Resources
Want Resources for Mental Health Content?
Our clinicians have submitted some of their favorite (and most effective) recommendations for everything from podcasts to movies. As one of New York City’s most diverse practices, our clinician recommendations reflect our varied backgrounds. Use this page as a guide to find relatable or educational media surrounding mental health.
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Death & Bereavement
- Diversity Equity & Inclusion
- Family Dynamics
- Fiction
- Finance
- Fitness
- Intimacy & Sex
- LGBTQIA+
- Love
- Mindfulness & Meditation
- Movies
- Naturopathy & New Age
- Non Fiction
- Podcast/Apps
- Self Help
- Spirituality
- Trauma
The Homecoming Podcast with Dr. Thema
A podcast to facilitate your journey home to yourself by providing weekly inspiration and health tips.
Author: Dr. Thema
Outsmart Your Anxious Brain: Ten Simple Ways to Beat the Worry Trick
This book, written for the lay person, details 10 “counter-intuitive” techniques rooted in ACT and CBT to lessen the grip of anxiety on one’s life. Carbonell uses real life examples to explain the differences between fear, panic, worry, and phobias to enable the reader to work through whichever they are struggling with.
Author: David A. Carbonell
When Things Fall Apart
Chodron provides a Buddhist lens on difficult life happenings; moving from fear, anger and sadness to acceptance and appreciation of life-altering moments. In addition, she writes in a style that is accessible to all.
Author: Pema Chodon
Breathe + Breath Tracker App
This app is helpful for relaxation when feeling anxious or stressed. You can customize the timer for inhales, exhales, and “holding” the breath in between. The visuals are very calming and peaceful. A great way to “visualize your breath”.
Yoga with Adrienne
Adrienne is a certified yoga instructor who incorporates themes related to mindfulness/meditation/breathwork, radical acceptance, positive self-image into her yoga practice, which is free on Youtube. She offers many videos related to specific issues that may arise (low self-esteem, anxiety, fatigue) as well as physical ailments (i.e. back pain, stomach pain, etc).
Author: Adrienne
My Grandmothers hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies
The author examines the damage caused by racism in America from the perspective of trauma and body-centered psychology. Menakem provides mindful techniques to support healing trauma stored in the body and finding safety within ourselves.
Author: Resmaa Menakem
Eleanor Oliphat Is Completely Fine
This is the fictional account of a woman with an early childhood trauma who works to overcome her emotional scars and live a full life.
Author: Gail Honeyman
The Body Keeps The Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma.
Great study of how trauma impacts every aspect of our lives. It also provides a history lesson on the lack of person-centered care in psychiatry.
Author: Bessel Van Der Kolk
Wayward Youth
August Aichhorn, a psychoanalyst who first emerged in the 1920’s in Vienna, is well known for his work with troubled youth (referred to then as as juvenile delinquents). In Wayward Youth, he presents a variety of case studies; a mix of his own private practice clients and cases from the juvenile residential facility he ran. Aichhorn delves into a psychoanalytical approach involving what’s known as ‘latent’ and ‘manifest’ delinquency.
Author: August Aichorn
The Psychology of Money
Interesting perspective on money, how our current view of money has been impacted by historical events, and healthier ways of managing emotions stemming from handling money.
Author: Morgan Housel
Practicing the Power of Now
Spiritual based book about being present. Shorter than the original book – The Power of Now.
Author: Eckhart Tolle
Man’s Search for Meaning
Memoir written by father of logotherapy and holocaust survivor. Emphasizes human resilience and ability to make meaning out of tragedy. Explores existentialism in meaning making.
Author: Viktor Frankl
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality
Book by local Queens pastor that emphasizes the symbiotic role between emotional and spiritual health. Gives great self-care and communication practices, psychoeducation on the shadow, and helpful reflections. Written from Christian lens.
Author: Peter Scazzero
The Untethered Soul
Self-help book rooted in spirituality. Talks about becoming aware of your thoughts and being a witness to them. Explores being aware of consciousness.
