Individuals • Couples • Families • Teens • Trauma Therapy • Independence MO
Resources we love!
My Freaking Journal for My Freaking Mental Health (because my therapist says it's good for me)
Sharree Jensen, LMFT, CCPS created this beautiful journal series with the support, assistance, and encouragement of her sister, Melissa Willis.
This is not your usual blank paged journal. It is full-size, and ready to work! With structured journal prompts guiding you to challenge your thoughts and behaviors, and expand your emotional awareness, this journal is designed to help you grow! And that's not all! The journal also includes several pages of mental health information to help you learn new tools for working with topics such as self-compassion, unhelpful thinking patterns, conflict management, and more!
It makes a great companion to the work you are doing with your therapist, or as a stand alone journal you work through on your own. (These journals are intended for informational and education use only, and are not intended to be a substitute for professional advice.)
Available on Amazon in paperback and hardback, full-color and black & white versions.
A Betrayal Trauma Edition is also now available with nearly 40 pages of educational content to help you through the messiest of days!
*Note: Sharree does receive royalties from the sell of this book.
Permission to Feel by Marc Brackett
Dr. Marc Brackett has been engaged in significant work to help teens, adults, and families build emotional intelligence. This book provides relatable stories and practical tools you can start applying as you learn them.
As a bonus, Dr. Brackett has also created a free app we also love for building emotional vocabulary and tracking emotions and body sensations, called How We Feel.
(We get no perks from this recommendation, we just love it!)
Dopamine Nation by Anna Lembke
This one is a tough one. Dr. Anna Lembke hits the hard stuff in Dopamine Nation. From scrolling to video games, and from sugar to substances and behaviors--we are a nation addicted to dopamine. Lembke gives information on the impact and tools for breaking the cycle (and why it is so darn hard for us!). This is an important book for so many of us.
*We also want to put a disclaimer that this one does include some content you may not want to listen to when children are present. And depending on your personal history, may have some triggering content as well. Please care well for yourself.*
(We get no perks from this recommendation, we just love it!)
Self-Compassion by Kristin Neff
Dr. Kristin Neff is one of the foremost researchers on self-compassion. In this book, she breaks down myths about self-compassion and shows through her own journey as well as her research, how self-compassion is the force that invites healing and growth in our lives. Total game changer!
(We get no perks from this recommendation, we just love it!)
Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown
As therapists, we spend a lot of time helping clients learn to understand, recognize, name, and work with their emotions.
This book by Dr. Brown is basically the encyclopedia of emotions. She has broken down nearly 100 emotions into general categories and then dives into each--providing easy to read descriptions, and scenarios that are all too relatable in the unique and human way that only she can.
The print version is full of beautiful artwork as well (and you can get a PDF version of the art with the audio book). Not only is it a helpful resource and tool, it makes a beautiful display book as well.
(We get no perks from this recommendation, we just love it!)
The Betrayal Bind by Michelle Mays
Michelle Mays is an expert in betrayal trauma work, and we love her attention to the attachment injuries sustained in partner betrayal.
This book feels incredibly validating to betrayed partners, and addresses some of the more complex aspects of healing from betrayal, such as reintegrating the sexual relationship.
(We get no perks from this recommendation, we just love it!)