There are many avenues we can take when trying to manage life’s difficulties.  Reaching out and speaking with a trusted, qualified counsellor is important.  You may also want to do some reading on your own, and that’s great too.  There is certainly no shortage of self-help books out there!  Here are some of the books in my library that may help you sort through the many choices out there…

 Addiction Counselling Resources

Whether you’re struggling yourself, or trying to support someone you care about, these books may help build your understanding and empathy; they also prove you are not alone!

• “In The Realm of Hungry Ghosts, Close Encounters With Addiction” – Gabor Maté, MD
• “Changing for Good, A Revolutionary Six Stage Program for Overcoming Bad Habits and Moving Your Life Positively Forward” – James
  O. Prochaska, PhD, John C. Norcross, PhD, Carlo C. DiClemente, PhD
• “Hope for Today” – Al Anon Family Groups
• “A Man’s Way Through the Twelve Steps” – Dan Griffin, MA
• “Motocross Saved My Life From Its Darkness” – Brent Worrall
• “The Devil’s Pupil” – Cody Bates

Body-Mind Connection Resources

Learn how our thoughts, emotions, beliefs and attitudes can have a profound effect on our physiology, either positively or negatively.

• “When the Body Says No:  The Cost of Hidden Stress” – Gabor Maté, MD

Christian Counselling Resources

Whatever path we choose, it’s important that our healing journey is in alignment with our soul and spiritual beliefs.  These books have been very meaningful for me.

• “The Cross and The Switchblade” – David Wilkerson
• “The Purpose Driven Life” – Rick Warren
• “Soul Care” – Dr. Rob Reimer
• “The Power of a Praying Wife” – Stormie Omartian
• “Fervent” – Priscilla Shirer

Communication and Relationship Therapy Resources

Ideas are important AND we also need some concrete tools to put those ideas into practice!  These books not only teach the concepts, but also deliver the tangible tools we all need to practice what we’re learning.

• “Brainstorm, The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain” – Daniel J. Siegel, MD
• “On Track Parenting, The Missing Manual That Should Have Come With Your Child” – Brad Everton, BPsych(Hons), MPsych
• “Nonviolent Communication, A Language of Life” – Marshall B. Rosenberg, PhD
• “The 5 Love Languages, The Secret to Love That Lasts” – Gary Chapman

Grief / Loss Counselling Resources

Grief can show up in many parts of our lives, but we identify it most clearly when someone dies.  Death, like birth, is a sacred transition that we will all experience.  Like most things in life, it’s how we manage this experience that makes all the difference!

• “Found Through Loss, Healing Stories from Scripture and Everyday Sacredness” – Nancy Reeves, PhD
• “The Mourner’s Dance, What We Do When People Die” – Katherine Ashenburg