Resources

Self-Help Books
Addictions
Anger
Anxiety & Panic
Bipolar Disorder
Boundaries
Death & Dying
Depression
Mindfulness & Mindful Self-Compassion
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Pornography [Men & Pornography]
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder [PTSD]
[Combat] Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Procrastination
Relationships
Stress
Some Personal Favorites



Self-Help Books  Self-Help Books

Web Sites:
· Association for Behavioral & Cognitive Therapies Self-Help Book Seal of Merit
This site curates a broad spectrum of self-help books reviewed and awarded “Seal of Merit”



Addictions  Addictions

Books:
· The Craving Mind: From Cigarettes to Smartphones to Love – Why We Get Hooked & How We Can Break Bad Habits by Judson Brewer, 2017

· The Heart of Addiction: A New Approach to Understanding and Managing Alcoholism and Other Addictive Behaviors by Lance M. Dodes, 2002

· One Breath at a Time: Buddhism and the Twelve Steps by Kevin Griffin, 2004

· Unbroken Brain: A Revolutionary New Way of Understanding Addiction by Maia Szalavitz, 2016; NY Times Piece by author: Can You Get Over an Addiction?

· Breaking Free from Emotional Eating by Geneen Roth, 2003



Anger  Anger

Books:
· Act on Life Not on Anger: The New Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Guide to Problem Anger by Georg Eifert, Matthew McKay, and John Forsyth, 2006

· When Anger Hurts: Quieting the Storm Within by Matthew McKay, Peter Rogers, and Judith McKay, 2003

· Anger: Wisdom for Cooling the Flames by Thich Nhat Hanh, 2002

· The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Workbook: Practical DBT Exercises for Learning Mindfulness, Interpersonal Effectiveness, Emotional Regulation & Distress Tolerance by Matthew McKay, Jeffrey Wood and Jeffrey Brantley, 2007



Anxiety & Panic  Anxiety & Panic

Books:
· The 10 Best-Ever Anxiety Management Techniques (Second Edition) by Margaret Wehrenberg, 2018

· The Compassionate-Mind Guide to Overcoming Anxiety: Using Compassion-Focused Therapy to Calm Worry, Panic, and Fear by Dennis Tirch, 2012

· Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), ACT for the Public

· Get Out of Your Mind & Into Your Life: The New Acceptance & Commitment Therapy by Steven C. Hayes, 2005

· Mastery of Your Anxiety and Worry: Workbook (Second Edition) by Michelle Craske and David Barlow, 2006

· Mastery of Your Anxiety and Panic: Workbook (Fourth Edition) by Michelle Craske and David Barlow, 2006



Bipolar Disorder  Bipolar Disorder

Books:
· Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo and Me (A Graphic Memoir by Ellen Forney), 2012

· Rock Steady: Brilliant Advice From My Bipolar Life by Ellen Forney, 2018

· An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness by Kay Redfield Jamison, 1996

· Mindfulness for Bipolar Disorder: How Mindfulness and Neuroscience Can Help You Manage Your Bipolar Symptoms by William R. Marchand, 2015



Boundaries  Boundaries

Books:
· Boundaries: Where You End and I Begin – How to Recognize and Set Healthy Boundaries by Anne Katherine, 1994

· Where to Draw the Line: How to Set Healthy Boundaries Every Day by Anne Katherine, 2000



Death and Depression  Death & Dying

Books:
· The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying by Sogyal Rinpoche, 2012

· Who Dies: An Investigation of Conscious Living and Conscious Dying by Stephen and Ondrea Levine, 1989

· Living in the Light of Death: On the Art of Being Truly Alive by Larry Rosenberg, 2001



Depression  Depression

Books:
· The Mindful Way Through Depression: Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness by Mark Williams, John Teasdale, Zindel Segal, and Jon Kabat-Zinn, 2007; TEDx Talk: The mindful way through depression, Zindel Segal

· The Mindful Way Workbook: An 8-Week Program to Free Yourself form Depression and Emotional Distress by Mark Williams, John Teasdale, Zindel Segal, and Jon Kabat-Zinn, 2014

· Overcoming Depression One Step at a Time: The New Behavioral Activation Approach to Getting Your Life Back by Michael Addis and Christopher Martell, 2004

· Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy by David Burns, 2008; TEDx Talk: Feeling good, David Burns

· Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression by Andrew Solomon, 2002

· Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness by William Styron, 2007

