RESOURCES

BOOKSHELVES

I’ve read my whole life, everything, all the time. I love books. I’m addicted to used bookstores. When I’m in someone else’s space I don’t look in their drawers. I look at their bookshelves. Because my reading is eclectic and voluminous, I’ve divided this list into categories for easier browsing. I’ll update regularly, so check back often!

 

The Bitch, the Crone and the Harlot by Susan Schachterle. My copy of this came out of a used bookstore. The title made me smile, so I took it home and read it. Now it’s bristling with Post-It tabs and Bookdarts and I wouldn’t be without it. A wonderful book about reclaiming female power in middle age.

Being Wrong by Kathryn Schulz. Prepare to be tickled, challenged and provoked. What if…we’re wrong?

Home Sanctuary by Nicole Marcelis. A book about making a home that nurtures you, containing an exercise for creating balance in your life.

Getting Real by Susan Campbell, Ph.D. Living authentically.

Clean Sweep by Denny Sargent. All about letting go.

Authentic Happiness by Martin E. P. Seligman, Ph.D.

Controlling People by Patricia Evans

Dignity by Donna Hicks, Ph.D.

Complex PTSD: What it is, how to recognize it, how to practice recovery. Two of the most important books I’ve ever read, by Pete Walker.

Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving

The Tao of Fully Feeling: Harvesting Forgiveness out of Blame

From poet, mystic and philosopher John O’Donohue:

  • Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom
  • To Bless the Space Between Us: A Book of Blessings
  • Beauty: The Invisible Embrace
  • Eternal Echoes: Celtic Reflections on Our Yearning to Belong
  • Four Elements: Reflections on Nature
  • Conamara Blues: Poems
  • Echoes of Memory
  • Longing and Belonging: The Complete John O’Donohue Audio Collection

From educator and researcher Dr. Elaine Aron:

  • The Highly Sensitive Person
  • The Highly Sensitive Person’s Survival Guide
  • The Highly Sensitive Child
  • The Highly Sensitive Person in Love
  • The Highly Sensitive Person’s Workbook
  • Thrive: The Highly Sensitive Person and Career

The 36-Hour Day by Mace & Rabins. A gold standard for dealing with dementia, recommended to me by a hospice organization. Informtive, useful, practical. Heartbreaking. A great resource.

The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker. Essential reading for every woman alive. Provides insight and pattern recognition into violence, both overt and covert, with real-life examples from de Becker’s extensive experience in the field. He also has an excellent website filled with resources.

An exploration of emotional and physical survival in all its aspects, social, physiological and psychological. A fascinating blend of true stories and science. Absorbing and provocative writing and essays from Laurence Gonzales:

  • Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why
  • Everyday Survival: Why Smart People Do Stupid Things
  • Surviving Survival: The Art and Science of Resilience
  • Flight 232: A Story of Disaster and Survival
  • House of Pain: New and Selected Essays
  • Lucy

Food, diet, nutrition and health:

  • Primal Body, Primal Mind: Beyond the Paleo Diet For Total Health and a Longer Life by Nora Gedgaudas
  • The Vegetarian Myth by Lierre Keith
  • The Big Fat Surprise: Why Butter, Meat and Cheese Belong in a Healthy Diet by Nina Teicholz
  • Death By Food Pyramid: How Shoddy Science, Sketchy Politics and Shady Special Interests Have Ruined Our Health by Denise Minger
  • Eat Fat, Lose Fat by Dr. Mary Enig and Sally Fallon

Permaculture and holistic land management:

  • Edible Forest Gardens (2 volumes) by Dave Jacke and Eric Toensmeier
  • The Humanure Handbook: A Guide to Composting Human Manure by Joseph C. Jenkins
  • Holy Shit: Managing Manure to Save Mankind by Gene Logsdon
  • Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Save the World by Paul Stamets
  • Holistic Management by Allan Savory

Earth systems science:

  • Animate Earth by Stephan Harding
  • Darwin’s Unfinished Business by Simon G. Powell
  • Overshoot by William R. Catton, Jr.
  • The Revenge of Gaia by James Lovelock
  • Into the Cool: Energy Flow, Thermodynamics and Life by Dorion Sagan
  • Never Out of Season: How Having the Food We Want When We Want It Threatens Our Food Supply and Our Future by Rob Dunn

 

WEB RESOURCES

A list of sites, blogs, articles and resources that I’ve found provocative, interesting, educational and/or useful!

 

A list of sites, blogs, articles and resources that I’ve found provocative, interesting, educational and/or useful!

The life coach who helped me transform my life; also a good resource for education on coaching in emotional intelligence and how these professionals are trained and certified. http://carmineleo.com/

A website about the power of our personal stories and making choices to rewrite or discard them. http://thework.com/en

Everything dance: http://www.5rhythms.com/ Please note that neither I nor my old group was ever formally affiliated with Gabrielle Roth as teachers or students; but her 5 rhythm template is an elegant and beautiful structure for creating a dance practice.

A website about the late John O’Donohue, Irish poet, scholar and mystic. http://www.johnodonohue.com/ I highly recommend his audio books, which he reads himself in a wonderful Irish accent. He was one of the world’s most beautiful spiritual voices.

A website that’s a pleasure to interact with, filled with tools and information for personal growth and emotional intelligence, good writing and resources: http://www.becomingwhoyouare.net/

Exploring happiness with Martin Seligman, Ph.D. Lots of fascinating self-tests and opportunities to contribute to ongoing research in positive psychology.

The website for information about highly sensitive personality type, as defined, studied and researched by Elaine Aron, PhD. Resources, research, blog, films, community and a booklist, including a workbook. Essential information if you are an HSP or fortunate enough to be connected to one. http://hsperson.com/

Explore the Center For Nonviolent Communication site for learning resources, needs inventories, forums, projects and more.

High Conflict Institute features resources and education about dealing with high conflict personalities at work and at home. Enormously valuable insights and skills, along with many highly recommended books by the incomparable Bill Eddy.

 

All things survival from Laurence Gonzales.

Writer, psychologist and mythologist, Sharon Blackie.

Clarissa Pinkola Estes, one of my most beloved and important teachers and spiritual guides.

Food, diet, nutrition and health:

Holistic land management and permaculture: