Reading is a wonderful way to dedicate time to self-education and explore how to support your healing journey. I have compiled this list of recommendations to inform and inspire your therapeutic process. Together, these books can help you better understand therapy, trauma, pain, and anxiety. They offer practical ways to improve your health through movement. And how to foster a deeper relationship with your own healing process. Lastly, they allude to the human potential beyond what is conventionally understood, something I hope sparks your curiosity.

1. Grace Unfolding by Greg Johnanson and Ron Kurtz 

Book recommendation to help you navigate your healing journey

Grace Unfolding is a lovely book that offers a compassionate view of the healing journey. It reminds us how important it is to work ‘with’ ourselves and others as we travel our personal growth path. The book is written for both clients and therapists to enable a shared understanding.

The book is structured around the I Ching and is infused with Taoist wisdom, bringing rich insights to the healing process. One of the uplifting ideas Ron and Greg share is “there need be no secrets.” This means the more you understand the healing process, the more you can effectively engage with it. They gently remind us that there are many authentic paths to healing, all connected by the same wisdom of the Tao. Ultimately, all these paths guide us to live as our authentic selves.

I especially love how somatic touch work fits into the healing journey described in Grace Unfolding. It’s all about listening to our bodies, tapping into their wisdom, and letting go of what we hold onto. It is a short read and a book to savour rather than rush through. It’s the perfect companion to keep by your bedside, you can flip it open and discover the wisdom you need or read it from cover to cover. I hope it resonates with you as much as it has with me.

2. The Myth of Normal by Gabor Maté

Book recommendation to learn about trauma

The Myth of Normal is a deep dive into understanding trauma and its impact on our lives. Gabor Maté is a well-respected physician, teacher and speaker in Canada and the US. He is known for his insightful work on addiction, child development, and trauma. This book is his magnum opus. This book combines themes and insights from several of his earlier works. It reflects his decades of experience helping people with physical and mental health issues, and it is packed with over 500 pages of valuable research and perspectives.

Gabor explores the idea that trauma is much more common than we often realise.He believes that many people face challenges around linking their current mental and physical health to past trauma. In part, that’s because traditional definitions of trauma focus only on specific events like abuse or accidents and don’t include childhood developmental trauma. It’s easy to feel like “nothing bad” has happened in our lives if the culture ignores the majority of experiences that were simply too overwhelming for young bodies and minds to cope with.

He believes that trauma stems from a ‘toxic culture.’ He takes the view that trauma is the root of many physical and mental health challenges. However, social institutions, including healthcare providers, do not usually take this view. Doctors overlook the connections between our physical health and the stresses we’ve encountered. They focus on treating the symptoms, not inquiring into what is happening in their patients’ lives. Gabor’s book aims to shed light on these connections and broaden our understanding.

At the heart of his message is the idea that trauma is fundamentally a disconnection from ourselves. Given this, it’s no wonder Gabor suggests that many in the West face a health crisis and that our societies reinforce this disconnection. Whether you’re a fan of his or just curious about the topic, the book will give you an understanding and context for your healing.

3. Life on Land by Emilie Conrad 

Book recommendation to discover the potential of your body

Check out this book if you want to broaden your understanding of the amazing experiences that your body can offer.

Emilie Conrad created a movement practice called Continuum. It’s a modality that focuses on healing the body through deep inner connection. Her book is based on her personal story, an inspiring journey that led her to develop this unique approach. Emilie shares some eye-opening moments, offering a fresh perspective on our bodies.

It’s not often you come across a lively discussion of the body’s fluidity. It is also not something that many people know or write much about. Life on Land fills the gap by describing fluid experiences. Emilie writes in a way that resonates with my experience.

Her writing is engaging and beautifully expressive, making it easy to connect with what she says. The book captures her discoveries and features incredible stories about the people she worked with, some of whom faced serious challenges like paralysis. Their healing journeys defied what many thought possible and opened the door to new possibilities.

4. You Are How You Move, Ged Sumner 

Book recommendation to learn chi kung

If you’re looking for inspiration to get moving and improve your body’s flow, I highly recommend Ged Sumner’s work. He founded an international biodynamic craniosacral training school and a chi kung school. His book is a fantastic guide to chi kung movements. Written in a style that empowers you to connect with your body positively. Ged beautifully states “exercise can be just as effective and powerful while being natural, easy, and enjoyable.” That’s all about finding gentle and kind ways to move to feel good.

In the book, Ged takes you through various chi kung exercises, starting with movements that help open up your spine. He then moves onto the breath, pelvis, feet, and joints. He also introduces you to the five elements - fire, water, earth, metal, and wood. These elements in Chinese medicine are considered the building blocks of life, so balancing them in your body is super important. Ged shares movement practices that help you achieve this balance.

This book is enjoyable, practical and beneficial. It provides simple tools to immediately improve your health and build a mindful relationship with your body through movement and awareness. It’s a reminder, too, that quality rather than quantity matters. Just 15 minutes a day of practice makes a difference. It reminds me there is no time like the present to start or restart simple practices that support my health and well-being.

5. The really strange boxset by Steve Haines 

Book recommendation to discover key ideas around trauma, anxiety, pain and touch

Steve Haine’s Really Strange boxset is a collection of graphic booklets. They have received much acclaim, including from the British Medical Association.

There are four booklets in total, each one dedicated to a specific topic - trauma, anxiety, pain, and touch. They are easily read and visually appealing. They illustrate complex ideas in a very engaging way. I found them to be full of valuable information and present it in an easy to and way. If you want to dive deeper, Steve also provides scientific research references on his website. He aims to help break down myths and open new ways of thinking about each subject.

These infographics are perfect if you’re new to your healing journey and feeling lost about where to begin. The booklets can really help you understand and reflect on what you might be experiencing.

I found these books very helpful for my practice development. I've read many of them multiple times and recommend exploring them if you're interested.

Enjoy your reading.