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Recommended Reading List

A healing library for mental health, trauma recovery, and self-empowerment

🧠 Mental Health, Trauma & Addiction Recovery

• The Myth of Normal – Dr. Gabor Maté
  Explores how trauma, stress, and disconnection are embedded in modern life—and how to reclaim wholeness.
• In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts – Dr. Gabor Maté
  A compassionate, eye-opening exploration of addiction through a trauma-informed lens.
• When the Body Says No – Dr. Gabor Maté
  Connects chronic illness and autoimmune conditions to repressed emotions and unhealed trauma.
• Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma – Peter Levine
  Introduces somatic experiencing and explains how trauma lives in the body and how it can be released.
• The Body Keeps the Score – Dr. Bessel van der Kolk
  Explains how trauma reshapes the brain and body—and how healing is possible through body-based therapies.
• It Didn’t Start With You – Mark Wolynn
  An excellent introduction to intergenerational trauma and how to heal inherited emotional pain.

🌱 Mind-Body Healing & Energy Psychology

• The Biology of Belief – Dr. Bruce H. Lipton
  Explores how our beliefs and perceptions directly influence our cells, health, and destiny.
• Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself – Dr. Joe Dispenza
  Blends neuroscience, quantum physics, and spirituality to show how to reprogram the mind and body.
• You Are the Placebo – Dr. Joe Dispenza
  Explores the science of self-healing and how belief systems can trigger biological transformation.
• The Emotion Code – Dr. Bradley Nelson
  A method to identify and release trapped emotional energy from the body for healing.

💛 Self-Empowerment & Inner Transformation

• Untamed – Glennon Doyle
  A raw exploration of mental health, identity, and reclaiming your truth and power.
• Radical Acceptance – Tara Brach
  Mindfulness and compassion practices to transform shame, fear, and self-doubt.
• The Deepest Well – Dr. Nadine Burke Harris
  Reveals how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) impact lifelong health—and what we can do to heal.
• Women Who Run with the Wolves – Clarissa Pinkola Estés
  A soulful journey into feminine healing, creativity, and intuition.

Books on Vagus Nerve & Nervous System Healing

1. "Accessing the Healing Power of the Vagus Nerve"
   By Stanley Rosenberg
   A foundational book that introduces the role of the vagus nerve in health, trauma, and emotional well-being. Rosenberg blends neuroscience with easy-to-follow exercises to activate the vagus nerve and support self-regulation. Ideal for practitioners and everyday readers alike.

2. "The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-Regulation"
   By Stephen W. Porges
   The seminal work that introduced the Polyvagal Theory. While more academic, this book is essential for understanding the science behind vagal function and its impact on trauma and human behaviour. Perfect for mental health professionals and those wanting deep insight.

3. "The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma"
   By Bessel van der Kolk, M.D.
   Though not solely about the vagus nerve, this groundbreaking book explores how trauma reshapes the nervous system and how healing can occur through body-based therapies. It’s a must-read for understanding the interconnectedness of trauma, the nervous system, and healing.