Author: Michael Singer
Motherless Daughters, The Legacy of Loss
Discusses common experiences and identity issues for females grieving the loss of their mothers, i.e. how identity is shaped and how relationships are impacted during different life stages.
Author: Hope Edelman
The Year of Magical Thinking
Didion recounts the death of her husband and the year of grief and disorientation that followed. It’s the best account of grief I’ve ever read and puts into words what a lot of my clients have felt but weren’t sure how to articulate. I’ve had clients read it and say they didn’t realize other people felt this way too.
Author: Joan Didion
It’s Ok That You’re Not Ok
This book discusses the navigation of grief and loss in today’s world.
Author: Megan Devine
A Grief Observed
This is the journal of a famous author observing his own grief after the passing of his wife. This is a raw and relatable work.
Author: C.S. Lewis
Finding Meaning
This book discusses the sixth stage of grief: the process of finding meaning in loss.
Author: David Kessler
Death, Dying, and Grief: Working with Adult Bereavement
Discusses the importance of discussing grief with clients and provides activities that could be used to facilitate grief processing (ie. memory boxes, condolence letters, etc). The author also does a good job with providing case examples.
Author: Brenda Mallon
No cure for Being Human: (And other truths I need to Hear)
Bowler describes her experience of being diagnosed with cancer and focusing on her humanity during a time when she is being completely medicalized. She says “Life is beautiful and terrible, full of hope and despair, and everything in between– and there’s no cure for being human.”
Author: Kate Bowler
Language of Letting Go
This book contains daily meditations on codependency recovery, but anyone can benefit from its wisdom. It provides gentle, straightforward reminders about how to be responsible for ourselves rather than looking to external sources for stability.
Author: Melanie Beatty
Breath
This book will help the reader better understand the lost art and science of breathing. It provides education around breathework and invites us all to examine how our own breathing patterns and practices impact mental and physical health and overall wellness.
Author: James Nestor
The Secret
Creating the life you want through manifestation
Author: Rhonda Byrne
The Four Tendencies
The Indispensable Personality Profiles That Reveal How to Make Your Life Better
Author: Gretchen Rubin
Atomic Habits
Atomic Habits is a comprehensive and practical guide on how to create good habits, break bad ones, and be more productive every day. The authors website also has actionable tools and handouts on the subject of habits and improvement.
Author: James Clear
Tapping In
Guide to managing anxiety and trauma symptoms through bi-lateral stimulation.
Author: Laurel Parnell, PhD
Getting Past Your Past
Explains how our traumatic memories impacts us and introduces self-help techniques from EMDR.
Author: Francine Shapiro, PhD
Trauma Stewardship: An Everyday Guide to Caring for Self While Caring for Others
A helpful book for clinicians, helping professionals, or anyone in a caretaking role who may be at risk for burnout, compassion fatigue, or vicarious trauma.
Author: Laura van Dernoot Lipsky with Connie Burk
Not Drinking Tonight
This book will help you to better understand how and why you drink. It clearly describes concepts of re-parenting yourself, the true meaning of self-care beyond bath bombs and face masks, and how to set healthier boundaries across the many different facets of your life. It is a very easy read and is well-organized, making the information presented very easy to understand and implement in daily life.
Author: Amanda E. White LPC
The Four Agreements
The Toltecs ancient spiritual knowledge and teachings gives us insight on how to live a life of less suffering. The Four Agreements allows us to examine the source of self-limiting beliefs and transform these thoughts to be more present with freedom, true happiness, and love.
Author: Don Miguel Ruiz
Bigger, Leaner, Stronger
This book takes a psychological approach to training, and breaks down the mindset needed to create a workout program that allows you to not be in the gym hours and hours on end day after day. It helps break down the role of dopamine in cravings, and helps inform you on the most effective ways to create a healthy diet and workout program that is not overwhelming, will not lead to burnout, and does not require limiting food.
Author: Michael Matthews
Crying in H Mart
Zauner writes a memoir about growing up Korean American, losing her mother, and forging her own identity. She explores biracial identity.
Author: Michelle Zauner
Love’s Executioner & Other Tales of Psychotherapy
Yalom describes several clients that he has treated but also gives readers a view into what goes through the psychotherapist’s mind during sessions.
