Wednesday, January 29, 2014

The Best Self-help Books of 2013

I admit it: I'm a bit of a nerd.  If I have some free time, you can usually find me with my nose in a book. And because people who know me know that I'm a bookworm, I often get requests for recommended books.

This post is dedicated to the best self help books read in the last year. (Note: this is just my own opinion!)

"The Gifts of Imperfection" by Brene Brown... This writer has done a ton of research, writing and talks about shame, writes about accepting ourselves and our imperfections without feeling like you are being told to "just stop thinking about it and love yourself". This book was very real, and the tools very doable. If you want a taste, look Brown up on YouTube.

"Dropping the Baby and Other Scary Thoughts" by Karen Kleiman... Dives into postpartum OCD, and gives readers wonderful insight into this disorder, and ways to navigate it. I have found myself recommending this book often, and hear great feedback about how validating it is for the mom, and a great way to help her partner understand what is going on without fear. Intrusive thoughts are very real. Anyone who works with moms regularly could benefit from reading this book.

"Women, Food and God" by Geneen Roth... Recommended reading for anyone with a negative relationship with food/eating and self worth. It was really great to get some useful advice for how to let go of all that without just being told "let go of all that!" It was also about faith and spirituality, without being overly preachy. Which I like.

"I Love You But I Don't Trust You" by Mira Kirshenbaum... One of my favorite books of all time was "After the Affair" by Janis Abrams Spring. This book was equally good, and it covered working through trust issues in a more general sense. This would be a good read for anyone who struggles to trust their partner, but really really wants to.

And saving my fave for last.... "The Worry Trap" by Chad Lejeune. Why do I love this book? For two reasons... There seem to be a bajillion books on the shelf about depression, but had yet to find one that I loved and felt confident recommending to patients. This is it. The second reason was that it introduced me to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which has been showing promise in my practice.

What's the best self-help book that you read in 2013?

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