Books have always been a big part of my life, I loved reading from a young age and when I was navigating my difficult teenage years they were my constant companion. These days I’m more likely to be listening to an audiobook than sitting down with a physical one, but I usually have a few on the go. I have some old favourites, Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series and Harry Potter that are like an old friend I can count on when things are tough, but I love reading to learn new things too. I often recommend books to my clients if I think they will find them helpful, as well as finding out about new titles from them.
I thought it might be useful to share some of the books I recommend most frequently:
To be honest I’d recommend anything Brene Brown writes, as well as her website, talks and podcast, but this is the one that I talk to clients about most often. It’s a great starting point towards being happy with who they are and written in a really accessible way.
This might be the book clients mention to me most often as it resonates with them. It’s an incredibly honest and brave account of making hard choices to do what is right for you because you recognise your own worth. Or why we all need to remember we’re cheetahs…
An exploration of neurodivergence from a woman who got diagnosed as an adult. I love that it talks about the different ways neurodivergence can show up and how it can be overlooked or mislabelled. A really great neuro-affirming introduction to neurodivergence that collects together different expereinces.
Life Isn’t Binary – Meg-John Barker and Alex Iantaffi
Looking at how binary thinking limits us in so many ways including gender, sexuality, black and white thinking, good and bad emotions. It gives lots of space for reflection and thought on how we lose so much of the nuance in debates when we reduced things down to two opposing sides.
This book literally changed my life and attitude to sleep!
Which books taught you the most?