Author: Irvin Yalom
Tiny Beautiful Things
Tiny Beautiful Things is a collection of essays compiled from Strayed’s “Dear Sugar” advice column, which she wrote anonymously on a literary magazine’s website. I think it offers new and empathetic pespectives on a myriad of life’s problems; perhaps specifically it would benefit women as they grapple with identity and taking up space.
Author: Cheryl Strayed
Know My Name
Chanel Miller’s memoir is a vulnerable and rich survival story with thought-provoking emotions. She wrote it about a experience with sexual assault at a Stanford frat party in 2015, and the subsequent court case, People v. Turner. Now an activist, artist, and best-selling author, Chanel challenges the way we think about what is right and wrong, and transforms how we can conceptualize sexual assault.
Author: Chanel Miller
Think Again
Organizational psychologist and best selling author Adam Grant discusses the concept of intelligence and how it is changing in the modern world. He argues that the ability to rethink and unlearn is a more crucial contributor to intelligence than ever before. Our society has enabled many to preach to their echo chambers, rather than be challenged to think critically and weigh different perspectives of the same issues. Grant leads the reader through diverse anecdotes using his guiding principle: “argue like you are right but listen like you are wrong.”
Author: Adam Grant
Caste: The Origins of Discontents
A portrait of an unseen phenomenon in America as she explores, through an immersive, deeply researched narrative and stories about real people, how America today and throughout its history has been shaped by a hidden caste system, a rigid hierarchy of human rankings based on race, class, and other factors.
Author: Isabel Wilkerson
The Mother of Black Hollywood
Character actress Jennifer Lewis discusses the impact that her undiagnosed Bipolar Disorder had on her career in entertainment.
Author: Jennifer Lewis
Will
This book is best experienced via audiobook. Hearing Will read his life story provides depth, and the audiobook includes music, as well as impersonations. He takes you on a journey of how the trauma he experienced in his childhood shaped all that he has done. It is raw and vulnerable and real.
Author: Will Smith
The Meaning of Matthew: My Son’s Murder in Laramie, and a World Transformed
A biographical novel written by the late Matthew Shepard’s mother. Shepard retells the horrific events that happened as a result of the murder of her son, while also telling the story of Matthew before his death. It is an unforgettable and inspiring account of how one ordinary woman turned an unthinkable tragedy into a vital message for the world.
Author: Judy Shepard
The Vanishing Half
A fictional book that explores race and the struggle of a young black trans man and his girlfriend in the 70’s and 80’s.
Author: Brit Bennett
Mrs. Everything
This book explores family dynamics and lgbtqia+ lives in the 60’s , it also explores sexual trauma, racism and PTSD.
Author: Jennifer Weiner
This is how it always is.
A fictional account of how a young family supports their trans child. It shows how they navigate the world, protect, and love each other despite ignorance and secrecy.
Author: Laurie Frankel
Stone Butch Blues
Fiction book written by a trans, lesbian-identified author that explores the experience of a Jewish transmasculine individual in the 1970s. It discusses themes related to systemic oppression, culture, anti-semitism, sexuality, chosen family and community activism.
Author: Leslie Feinberg
Detransition, Baby
Fiction, written by a trans author. This book explores how three women–transgender and cisgender–whose lives collide after an unexpected pregnancy forces them to confront their deepest desires around gender, motherhood, and sex.
Author: Torrey Peters
Awaken into Love (YouTube channel)
Very helpful YouTube channel for people struggling with ROCD (Relationship OCD)
Author: Kiyomi LaFleur
The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work
Book that gives couples a clear view of why their relationship may be struggling and finding ways to make it work.
Author: John Gottman, PhD, and Nan Silver
Attached
This book describes how an understanding of adult attachment—the most advanced relationship science in existence today—can help us find and sustain love.
Author: Dr. Amir Levine and Rachel Heller
How to Not Die Alone
How to Not Die Alone speaks to truths that your friends won’t tell you. With a unique voice that offers clarity, action, and results, Ury’s book promises to be a definitive guide for a generation navigating the murky waters of modern love. This book is primarily research-based.
