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Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach 

True Refuge by Tara Brach

Radical Compassion by Tara Brach

Tara Brach’s books are a wonderful place to start your journey of acceptance and compassion. She teaches us that there is a different way to handle the challenges in our lives. Tara uses powerful stories from her amazing clients over the years to show that we can overcome just about anything. Mindfulness and the “power of the pause” is woven throughout all of her books, I have read and reread these books as I always find new words of wisdom. Her website www.tarabrach.com is wonderful. It is full of meditations and talks, as well as other resources.

Tara Brach

Self-Compassion by Kristin Neff

Fierce Self-Compassion by Kristin Neff

Kristin Neff is known for her research on self-compassion. “Self-Compassion” is a great place to start as Neff offers groundbreaking research to show that there is a better way forward. She explains the difference between self-esteem and self-compassion, and illustrates the contrasting effects of these two traits. In “Fierce Self-Compassion”, Neff discusses how to put self-compassion into action in our every day lives. She provides us with scientific studies to show us that constantly driving ourselves to try harder/be better is not the answer.  

Kristin Neff

The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion by Christopher Germer

Christopher Germer does a great job of introducing you to self-compassion in a very straightforward way. This is a great book for men, and women.

Christopher Germer

Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown (10th Anniversary)

The Power of Vulnerability by Brené Brown

Daring Greatly by Brené Brown

Rising Strong by Brené Brown

I love all of Brené Brown’s books and I love listening to her books, which she narrates herself, displaying her irreverent and charismatic personality. She is funny, insightful, and has a great way of tying things together. She focuses on the pitfalls of striving for perfection (focused outward) and touches on the shame we all feel about our imperfect lives. She coined one of my favorite phrases, “hustling for your worthiness” and helps us to learn to accept and value ourselves as we are right now- focusing on the concept that we are enough just as we are. She is such a great storyteller that you will forget that you are learning valuable tools to help you embrace the gift of your one precious life.

Brené Brown

Carry on, Warrior by Glennon Doyle

Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle

Untamed by Glennon Doyle

I love Glennon Doyle and her writing is both hilarious and deeply meaningful. Her chapter in “Carry On Warrior” about the misery of parenting in August almost made me scream out loud! “Love Warrior” is an authentic account of a woman struggling in her marriage and reclaiming her identify as a person. She echoes the feeling we all have sometimes that we are failing our children, even as we are putting everything we have into being the best parent we can be. In “Untamed”, Glennon takes a hard look at the effects of divorce on a family, and she shows us that a responsible mother is not one who slowly dies for her kids. This hopeful memoir reminds us of what we can be if we let go of who we think we should be. Throughout it all, Glennon will touch your heart and make you laugh out loud- sometimes simultaneously. I’m a huge fan of “Sister”, Amanda Doyle, who hosts the podcast “We Can Do Hard Things”, with Glennon and Abby Wambach.

Glennon Doyle

Good Morning, I Love You by Shauna Shapiro

“Good Morning, I Love You” is an easy read, explaining the science of change while providing the most current information about neuroplasticity in the brain. She uses mindfulness to help us cultivate compassion which can then lead to change.

Shauna Shapiro

The Mountain is You by Brianna Wiest

Wiest focuses on the obstacles we create that keep us from the life we want to be living. She examines the concept of self-sabotage, investigates why we do it, and then gives us some tools to replace our old habits. Wiest provides us with strategies to overcome our challenges and start to heal our emotional wounds.. Like the message in many of these books, the key is to accept your reality, and then start to envision and create the future you desire.

Brianna Wiest

The Perfection Trap by Thomas Curran

This is a very interesting book that focuses on the difference between perfectionism (unhealthy) and high standards (healthy). Curran explains the different types of perfectionism- self-oriented, socially imposed, and other oriented. Curran laments the extreme rise in perfectionism in our society and examines the damaging effects on our children. There is an excellent chapter about the need to get our children into the “right” schools, as well as one discussing the effect that social media has on our children’s need to be perfect.

Thomas Curran

The Gift: 12 Lessons to Save Your Life by Dr. Edith Eger

Dr. Eger is an amazing woman, who survived a concentration camp, and went on to get her numerous degrees later in life. She talks a lot about victimhood and imprisoning thoughts, and how they can keep us from finding freedom and enjoying our one precious life. Dr. Eger combines the tale of her own journey out of victimhood with stories about her clients’ struggles over the years and shows us that there is always a way out of our mental prisons.

Dr. Edith Eger

Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

This is a book that everyone should read. Frankl shares his horrifying experiences as prisoner in a concentration camp to remind us that we always have control over our minds, even when we have no control over our lives. This is such an inspiring story that has touched so many over the years. Full disclosure, I didn’t get through all of the chapters on logotherapy, but I was mesmerized by Frankl’s story.

Viktor Frankl

Dethroning Your Inner Critic by Joanna Kleinman

Joanna Kleinman was a lecturer in my High Conflict Divorce Coaching program, and I was captivated by her presentation. I immediately bought her book and loved it. Kleinman believes that you can never silence your inner critic. Instead, she she gives you strategies (the M.I.N.D. method) to reduce the power that your inner critic has over you.

Joanna Kleinman