Resources and Books

In therapy I have resources that I connect clients to on their mental journeys. I decided to make a list of some of them that those who are curious can refer to. As a disclaimer, I am not sponsored by any of these resources and the opinions are my own, but Amazon is nice enough to give a small commission to me for any sales from my links.

For starting new habits and breaking old ones:

Atomic Habits by James Clear

Do you ever find you have goals that you want to chase, but you always feel stuck in the same spot? I work with many clients who struggle with this too. Sometimes ADHD or anxiety make it hard to make changes. Sometimes, we lacked role models who taught us how to follow our hopes and dreams and make plans. Trauma can make us struggle to believe things can ever be better. This book breaks down how we build good (and bad) habits. It offers ways to build habits up by making small, consistent changes you can build over time. This is my go-to book for habit formation.

If you want to Understand Effects of Trauma:

The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk, M.D.

This book is an amazing resource for how trauma affects you, from thoughts and feelings all the way down to your neurology. It is a great book to learn more about trauma from your past can have effects on how you think and feel years later, and a review of methods that help heal your mind and rebuild your ability to connect to others.

If you struggle with mood in when it’s dark and gloomy:

Light Box

Trauma tends to pair up with mood disorders like depression, and many of you notice this gets worse in the Fall and Winter when there is less sunlight and the weather is gloomy. Getting outside during this time can help (Ex: Sitting on a porch or going on a walk), but many people find it helpful to get a boost. Light boxes simulate bright sunny days, which can help fight the Winter Blues. I found these two had good reviews online, with the first one being a bigger light source and the second one being more compact and portable.

Wake up Light

If you want to work on building communication with partners:

FANOS Check in

If you struggle with time awareness:

Time Timer

If you struggle with describing how you feel:

Feelings Wheel