Recommended Books

Over the years, I’ve encountered books and resources that have impacted the way I think about healing, the mind and body, and our emotional lives. I’ve created this list with care for anyone curious to learn more and reflect more deeply.

These resources cover topics such as trauma, anxiety, grief, somatic practices, and existential themes. Some may provide you with language for something you’ve long felt but never named; others may gently open new doors of insight or self-compassion.

Not all books will speak to everyone—feel free to take what resonates with you, and simply set aside the rest.

Trauma

Books that explore how trauma affects the body and mind, and how we can begin to heal.

“The Body Keeps the Score” by Bessel van der Kolk
A foundational book exploring how trauma affects the body and mind, and how healing often begins with reconnecting to both.

Grief and Existential Themes

On loss, mortality, and the deeper meaning behind human suffering and healing.

“The Wild Edge of Sorrow” by Francis Weller
A poetic and soulful contemplation of grief—not solely from death, but from the unrecognized sorrows we carry around loss.

The Swamplands of the Soul by James Hollis
This Jungian guide explores how emotional suffering—like anxiety, grief, or meaninglessness—is not merely to be fixed, but a necessary terrain of the soul that can lead to growth, depth, and greater self-awareness.

Mind-Body and Somatic Approaches

Understanding the nervous system, chronic stress, and how the body holds emotional experience.

“When the Body Says No” by Gabor Maté
Explores the relationship among stress, emotions, and chronic illness—providing profound understanding of how our bodies communicate what words may fail to express.