Books  

Eat to Beat Depression and Anxiety: Nourish Your Way to Better Mental Health. Dr. Drew Ramsey provides a breakdown of the science of nutritional psychiatry and explains what foods positively affect brain health and improve mental wellness.

How to Make Disease Disappear. This is one of my favorite basic primers on holistic health that outlines simple, concrete steps to improve both physical and mental wellness. Written by Dr. Rangan Chatterjee, it was titled The Four Pillar Plan in the UK, so don’t let the grandiose American title deter you from the wisdom it has to offer about how our physical state impacts our mental state and brain health : )

The XX Brain. Majority of scientific studies of the past used male subjects, leading to a deficit of knowledge about female biology and health issues. Dr. Lisa Mosconi provides women with a plan to address the unique risks of the female brain based on current research.

First, We Make the Beast Beautiful: A New Story About Anxiety. Sarah Wilson investigates her own challenge with anxiety and reframes it as a source of spiritual growth.

Emotional Agility: Get Unstuck, Embrace Change, and Thrive in Work and Life. Psychologist, Dr. Susan David, provides a framework to help us navigate life’s twists and turns with self-acceptance, clear-sightedness, and an open mind.

Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. Dr. John Ratey and Eric Hagerman investigate the transformative experience of exercise on the brain and how it can be one of our greatest defenses in managing anxiety, depression, ADD, addiction, and more.

Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life. Dr. Dacher Keltner examines the vital yet elusive emotion of Awe, one of our most powerful tools for transformation and meaning making.

The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use it for Life. Creative leader, Twyla Tharp, leads you through the painful first steps of scratching for ideas, finding the spine of your work, and getting out of ruts and into productive grooves. The wide-open realm of possibilities can be energizing, and Twyla Tharp explains how to take a deep breath and begin.

Podcasts

The Happiness Lab. Hosted by Dr. Laurie Santos, this podcast walks us through the latest scientific research, helping us change the way we think about happiness.

Ten Percent Happier. Journalist Dan Harris interviews experts on mindfulness, meditation, and science-based techniques for issues such as anxiety, productivity, and relationships.

Feel Better, Live More with Dr. Rangan Chatterjee. Dr. Chattergee is a General Practitioner who believes in providing simple, accessible ways to improve health for the general public. He invites leading health experts to the show to discuss tools and explore current research on various wellness topics.

The Feelings Lab. Expert hosts discuss emotion science and the lessons new research gives us to create a more empathic future.

On Being. Krista Tippett helps us examine the big questions of meaning via spiritual inquiry, science, social healing and the arts.

Therapy for Black Girls. Dr. Joy Harden Bradford talks all things mental health and personal development.

Hidden Brain. Host Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices, and direct our relationships.

Community Resources

The Foundry. This Vancouver, BC site offers a wealth of information about health and wellness targeting 12-24 year olds. Still, it includes basic information that is important for people of all ages. Visit https://foundrybc.ca/ to learn more.

CREDN. Columbia River Eating Disorder Network provides a database for finding dietitians, medical providers, and therapists that have knowledge and training in giving support to those with disordered eating or body image issues. https://credn.org/

Group Therapy. Portland Therapy Center keeps a running list of group therapy opportunities in the Portland area. Whether you are interested in connecting with others over career development, attachment issues, grief, or identity, you can find some great options here. https://www.portlandtherapycenter.com/services/group-therapy

DBT Skills Training. Dialectical Behavior Therapy is a structured therapy approach that is evidenced-based and very helpful in managing and regulating intense emotions, particularly those that lead to self-destructive behaviors (though anyone can benefit from DBT). These skills can be a nice compliment to my therapeutic work and are best learned from the trained professionals who specialize in this type of therapy. Visit Portland DBT Institute at https://www.pdbti.org/enhanced-skills-training/ to get started. You can also begin to practice and use DBT skills via the website Now Matters Now at https://nowmattersnow.org/skills.

Sleep Better. This interactive NYT article helps people of all ages explore ways to improve their sleep hygiene. If you are experiencing sleep issues, even after making efforts to engage in healthy sleep habits, there are at-home sleep studies as well as CBT-I classes available at local hospitals that can be accessed through a referral from your primary care physician. When it comes to mental health, good sleep is a high priority and ongoing sleep issues should never be ignored. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/07/07/well/live/sleep-better-age.html

https://www.providence.org/locations/or/portland-medical-center/psychiatric-care/adult-behavioral-sleep-services

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-studies/at-home-sleep-study

Resources for Grief, Loss, and Trauma

Books  

When the Body Says No: The Cost of Hidden Stress and The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture. Physician Dr. Gabor Mate examines how chronic illness directly relates to trauma, stress, and formative childhood experiences. While he dissects culture and systemic influences he also provides concrete steps on how to begin the healing process.

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Written by Dr. Bessel Van der Kolk, this work examines how trauma reshapes the body and brain and explores innovative treatments that help on the path of healing.

The Emotionally Absent Mother: How to Recognize and Heal the Invisible Effects of Childhood Emotional Neglect. Psychotherapist, Jasmin Cori, examines the mother/child relationship and how it impacts self-worth and attachment feelings later in life.

After the Tears: Helping Adult Children of Alcoholics Heal Their Childhood Trauma. Author’s Jane Middleton-Moz and Lorie Dwinell examine the trauma, grief, and behaviors associated with growing up in a home with dysfunction or alcoholism.

The Deepest Well: Healing Long-Term Effects of Childhood Adversity. Written by California’s Surgeon General, Dr. Nadine Burke Harris explores ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and the impact they have on the body over the lifespan.

Why Does He Do That? Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men. Written by a counselor who specializes in working with abusive men, Lundy Bancroft helps readers identify if they are victims of abuse and forge a path to freedom and healing.