Author: Logan Ury
Feeling Good Together
Self-help book to make troubled relationships work.
Author: David D. Burns, MD
The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts
This book outlines 5 general ways that romantic partners express and experience love.
Author: Gary Chapman
All About Love
This is a book by a prolific African-American author. She discusses love and focuses on how we love ourselves and others. Specifically she gives a lot of personal and professional knowledge about this topic which provides an African-American females perspective on love.
Author: Bell Hooks
The Cactus
Fictional book about a woman being forced to examine the dysfunction of her childhood that created a life of isolation and solitude.
Author: Sarah Haywood
The SilverLinings Playbook
A fictional study of a family supporting a member with Bipolar Disorder who is attempting to maintain recovery from a past manic episode. The examination of the family dynamics and what recovery means is moving.
Author: Matthew Quick
Inheritance
A memoirist learns that her deceased father wasn’t her biological parent, thanks to DNA testing. She processes what the secret means for the way she sees her family and herself. This book gets into identity, family secrets, and nature vs. nurture in a way I’ve found helpful in working with clients who’ve uncovered secrets within their own families. Also highly recommend her podcast, Family Secrets.
Author: Dani Shapiro
Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome
Discusses the multigenerational trauma and injustices experienced by African Americans. Explores the evolution of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors both negative and positive that have traveled generation after generation.
Author: Dr. Joy Degruy
Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents
This book sheds light on the effects of emotionally immature parents (despite being well-intentioned and loving). It goes into detail about the main types of parenting that can lead to a sense of neglect in the child.
Author: Lindsay C. Gibson
Running On Empty
This book helps to contextualize the internal and relational struggles we face within the context of unmet childhood emotional needs.
Author: Jonice Webb
It Didn’t Start with You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle
Depression. Anxiety. Chronic Pain. Phobias. Obsessive thoughts. The evidence is compelling: the roots of these difficulties may not reside in our immediate life experience or in chemical imbalances in our brains—but in the lives of our parents, grandparents, and even great-grandparents. The latest scientific research, now making headlines, supports what many have long intuited—that traumatic experience can be passed down through generations. In this book, the author discusses a groundbreaking approach to transforming traumatic legacies passed down in families over generations.
Author: Mark Wolynn
The Genogram Journey
Genograms are a useful tool to map out family trees. They can be more detailed and include information about the relationships between each person. This can give you a better understanding of family history and dynamics.
Author: Monica McGoldrick
eMoods (app)
Mood tracker that allows you to send data HIPAA secure to your clinician at the end of each month for free
Borderline Tracker (app)
Track borderline behavior
Emotions (app)
This provides a daily emotion vocabulary. I think it’s really interesting to be constantly reminded of the nuances of specific emotions we recognize automatically, but may not understand the depth.
Mint (app)
Great for financial budgeting.
Alarmy (app)
Alarm clock that makes you either do 20 squats or write out 4 motivational phrases after your alarm goes off or it will start going off again in 15 seconds.
Bloom (app)
Morning Journal, Gratitude Journal, Custom CBT exercises.
Celeste (video game)
Celeste follows Madeline, a young woman who sets out to climb and conquer Mount Celeste, a fictional Canadian mountain. On her way up, she is warned that the mountain has the ability to reveal things that climbers do not want to see. Brushing off the warning, she climbs and finds a doppleganger, a shadowy version of herself who tries to thrwart her ascent at every turn. The story handles themes of anxiety, depression, panic disorder, mindfulness, negative self-talk, self-worth, self-esteem, and the power of self-acceptance and social support.
Author: Maddy Thorson, Noel Berry, and Extremely OK Games
Theapist Uncensored
Cohosts explore neurobiology and modern attachment through a wealth of topics including emotional regulation, polyvagal theory, trauma, personality traits and more. Some of my favorite episodes get really into what it means to be in the defense system versus remaining in connection with other. I find this podcast to be both informative and accessible, it’s geared toward healing rather than straight analysis.