· Night Falls Fast: Understanding Suicide by Kay Redfield Jamison, 2000

Video:
· I had a black dog, his name was depression, World Health Organization

· Living with a black dog, World Health Organization



Mindfulness & Mindful Self-Compassion  Mindfulness & Mindful Self-Compassion

Books:
· The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion* by Christopher Germer, 2009
*The book I recommend most for a meaningful and practical introduction to mindfulness and self-compassion

· Mindfulness In Plain English by Bhante Gunaratana, 2011, may displace the above noted Self-Compassion book as the best introduction to mindfulness

· Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn, 1990

· The Mindfulness Solution: Everyday Practices for Everyday Problems by Ronald Siegel, 2009

· The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hahn, 1999

· Self-Compassion: Stop Beating Yourself Up and Leave Insecurity Behind by Kristin Neff, 2011; The Three Components of Self-Compassion video

· The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook: A Proven Way To Accept Yourself, Build Inner Strength, and Thrive by Kristin Neff & Christopher Germer, 2018

· The Compassionate Mind: A New Approach to Life’s Challenges by Paul Gilbert, 2010

· 10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in my Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, And Found Self-Help That Actually Works – A True Story by Dan Harris, 2014; Dan Harris Meditation Summary video

· Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity by David Lynch, 2007
Yes THAT David Lynch, filmmaker, painter, and musician

Web Sites:
· UCLA Mindful Awareness Center

· UC San Diego Mindfulness Center

· Center for Mindful Self-Compassion



Obsessive Compulsive Disorder  Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Books:
· The OCD Workbook (Third Edition) by Bruce Hyman and Cherry Pedrick, 2010

· Getting Over OCD (Second Edition): A 10-Step Workbook for Taking Back Your Life by Jonathan S. Abramowitz

· The Mindfulness Workbook for OCD by Jon Hershfield and Tom Corboy, 2013



Pornography [Men & Pornography]  Pornography [Men & Pornography]

Books:
· Out of the Shadows: Understanding Sexual Addiction by Patrick Carnes, 2001

· In the Shadows of the Net: Breaking Free from Compulsive Online Sexual Behavior by Patrick Carnes, 2007

· Facing The Shadow: Starting Sexual and Relationship Recovery by Patrick Carnes, 2008

· Your Brain on Porn: Internet Pornography and the Emerging Science of Addiction by Gary Wilson, 2015

· Erotic Intelligence: Igniting Hot, Healthy Sex While in Recovery from Sexual Addiction by Alexandra Katehakis, 2010

· Mirror of Intimacy: Daily Reflections on Emotional and Erotic Intelligence by Alexandra Katehakis, 2016; you can also Subscribe to Daily Meditations from the Center for Health Sex

· A Male Grief: Notes on Pornography and Addiction by David Mura, 1985

For Clinicians:
· Sex Addiction As Affect Dysregulation: A Neurobiologically Informed Holistic Treatment by Alexandra Katehakis, 2016

Web Sites/Video:
· The Great Porn Experiment: Gary Wilson at TEDxGlasgow

· Porn The New Tobacco: Jack Fisher, TEDxBinghamptonUniversity (there are also compelling parallels between pornography and fast food)

· NoFap Internet Community; NY Times piece on founder of NoFap website, Internet Porn Nearly Ruined His Life, Now He Wants to Help



Posttraumatic Stress Disorder [PTSD]  Posttraumatic Stress Disorder [PTSD]

Books:
· Trauma Is Really Strange by Steve Haines, art by Sophie Standing, 2015

· The Evil Hours: A Biography of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder by David J. Morris, 2015

· The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook for Anxiety: Breaking Free From Worry, Panic, PTSD and Other Anxiety Symptoms by Alexander L. Chapman, Kim L. Gratz & Matthew T.Tull, 2011

· Expressive Writing: Words That Heal by James Pennebaker & John Evans, 2014

· When Someone You Love Suffers From PTSD: What To Expect and What You Can Do by Claudia Zayfert & Jason C. DeViva, 2011

· Overcoming Trauma Through Yoga by David Emerson and Elizabeth Hopper, 2011

· The Trauma of Everyday Life by Mark Epstein, 2013
Buddhist/Mindfulness perspective on trauma and its suffering, by a NYC psychiatrist

Web Sites:
· VA National Center for PTSD

· About Face, Learn about PTSD from veterans who face it every day



[Combat] Posttraumatic Stress Disorder  [Combat] Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Books:
· Once a Warrior—Always a Warrior: Navigating the Transition from Combat to Home—Including Combat Stress, PTSD, and mTB by Charles W. Hoge, 2010

· Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging by Sebastian Junger, 2016

· Achilles in Vietnam: Combat Trauma and the Undoing of Character by Jonathan Shay, 1995

· At Hell's Gate: A Soldier's Journey from War to Peace by Claude Anshin Thomas, 2006

· What It Is Like To Go To War by Karl Marlantes, 2012

· The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien, 1990

Veterans Web Sites:
· Department of Veterans Affairs

· Veterans Crisis Line

· Real Warriors Campaign, a multimedia public awareness campaign designed to encourage help-seeking behavior among service members, veterans and military families coping with invisible wounds/psychological health concerns

· Hope For Heroes, Austin, TX based organization that offers counseling and integrative medicine, including acupuncture and massage, for Central Texas military service members and their families

· Songwriting With Soldiers, Austin Based National Organization collaborative songwriting and creative composition therapy, Mary Gauthier, Rifles & Rosary Beads

· Restoration Ranch, equine therapy for veterans and their families in Bastrop, TX

· Hounds for Heroes, Mobility and PTSD Service Dogs for Veterans in Cedar Park, TX

· iRest, integrative restoration and meditative yoga developed and studied at Walter Reed Army Medical Center

· Team Red, White & Blue, community based veterans organization for physical/exercise and social activity



Procrastination  Procrastination, Creative Work & Design Thinking

Books:
· The Now Habit by Neil Fiore, 2007

· Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in A Distracted World by Cal Newport, 2016, perhaps my favorite book discovered in 2019, Cal Newport’s Blog, Study Hacks

· Creative Quest by Questlove, 2018

· The Big Thing: How To Complete Your Creative Project Even if You’re a Lazy, Self-Doubting Procrastinator Like Me by Phyllis Korkki, 2016; NY Times Book Review: Read It Later: A Procrastinator’s Memoir

· Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans, 2016, NY Times Piece, "Want to Find Fulfillment at Last? Think Like a Designer"



Relationships  Relationships, Aloneness & Singlism

Books:
· Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love by Sue Johnson, 2008; Hold Me Tight by Susan Johnson brief video clip

· Reconcilable Differences by Andrew Christensen and Neil Jacobson, 2002

· ACT with Love: Stop Struggling, Reconcile Differences and Strengthen Your Relationship with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy by Russ Harris, 2009

· The Relationship Cure: A Five Step Guide to Strengthening Your Marriage, Family and Friendships by John Gottman, 2002

· Mating in Captivity: Unlocking Erotic Intelligence by Esther Perel, 2007

· The Art of Loving by Erich Fromm, 1956

· All About Love: New Visions by bell hooks, 2001

· How To Be Alone: If You Want To, and Even If You Don’t by Lane Moore, 2018

· Happy Singlehood: The Rising Acceptance and Celebration of Solo Living by Elyakim Kislev, 2019

· Hard to Love: Essays and Confessions by Briallen Hopper, 2019

Web Sites/Video:
· It’s Not About the Nail, Jason Headley, 2013



Stress  Stress

Books:
· Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers: The Acclaimed Guide to Stress, Stress-Related Diseases, and Coping by Robert Sapolsky, 2004; Stress/Mental Well-Being on PBS clip

· 10 Steps to Mastering Stress: A Lifestyle Approach Updated Edition by David H. Barlow, 2014

· Stress Management: Approaches for Preventing and Reducing Stress by Harvard Health Publication

· 8 Keys to Mental Health Through Exercise by Christina Hibbert



Some Personal Favorites  Some Personal Favorites

Books:
· The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching: Transforming Suffering Into Peace, Joy, & Liberation by Thich Nhat Hanh, 1999
The book that opened up my interest in Buddhist psychology both personally and professionally

· Reaching Out: The Three Movements of Spiritual Life by Henri J.M. Nouwen, 1986
A beautiful meditation on loneliness to solitude; hostility to hospitality; and, illusion to prayer

· When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times by Pema Chodron, 2000
“I had taught endlessly about the same things: the great need for maître (loving-kindness toward oneself), and developing from that the awakening of a fearlessly compassionate attitude toward our own pain and that of others”

· Paradise in Plain Sight: Lessons From a Zen Garden by Karen Maezen Miller, 2014
“I always came back to this patch of patient earth. Time after time I realized that everything I want or need – the living truth of life, love, beauty, purpose, and peace – is taught to me right here, no farther away than the ground beneath my feet. I am a pilgrim, as we are all pilgrims, making my way through a paradise hidden in plain sight”

· Opening the Hand of Thought: Foundations of Zen Buddhist Practice by Kosho Uchiyama, 2004
My companion on a trip to Kyoto and the Kumano Kodo Trail, a deep and practical meditation on Zen, zazen (seated meditation), and the cultivation and practice of “everything I encounter is my life.”

