Start Your Healing Journey With These 4 Psychology Books
Read them to unlock your potential and enrich your life.
No matter how hard you work, life won’t always go the way you want it to.
This is a hard truth I learned over time.
You must have come across self-help books saying, “You’re the master of your life. You can do whatever you set your mind to.”
In essence, this is true. But some things are beyond our control.
In the self-help realm, there are lesser-known books that talk about traumas, pain, failures, and how to cope with them. This article contains four books close to my heart that will help you dive deep inside yourself, find the root of your traumas, and heal from them.
1. Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before by Julie Smith
Maintaining a to-do list is a productivity hack. But when your mind’s not at peace, those lists do no good. You make lists and sort your priorities, but when the time comes to act on your plans, your brain blanks out and you can’t manage even the bare minimum.
I’ve experienced the same at multiple points in my life.
Then, I came across this book and thought “Why has nobody told me this before?”
This gem of a book has the best practical advice from a clinical psychologist based on years of research. It’s loaded with valuable information to combat life challenges like low motivation and stress. The strategies in this book will help you take control of your mental and emotional well-being.
The book, Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before, has been my constant companion through life’s ups and downs. Dr. Julie Smith’s practical advice has helped me cope with anxiety, low motivation, low self-confidence, and criticism.
My biggest takeaways from the book
My biggest learning was the 5-step square breathing method to combat the acute rush of anxiety.
- Slowly exhale.
- Slowly inhale to the count of four.
- Hold your breath for another slow count of four.
- Exhale again through your mouth for the same slow count of four.
- Hold your breath again before repeating this process.
I’ve learned the best way to not get stuck in life is to forgive yourself.
- Go easy on yourself if some goals are not achieved as you expected.
- Learn to be resilient and continue working towards your new goals.
- To get out of a low mood cycle, try to make not a great but “good enough” decision and move forward.
My favorite quotes from the book Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before by Julie Smith
“Thoughts are not facts. They are a mix of opinions, judgements, stories, memories, theories, interpretations, and predictions about the future.”
“The thing about the human brain is that, when you believe something, the brain will scan the environment for any signs that the belief is true.”
“When we focus on trying to fix the problem, it is easy to underestimate the power of simply being there.”
2. Tiny Traumas by Meg Arroll
Have you ever felt like you’re in survival mode, doing nothing proactively, while others are living their lives to the fullest?
If yes, then read Tiny Traumas to learn how to heal stored trauma and become the highest version of yourself.
Symptoms or examples of what we call Tiny Traumas are:
- microaggressions,
- gaslighting,
- toxic positivity,
- challenging relationships, and
- dealing with your emotions logically.
You think you’re good but it often results in high-functioning anxiety, languishing, perfectionism, sleep disturbances, and comfort eating. Tiny traumas can be sometimes carved in your soul and you never realize how they affect your everyday life. This book by Dr. Meg Arroll is a guide to catching these symptoms and healing your wounds.
My biggest takeaways from the book
The first step to healing any trauma is acceptance. Instead of suffocating ourselves, we should validate our pain, become aware of it, and take step-by-step action to heal.
This revolutionary guide talks about the 3As to heal your trauma-
- Awareness,
- Acceptance, and
- Action.
Definitely add this book to your list if you’re keen on starting your healing journey.
My favorite quotes from the book Tiny Traumas by Meg Arroll
“Uncomfortable emotions are useful; they are telling us what we need to hear.”
‘’When you don’t know what’s wrong, but nothing feels quite right’’
3. Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb
Psychotherapist Lori Gottlieb’s life came crashing down one day when her perfect relationship came to an end. She found herself sitting in the office of her balding therapist just like her other patients. She realized that the problems she’s facing are no different from her patients- a young newlywed who’s diagnosed with terminal cancer, an old woman who’s ready to end her life, an alcoholic girl who can’t stop dating the wrong guys, and so on. This wonderful memoir shares the stories of “struggling humans” and their healing journey.
‘Maybe You Should Talk to Someone’ is a book that is brutally real and honest with the spice of a psychotherapist’s humor. You’ll enjoy reading it and learn a lot about how to heal yourself. The book portrays what it means to be a human and the power we hold to transform our lives.
My biggest takeaways from the book
All problems humans have can be traced down to one mindset: whether you consider yourself the victim or the hero of your story. This book has the tools to transform your narrative, so you can transform the way you live your life.
My favorite quotes from the book Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb
“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
“Follow your envy — it shows you what you want.”
“peace. it does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. it means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.”
4. The Road Less Travelled by M. Scott Peck
The Road Less Travelled is a powerful book that explains the role of love, values, and spiritual growth in healing. The journey of personal growth starts the moment you realize life is difficult and will be difficult always.
Often, big problems arise from not facing the smaller problems earlier. Instead of avoiding the obstacles in life, it’s better to overcome them and learn from them.
The book also emphasizes that the major problems in our lives can be solved by discipline. Practicing gratitude has the key to mental stability.
My biggest takeaways from the book
The Road Less Travelled has changed my perspective on a lot of things. It has an in-depth discussion on healing your inner child and the effects of childhood trauma on adults. It’s a must-read for personal and spiritual growth, and I highly recommend this book to everyone.
My favorite quotes from the book The Road Less Travelled by M. Scott Peck
“Until you value yourself, you won’t value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it.”
“Human beings are poor examiners, subject to superstition, bias, prejudice, and a PROFOUND tendency to see what they want to see rather than what is really there.”
For book reviews and recommendations, follow me on Goodreads.