Author: Sue Marriott and Ann Kelley
Nope! We’re not monogamous
Hosted by a non-monogomy relationship coach, this podcast interviews different couples/people who are overcoming a range of issues while being non monogomous. This podcast also focuses on celebrating the beauty of these relationships and sharing encouragment for others.
Author: Ellecia Paine
Girls Gotta Eat
Co-hosts bring the world of comedy with prestigious guests to discuss topics of dating, relationships, and sex.
Author: Ashley Hesseltine & Rayna Greenberg
The Happiness Lab
Walks the listener through the latest scientific research surrounding happiness and the obstacles to getting there. Provides tools for anxiety.
Author: Dr. Laurie Santos
Something Was Wrong
Story-telling docuseries about discovery, trauma, and healing from emotionally abusive relationships.
Author: Tiffany Reese
Finch App
Similar to caring for a Tamagochi, but instead it’s a Finch bird that helps you focus on Mood, Goals, Mindfulness, Yoga, Breathwork, quizzes, and more.
Brown Girl Self-Care
A self care podcast with Black and Brown women in mind.
Life is Strange: True Colors (video game)
While not technically an app, for those who love video games, it’s a story of a young woman who had experienced loss and abandonment at a young age and is put in the foster care system. She has the ability to feel what others are feeling. She is finally reunited with her brother, only for him to pass away.
Fitness + (app) Iphone
Apple’s fitness app that offers guided meditation
Paired (app)
App designed for couples to encourage more open communication about relationships.
Anxiety Chicks
Alison Seponara, MS, LPC and Taylor Marae MS, RDN are diving deep into a the reality of anxiety, nutrition, and mental health. Alison and Taylor bring their expertise as healing professionals to the conversation while discussing the tools and strategies you need to heal the anxious mind.
Author: Alison Seponara, Taylor Marae
Unlocking Us
Podcast to explore human emotions and vulnerability and much more.
Author: Brene Brown
How’s Work?
Podcast sessions focused on workplace dilemmas
Author: Esther Perel
Where Should We Begin
Each episode is a one-time couples counseling session. It gives an incredible, intimate, and truthful picture of what couples counseling is like, and there are always bits of wisdom for the listener to relate to.
Author: Esther Perel
Ologies with Allie Ward – Podcast
Making scientific knowledge more digestible for listeners. There’s a particular episode about pain that has been supportive to my clients experiencing chronic pain.
Author: Allie Ward
Lovers & Friends with Shan Boodram-Podcast
Shan Boodram (sexologist) discusses sex, sex education, intimacy, and relationships from a new-age perspective.
Author: Shan Boodram
Mindfulness (app)
This app isn’t free. I have found it helpful in my own pursuit of mindfulness. They break meditations down into different categories and offer courses.
The Science of Happiness
Podcast discussing different evidence based techniques to increase happiness. They have people try out the technique/theory and then give their assessment and story. Interesting, small, and doable techniques that can be incorporated into your day.
Author: Dacher Keltner
Calm (app)
Meditation app (not free) but comes with cool different ways to meditate and has sleep stories sometimes narrated by celebrities.
The Mindvalley Podcast
The Mindvalley podcast brings the best minds under one roof to discuss powerful ideas in personal growth for mind, body, spirit and work.
Author: Vishen Lakhiani
Insight Timer (app)
Free app that offers a LOT of guided meditations, talks, and live virtual events. Thousands of teachers and speakers from all over the world present and share their work on this app.
Oak (app)
Free and simple app that offers guided breathwork and meditations.
Mental Illness Happy Hour
Covers a variety of topics
Author: Paul Gilmartin
Motivation (app)
App with motivational quotes per category. User can also set the daily reminder.
Transforming Sexual Narratives
This is a great book for fellow clinicians. It shows a relational approach to sex therapy.
Author: Susan Iasenza
The Pleasure Zone
Good feelings of all kinds promote personal growth, happy relationships, and living life to the fullest. Stella discusses pleasure in relationships, sex, spirituality, mentality and much more. This book emphasizes the importance of breath and it contributes to how we feel about everything in life.
