I recently shared a reel of great mental health book recommendations on my Instagram that I think would be valuable to share here, too.
There are a ton of mental health books on the market, especially these days, and the market can be quite saturated to the extent that it may be difficult to sort the gems from the coal. These are some of my top picks for different reasons:
For a first-hand account of mental illness: Kay Redfield Jamison, An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness
This book, written by a psychiatrist who was struggling with Bipolar Disorder before truly understanding it, is a phenomenal account of what it is like to deal with a mental illness first-hand. Jamison writes in a way that is accessible to all and is such an important portrayal of how we may have all the knowledge, but not necessarily the insight.
Jamison has since become one of the fore-running thought leaders on Bipolar Disorder, and one can see how her personal experience allowed her access to the empathic way in which she approaches patients and future patients.
For anyone looking for a deeper understanding of mental illness and how it may affect a person's whole life, this is a great first step.
For Trauma: Bessel van der Kolk, The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
The way in which not only laypeople but professionals have been viewing and training others on the treatment of trauma may have been misinformed, and this seminal work by van der Kolk breaks down why.
This phenomenal book offers a new understanding for healing from trauma that steers away from traditional talk therapy by using research-backed advances in the field.
Not only does the science back it up, but van der Kolk allows us a glimpse into successful interventions in those with severe trauma and how this trauma is all stored within the primal part of our brain, essentially in our bodies themselves.
For Therapists or Aspiring Therapists: Irvin D. Yalom, The Gift of Therapy: An Open Letter to a New Generation of Therapists and Their Patients
Yalom, one of this era's most prolific theorists, offers an inside picture of therapy with this work. After 45 years of being a psychiatrist, Yalom has a lot to offer therapists and aspiring therapists.
This book breaks therapy down to the bare-bones relationality of it all by eschewing the easy-to-lean-on techniques in favour of putting the focus on the relationship between patient and therapist.
As wise as the words are, this book is accessible and an easy read for anyone with an interest in the therapeutic dance.
The Book on Boundaries: Nedra Glover Tawwab, Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself
Nedra Glover Tawwab, a prolific therapist/influencer shares amazing insights into setting boundaries in this powerful book.
If setting boundaries is unmanageable or scary, Tawwab's book breaks it down and counteracts all the classic arguments for not setting boundaries in different settings.
This book is a very easy, practical read and is a must-read for even those who believe they have secure boundaries. Tawwab breaks down the different types of boundaries and how, sometimes, our boundaries can even be too inflexible or faulty in managing problematic relationships or spaces.
For Ditching Diets and a Weight-Shaming Mindset: Evelyn Tribole & Elyse Resch, Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Program That Works
For everyone who is tired of dieting and weight-shaming themselves and others, Tribole and Resch have a solution in the form of intuitive eating, their innovative framework for reclaiming your natural nutritional rules.
Backed up by tons of research, the book explains how dieting is always bound to fail and offers 10 digestible principles on intuitive eating that can be returned to time and again.
Once you read this book, you will begin to understand how harmful dieting is to your physical and mental health and the ways in which diet culture has skewed our innate connection to our bodies.
For Everyone Who Is Curious About Therapy: Lori Gottlieb, Maybe You Should Talk to Someone
Truly for everyone who wants to learn more about therapy, is considering therapy, or is confused by the process of therapy, Maybe You Should Talk to Someone is a read offered by a psychotherapist who found herself in crisis.
Throughout the book, Gottlieb breaks down the boundaries of therapy between not only herself and her patients, but also between herself and her new therapist.
The book is engaging, funny, and insightful, and will leave everyone with a deeper understanding of how therapy works from an accessible level.
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