My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and The Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies. Therapist Resmaa Menakem examines intergenerational trauma and the damage caused by racism to our minds and bodies.

Grieving While Black: An Antiracist Take on Oppression and Sorrow. Breeshia Wade zooms out to explore grief not only on a personal level but on a societal and historic level as well.

H is for Hawk. Written by Helen Macdonald, this memoir examines how one woman navigates and processes the loss of her father through a relationship with a rare and unpredictable pet, a goshawk.

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail. Local writer, Cheryl Strayed, explores and unpacks multiple losses as she embarks on a harrowing journey along one of the great hiking routes of North America, the Pacific Crest Trail.

Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic. Alison Bechdel expertly explores complex feelings associated with grief through the medium of the graphic novel. LGBTQ+

Maus. Graphic novelist, Art Spiegelman, tells a harrowing tale of survival during the time of the Holocaust while also exploring the complex relationship with his aging father.

Harry Potter. In this sweeping children’s series by J.K. Rowling, grief and loss is explored on multiple levels through the lens of a world steeped in magic.

Podcasts

Terrible, Thanks for Asking. Hosted by Nora McInerny, this podcast invites people to share complicated and honest feelings about how they really are.

Grief Out Loud. A podcast created by national leader in grief support, The Dougy Center.

Community Resources

The Dougy Center. Based in Portland, Oregon, The Dougy Center provides support, resources, and connection before and after a death. Visit https://www.dougy.org for more information.

Clackamas Women’s Services. Provides education, resources, and support, achieving a trauma-informed, coordinated community response to domestic and sexual violence. Find out more at https://www.cwsor.org/about-us/

Lines for Life. A regional nonprofit dedicated to preventing substance abuse and suicide, addressing a spectrum of needs that include intervention, prevention, and advocacy. Learn more about their work at https://www.linesforlife.org

Cascade AIDS Project. Promote well-being and advance equity by providing inclusive health and wellness services for LGBTQ+ people, people affected by HIV, and all those seeking compassionate care. https://www.capnw.org

The Cupcake Girls. Confidential support, holistic resources, case management, and after care for those involved in the sex industry or those affected by sex trafficking. https://thecupcakegirls.org

211 Info Food and Housing Insecurity. 211 Info helps community members get connected with the resources they need ranging from food and housing insecurity to basic needs, healthcare, and legal assistance. https://www.211info.org/

Resources for Examining Relationships: Personal, Societal, and Spiritual

Books  

Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life. Dr. Rosenberg presents guidelines for fostering healthy communication, helping us recognize the harm that comes from the hurtful words that we tell ourselves and others.

Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations For a Lifetime of Love & Love Sense: The Revolutionary New Science of Romantic Relationships. Author and Clinical Psychologist Dr. Sue Johnson explores relationships through an attachment-based lens and presents key findings and techniques for fostering healthy romantic patterns with our partners.

The Verbally Abusive Relationship: How to Recognize It and How to Respond. Author Patricia Evans helps readers recognize abuse when it happens, respond to abusers safely and appropriately, and lead a happier, healthier life.

Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication. Oren Jay Sofer teaches readers techniques that help them to feel confident during conversation, stay focused on what really matters in an interaction, listen for the authentic concerns behind what others say, reduce anxiety before and during difficult conversations, and find nourishment in day-to-day interactions

Come as You Are: The Surprising New Science that Will Transform Your Sex Life. Dr. Emily Nagoski explores why and how women’s sexuality works leaving the reader feeling informed, joyful, and empowered. If you aren’t a big reader or simply don’t have the time for a self-help book, the Netflix Series Principles of Pleasure is a great exploration of this topic.

The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work: A Practical Guide from the Country’s Foremost Relationship Expert. Dr. John Gottman and Nan Silver explore the important role that emotional intelligence has in preserving important relationships of all kinds and provides readers with skills to promote connection and reduce stress in romantic partnerships.

How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success. Author Julie Lythcott-Haims examines how helicopter parenting can potentially harm a child’s resilience and sense of curiosity. She offers practical alternative strategies that underline the importance of allowing children to make their own mistakes and foster a sense of agency and inner determination.

Care of the Soul: A Guide for Cultivating Depth and Sacredness in Everyday Life. Thomas Moore guides readers to deepen and broaden their perspectives on life, teaching them to attend to sacredness in ordinary things.

Braiding Sweetgrass. Botanist and member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Robin Wall Kimmerer offers us gifts and lessons inspired by the natural world, fostering an awakening of ecological consciousness.

The Joy Luck Club. Amy Tan’s beloved novel guides us through the history of four families, examining the deep connection that we have with our roots and how they inform us over our lifespan.

Podcasts

Where Should We Begin. Hosted by therapist Esther Perel, this podcast allows listeners to glimpse inside the therapy sessions of real couples, helping us discover more about ourselves and our own relationships through the process of listening.

Work Life with Adam Grant. Hosted by Organizational Psychologist Adam Grant, this podcast examines ways to create a better work life.

Community Resources

The Q Center. Provides an empowering and inclusive space to talk about and connect over all things LGBTQ+. Visit https://www.pdxqcenter.org/ to learn more about their programs.

Postpartum Support International. Headquartered in Portland, Oregon, PSI provides a wealth information and resources about parenting and perinatal mental health, including local support groups. Visit https://www.postpartum.net/ for details.

The Gottman Institute. Based in Seattle, this organization works to strengthen marriages, families, and relationships. They have a great blog and podcast as well. Learn more at https://www.gottman.com/

Allies in Change. Seeks to raise awareness and encourage the practice of healthy relationships particularly focusing on anger management and group counseling for domestic violence perpetrators. Visit https://www.alliesinchange.org/ for more info.