-342-AIDS (2437)
The Teen AIDS Hotline: 1-800-440-TEEN (8336)
Nat’l. Poison Help: 1-800-222-1222
ULifeline – A directory of resources available for college students— take a self-assessment test; or find your college psych services center.
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) – Alcoholics Anonymous is an informal meeting society for recovering alcoholics whose primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety.
Narcotics Anonymous (NA) – Narcotics Anonymous, similar to AA, is an international, community-based association of recovering addicts.
Self-Mutilators Anonymous – A community-based association for individuals struggling with self-mutilation.
National Institute of Mental Health – Extensive information on a variety of mental health topics.
National Institute of Health – Extensive information on all health related topics.
MedlinePlus – Extensive information of different drugs and treatment options.
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
American Dietetic Association
American Counseling Association
American Psychiatric Association
American Psychological Association
American Psychological Society
Canadian Mental Health Association
National Institute of Mental Health
National Mental Health Association
How to Be An Adult by David Richo
The Book of Awakening by Mark Nepo
The 7 Principles of Making a Marriage Work by John Gottman
The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown
Daring Greatly by Brene Brown
Come as You Are by Emily Nagoski
Positive Discipline by Jane Nelsen
Mating in Captivity by Esther Perel
State of Affairs by Esther Perel
Atlas of The Heart by Brene Brown
Stop Breath & Think Mindfulness App
Racing thoughts. Nonstop worry. Feeling distracted and detached from life. Most of us experience anxiety sometimes. But you can stop the spiral. My free tool 5 Ways That Mindfulness Can Soothe Your Anxiety guides you through simple but profound strategies to start managing your emotions in a healthier way.
eating issues
- Intuitive Eating – Evelyn Tribole & Elyse Resch
- Life Without Ed – Jenni Schaefer & Thom Rutledge
health & wellness
- Wild Feminine – Tami Lynn Kent
- The Ethical Slut – Janet W. Hardy & Dossie Easton
anxiety
- Full Catastrophe Living – Jon Kabat-Zinn & Thich Nhat Hanh
- Mindsight – Daniel J. Siegel
- Daring Greatly – Brene Brown
special populations in eating disorders
- Second Son: Transitioning Toward My Destiny, Love, and Life – Ryan Sallans
- Hungry for More – Robyn McGhee
cultural readings
- The House on Mango Street – Sandra Cisneros
- Redefining Realness – Janet Mock
- Between the World and Me – Ta-Nehisi Coates
- The Namesake – Jhumpa Lahiri
life transitions
- The Four Agreements – Ryan Sallans
- The Untethered Soul – Michael A. Singer