Author: Stella Resnick
The State of Affairs
Another book from Esther Perel, looking at affairs and what they mean for both the individual and relationship. I’ve found this book hugely helpful in helping clients work through infidelity (and other types of betrayal) and move past the victim/perpetrator mindset.
Author: Esther Perel
Mating in Captivity
Perel discusses sex therapy with couples and gives tips on how to foster more honest conversation in relationships. She discusses barriers to sexual pleasure and saftey as a relationship grows and evolves through time. Perel aims to deshame kink, fantasy, and agression in sex.
Author: Esther Perel
The Ethical Slut
This book looks at non-monogamy and how to experience non-monogamy in safe ways. They have skills to improve communication in relationships which could be beneficial for all romantic relationships. Moreover, there is a lot of data provided for all gender identities and sexuality.
Author: Dossie Easton and Janet Hardy
Come as You Are: Revised and Updated : The Surprising New Science That Will Transform Your Sex Life
This book uses science and research to prove that the most important factor in sustaining a confident and joyful sex-life is not what the parts are, but how you feel about them.
Author: Emily Nagoski
How Can I Forgive You?: The Courage to Forgive, The freedom not to
A book that teaches the levels of forgiveness in relationships after infidelity or a general relationship rupture.
Author: Janis A. Spring
Hold Space: Affirmations & Meditations for Healing & Loving Yourself
Michelle is a reiki practitioner from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Her book contains all kinds of positive affirmations for daily use, some are humorous.
Author: Michelle Rose Kennedy
You Can Heal Your Life
A guide to body and mind connection and psychocological impact on ailment
Author: Louise Hay
All Falls Down
30-something Alison appears to have it all; a McMansion, an adorable child, and a job writing for a popular blog. It turns out that this is a facade, as her child has special needs, her husband is checked out. Alison becomes the caretaker for her sick father, all the while developing an opioid addiction of her own. This is a great depiction of an overwhelmed caregiver who may or may not have Borderline Personality Disorder.
Author: Jennifer Weiner
Get a Life Chloe Brown
A computer programmer with chronic pain and abandonment experiences enters an unlikely partnership where they are able to explore their anxiety and trauma.
Author: Talia Hibbert
The Midnight Library
There’s a library between life and death and each book gives you the opportunity to try out another life you could have lived. Definitely speaks to the dissatisfaction one may feel in their life and regrets of choices not made in the past.
Author: Matt Haig
It Ends with Us
A story of all the complicated feelings and emotions that can be present in DV relationships.
Author: Colleen Hoover
Marriage Story
Respect
American Beauty
What’s Love Got To Do With It
Mystic River
Precious
For Colored Girls
Crash
As Good As It Gets
Still Alice
The Joy Luck Club
The Color Purple
A Beautiful Boy
Ordinary People
The accidental death of the older son of an affluent family deeply strains the relationships among the bitter mother, the good-natured father, and the guilt-ridden younger son. Judd Hirsch does one of the best portrayals of a therapist. Which is not saying too much since we are often portrayed as unethical in most films. It also has a great interpretation of how trauma affects the dynamic within the family.
King of California
Running with Scissors
Good Will Hunting
Shifting
Discusses “the pressue that a large number of African American women may feel to compromise their true selves as they navigate racial and gender bigotry”
The Warmth of Other Suns
This nonfiction book tells the story of The Great Migration. The history is told through the story of three Black Americans who moved out of the South between 1915-1970.
Such a Fun Age
It tells the story of a young Black woman who is wrongly accused of kidnapping while babysitting a white child, and the events that follow the incident.
Have Hate You Give
A black teen caught between two cultures world witnesses her childhood friend murdered by the police.
Between The World And Me
“…in a letter to his adolescent son. Coates shares the story of his awakening to the truth about his place in the world through a series of revelatory experiences…
My Grandmother’s Hands : Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies
“A call to action for Americans to recognize that racism is not only about the head, but also about the body.”
Sister Outsider
Audre Lorde is a black, queer feminist who writes about her experience navigating heteronormativity, systemic racism, and sexism in various systems. Audre challenges the Eurocentric perspective of inclusivity in most spaces; i.e. “white feminism” and explores how we can increase intersectionality in our day to day lives.
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