· The Three Pillars of Zen by Roshi Philip Kapleau, 1989
A book and teacher that greatly influenced Jon Kabat-Zinn, that focuses on the practice of sitting meditation/zazen, with a unique perspective on Zen Buddhism through the interactions and correspondence between Japanese Zen Masters and their students

· Food For Thought: The Collected Writings of Ajahn Chah by Ajahn Chah, 2002
A leading Buddhist teacher in the Thai Forest Tradition, “It is a crucial point that delineates the Thai Forest monastics: the determination to focus on lifestyle, and on personal experience, as opposed to books [and study]”, and yet, this is a beautiful book, wise, pithy, and funny, worthy of reading and study

· The Light Inside the Dark: Zen, Soul, and the Spiritual Life by John Tarrant, 1998
“[W]e struggle, we suffer untellable grief, but we also wake up – we begin to see ourselves and our lives for what they are. We cannot return to the way is used to be, even yesterday. We realize that we have no choice: before we can rise up, we must go down and through”

· How To Be An Adult In Relationships: The Five Keys to Mindful Loving by David Richo, 2002
An inventive exposition on the author’s five A’s of mindful loving: attention, acceptance, appreciation, affection, and allowing

· Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation by Parker J. Palmer, 2000
“‘Ask me whether what I have done is my life.’. . . Vocation does not come from willfulness. It comes from listening. I must listen to my life and try to understand what it is truly about – quite apart from what I would like it to be about – or my life will never represent anything real in the world, no matter how earnest my intention. . . . Midway in my life’s journey. . . . I found myself in the dark woods called clinical depression”; Center for Courage & Renewal

· Learning To Fall: The Blessings if an Imperfect Life by Philip Simons, 2000
A moving reflection on the inevitability and implications of aging, illness, and death by someone who learned he had ALS at age 35

· The Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being Alone by Olivia Lang, 2016
“I wanted to understand what it means to be lonely, and how it functioned in people’s lives, to attempt to chart the complex relationship between loneliness and art”

· Bluets by Maggie Nelson, 2009
"her lyrical and philosophical exploration of personal suffering and the limitations of vision and love, as refracted through the color blue"]; a 2016 MacArthur Foundation Fellow

· Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers by Leonard Koren, 2008
A Japanese aesthetic rooted in the Buddhist perspective on impermanence, and can be beautifully applied to the practice of self-compassion, our lives, and the human condition: “Wabi-sabi is a beauty of things imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete. It is a beauty of things modest and humble. It is a beauty of things unconventional.” History of Ideas – Wabi-Sabi

· Neil Gaiman’s ‘Make Good Art’ Speech by Neil Gaiman, book designed by Chip Kidd, 2013
A fabulously wonderful little book based on a commencement speech, “Life is sometimes hard. Things go wrong, in life and in love and in business and in friendship and in health and in all other ways that life can go wrong. And when things get tough, this is what you should do. Make good art. . . . Go and make interesting mistakes, make amazing mistakes, make glorious and fantastic mistakes. Break rules. Leave the world more interesting for your being here.”; video and transcript of Neil Gaiman: Keynote Address 2012, The University of the Arts

Web Sites:
· Leo Babauta's Zen Habits Blog, Zen Habits is about "simplifying, being in the moment, learning to be mindful in your life, and creating habits that allow you to do that"

· The School of Life, London-based collective committed to the education of the emotions through the humanities

· Tara Brach - Meditation, Psychologist, Author, Teacher; one of my favorite mindfulness practitioners integrating Western and Eastern psychologies with one of the best mindfulness podcasts out there

· On Being with Krista Tippett, “On Being opens up the animating questions at the center of human life: What does it mean to be human, and how do we want to live? We explore these questions in their richness and complexity in 21st-century lives and endeavors. We pursue wisdom and moral imagination as much as knowledge; we esteem nuance and poetry as much as fact”

Video:
· Happy, research suggests 40% of our happiness is due to intentional activity, day-to-day choices we make (50% genetics and 10% circumstances), available on Netflix Instant; Huffington Post, This Is Scientific Proof That Happiness is a Choice

· The Happy Film by designer Stefan Sagmeister