Taken from talks that Pema Chödrön gave in the 1990s, When Things Fall Apart is a treasury of wisdomfor going on living when we are overcome by pain and difficulties. An America-born Tibetan Buddhist, Pema draws from traditional Buddhist wisdom to offer a way to rethink our lives and lean into discomfort and struggles in order to live a more

This book was inspired by the author’s success helping his brother Henry, who had schizophrenia, accept treatment. Dr. Xavier Amador shares his own personal experience with specific tips and recommendations based on LEAP (Listen, Empathize, Agree, Partner). He designed LEAP to help family members with loved ones who don’t recognize they have a severe mental health condition like schizophrenia. The

What are the best strategies, big or small, to help a loved one find and sustain recovery? Author JasonCoombs offers practical guidance to empower and educate family members and friends. None of thetips offered by author Jason Coombs are new. However, Jason used them and watched family members(namely his mother) use them to success. So he logically details his recommendations

This book is a mash-up of specific and directed meditative exercises and the neuroscience of why,biologically, each exercise bolsters psychological health. The goal is to increase resilience–to change the brain to respond to the inevitable twists and turns of life. Author Graham describes what she calls the 5C’s of coping, and describes how different exercises will increase oxytocin and fully

Rick Hanson, PhD is a psychologist, author, and expert on positive neuroplasticity, who developed thisbook from his popular online course called The Foundations of Well-Being. In Resilient, he discusses 12different ‘tools’ which help activate inner strength and resilience of character. Each tool is a separatechapter, so I skipped around to chapters I particularly liked such as “Courage” and “Aspiration”. Thebook

While Stephen Porges is considered the father of Polyvagal Theory (PVT), author and clinician Deb Danais considered the leader in putting PVT concepts into practice. She believes that we all benefit when wehave a basic understanding of the way the nervous system works. In Anchored, Deb guides the reader to“befriend” your nervous system and use your “vagal brake” through exercises

Patrick Kennedy, who already authored a book about his own and his family’s challenges with mental health and substance use (Common Struggle), has crafted another touching book, written in the style of his uncle John F’s book Profiles in Courage. In this Profiles, there are 12 untold stories of individuals who struggled with their mental health and addiction. Included in these stories are

Dear William: A Father’s Memoir of Addiction: Recovery, Love and Loss, by David MageeDavid Magee is an incredible storyteller, who shares the story of his personal journey in this page-turnerof a book. Written in tribute to his son William, who died of an overdose, David recounts how addictionimpacted him and his relationships all throughout his life. With respect to his

The August 29, 2024 New Canaan Vigil was a success because of storytelling, specifically through ourline-up of speakers who shared their recovery journeys in a very open and authentic way. They allreceived standing ovations because of what we called “The Power of Story”, or in Ty Bennett’s book ThePower of Storytelling. Neuroscientists have proven long ago that people who hear

Whether it’s meditation or a walk in nature, reading a sacred text or saying a prayer, there are manyways to tap into a heightened level of awareness of the world around us, according to psychologist,author and researcher Lisa Miller, PhD. This awareness, or spirituality, offers hope to those like herself,who struggled with depression. The belief in the concept we are