Reading suggestions for wellbeing and mental health

In this section you will find my reading suggestions if you want to obtain a depeer understanding of mental health and wellbeing. The books I have listed below have helped me to take charge of my health, understand how my brain function and what I could do to improve my general mental and physical wellbeing.

Looking after yourself

The Upward Spiral by Alex Korb 

People often say that depression is a chemical imbalance. I didn’t fully comprehend what this meant until I read this book. But most importantly Dr Korb explains the mechanics of depression as an illness and how to reverse it. I have found this book an eye opener and a must read for anyone wanting to understand what depression is from a logical point of view.

Perfect Health by Deepak Chopra 

I came across this book many years ago when I was trying to understand why my immune system was down and why I kept getting colds in the height of the summer. This book brought me much more than that. It teaches the basic of Ayurveda and is full of very wise practical advice to lead a heathier life, physically and mentally.

Meditation

May Cause Miracles by Gabrielle Berstein

This isn’t for everyone. If you are not spiritual, you might want to stay clear of this one. In this book Gabrielle Bernstein takes you through a journey of self-reflection over 40 days to lead a happier life. I have found the practical techniques and the meditations extremely useful. If you believe in the Universe and are currently struggling to meditate daily, I would recommend you start here

Real Happiness: A 28-Day Program to Realize the Power of Meditation 

This is the first book I read on meditation. I started meditating after reading Perfect Health by Deepak Chopra but was struggling with sitting down each day for an extended period of time. I found this book useful to go deeper on the benefits of meditation without any spirituality (I was not spiritual at the time). Sharon offers several meditation techniques and leads you through a gentle way to ease into your practice. I would recommend this book for non-spiritual beginners.

10% Happier by Dan Harris 

This book was a recommendation from one of my mentors, Matthew Hussey, and I absolutely loved it! This is a great story rather than a self-help book. Dan Harris openly talks about how he ended up having a panic attack on live TV in front of millions of viewers and how meditation helped him overcome his anxiety. It is a very touching book as well as a great advocate for the benefits of meditation.

The Universe Has Your Back by Gabrielle Berstein

I cannot tell you how many times now I have listened to this book and practice the meditations Gabrielle recommends. Once again Gabrielle shares the difficult times she has overcome over the year and how meditation has helped her. This is a profoundly human story and full of great advice

Nutrition

Clean – Expanded Edition: The Revolutionary Program to Restore the Body’s Natural Ability to Heal Itself by Alejandro Junger

One sunny Friday late afternoon I was in the pub – or rather in the garden of the pub – with a couple of colleagues. One of them suggested we detoxed together and so we agreed to start on Monday. I had no idea what the detox entailed but felt like it was needed. I was in for a shock! No caffeine, no sugar, no gluten, no dairy, no processed food and of course no alcohol. 5 weeks later I was a brand new person. I lost a size, had a clear skin and felt amazing. My energy was up the roof and my head had never been clearer. I have reintroduced some of these evils since but this book has completely changed the way I look at food and the way I eat. I am not yet 100% CLEAN but I am on my way there 😊. The book covers in depth the links between diet and mental health. A must read.

Additional CLEAN recipes

Clean Eats: Over 200 Delicious Recipes to Reset Your Body’s Natural Balance and Discover What It Means to Be Truly Healthy

The Fast Diet by Michael Mosley and‎ Mimi Spencer

This book was recommended to me by my nutritionist who suggested I tried fasting to lose weight. I was very interested to read about the benefits of fasting for mental health and thought it was worth mentioning to my readers. Having now tried a number of techniques my personal experience is that there is a huge link between what we eat (and how we eat) and how we feel mentally. This is definitely an area to explore for anyone wanting to improve her/her mental wellbeing.
Fast Diet recipe book

The Happy Kitchen by Rachel Kelly and Alice Mackintosh 

This is the first book I read that approached the link between diet and mental health. If you are new to this topic then I would suggest you start here. It is clear and simple and gives you plenty of delicious recipes to try based on how you feel.

The Yoga Kitchen: Over 100 Vegetarian Recipes to Energise the Body, Balance the Mind and Make for a Happier You by Kimberly Parsons

This book was a gift from a friend of mine. All recipes are either vegetarian or vegan and they are organised by chakra. The food is delicious and helps ground you. This is another angle on the links between food and wellbeing.

Coaching specific reading suggestions

In this section you will find the more specific reading suggestions that I give to my coaching clients, depending on their life goals. These books are about personal development and cover a wide range of topics.

I have met some of the writers listed below and learned directly from them. This section is really about enjoying life on another level!

Get The Guy by Matthew Hussey

This is a great read for women who feel stuck in their dating life. It is full of practical advice, psychology and humour. Matthew Hussey is a great speaker and I would highly recommend his personal development retreat, which I attended twice, for women ready to work on their core confidence.

Routine = Results by Rob Moore

If you have been following me for a while you will know that I swear by having a strong routine. This is a great tool to improve mental wellbeing. Rob’s book is full of brilliant advice.

Money: Know More, Make More, Give More: Learn how to make more money and transform your life by Rob Moore

The story of how a 25 very broke young man became a millionaire. And he tells you how to do the same. Must read if you are struggling on money management. Or want to become a millionaire.

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

This is my go to book on conflict management. The book might have been written a while back but the advice is still as relevant now as ever.

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

The list would not be complete without a reference to the book that started personal development. Again this is still relevant and full of practical advice on how to get what ones wants out of life.

So Good They Can’t Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love by Cal Newport

This was another one from the Matthew Hussey Book Club. I do not necessarily agree with everything but I have learnt a lot from it on how to be successful at what you do.

The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts by Gary Chapman

Take your pick depending on whether you want to improve your relationship with your significant half or with people around you generally. These books are excellent on conflict management.

And

The Five Love Languages: Singles Edition by Gary Chapman

The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology that Fuel Success and Performance at Work by Shawn Achor

This was another one from the Matthew Hussey Book Club. I have found this book as absolute eye-opener. People are not happy because they are successful. They are successful because they are happy.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen R. Covey

This is another classic of personal development. I came across this book many years ago when a friend of mine (who is very successful in her career and life in general) mentioned that her and her husband were reading this while expecting their first child. I found it a mine of useful tips from goal settings to conflict management / effective communication. This is one I revisit regularly.

Further resources

Don’t leave without checking out the page on the basics of managing depression for more pratical tips on how to improve your mental health and wellbeing. 

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