Trauma:

Embodied Self Awakening: Somatic Practices for Trauma Healing and Spiritual Evolution by Nityda Gessel

Call of the Wild: How We Heal Trauma, Awaken Our Own Power, and Use it For Good Kimberly Ann Johnson

No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model Richard Schwartz

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma Bessl van der Kolk

Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma Peter Levine

It Didn’t Start with You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle Mark Wolynn

Invisible Heroes: Survivors of Trauma and How They Heal Belleruth Naparstek

Trauma-Sensitive Yoga in Therapy: Bringing the Body into Treatment David Emerson

Healing Trauma: A Pioneering Program for Restoring the Wisdom of Your Body Peter Levine

The Emotionally Absent Mother: A Guide to Self-Healing and Getting the Love You Missed Jasmin L Cori

Overcoming Trauma Through Yoga: Reclaiming Your Body David Emerson

The Revolutionary Trauma Release Process: Transcend Your Toughest Times David Berceli

Freedom from Pain: Discover Your Body’s Power to Overcome Physical Pain Maggie Phillips + Peter Levine

Trauma is Really Strange Steve Haines

Psychedelics + Healing:

Your Psilocybin Mushroom Companion: An Informative, Easy-to-Use Guide to Understanding Magic Mushrooms—From Tips and Trips to Microdosing and Psychedelic Therapy Michelle Janikian

The Psilocybin Handbook for Women Jennifer Chesak

Consciousness Medicine: Indigenous Wisdom, Entheogens, and Expanded States of Consciousness for Healing Healing and Growth Françoise Bourzat

How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence Michael Pollan

Allies for Awakening: Guidelines for Productive and Safe Experiences with Entheogens Ralph Metzner

The Psychedelic Explorers Guide: Safe, Therapeutic and Sacred Journeys James Fadiman

Grief:

It’s OK That You’re Not Ok: Meeting Grief and Loss in a Culture That Doesn’t Understand Megan Devine

Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times Katherine May

After This: When Life is Over, Where Do We Go? Claire Bidwell Smith

Moving Beyond: Access Your Intuition, Psychic Ability, and Spirit Connection Fleur Leussink

When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times Pema Chodron

The Hot Young Widows Club: Lessons on Survival from the Front Lines of Grief Nora McInerny

The Year of Magical Thinking Joan Didion

Signs: The Secret Language of the Universe Laura Lynn Jackson

Relationships:

Mating in Captivity: Reconciling the Erotic & the Domestic Esther Perel

Sex from Scratch: Making Your Own Relationship Rules Sarah Mirk

I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times Mónica Guzmán

Healing Your Attachment Wounds: How to Create Deep and Lasting Intimate Relationships Diane Poole Heller

Daring to Trust: Opening Ourselves to Real Love + Intimacy David Richo

Designer Relationships: A Guide to Happy Monogamy, Positive Polyamory, and Optimistic Open Relationships Mark Michaels + Patricia Johnson

Conscious Uncoupling: 5 Steps to Living Happily Even After Katherine Woodward Thomas

Too Good to Leave, Too Bad to Stay: A Step-by-Step Guide to Help You Decide Whether to Stay In or Get Out of Your Relationship Mira Kirshenbaum

Polysecure: Attachment, Trauma and Consensual Nonmonogamy Jessica Fern

The Ethical Slut: A Guide to Infinite Sexual Possibilities Dossie Easton + Catherine Liszt

The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate Gary Chapman

Bonus Section | Fiction:

Most of my therapy career was spent in the psychological, trauma, and personal-growth sections of the bookstore. Over the past couple of years, I’ve really come to appreciate fiction reading as a tool for healing and self-growth. Here are a few of my favorite books that have either made me think or feel big things. Or both.

It Ends with Us Colleen Hoover

The Alchemist: A Fable About Following Your Dream Paulo Coelho

The Midnight Library Matt Haig 

Expiration Dates Rebecca Serle 

Forever, Interrupted Taylor Jenkins Reid 

Meet Me in Another Life Catriona Silvey

This Time Tomorrow Emma Straub 

My Name is Memory Ann Brashares

Where the Forest Meets the Stars Glenda Vanderah

The Last Love Note Emma Grey

In Five Years Rebecca Serle

One True Loves Taylor Jenkins Reid

How to Stop Time Matt Haig