Book Recommendations from the Torus Team

We love books here at Torus Therapy, here is the first (of lists to come) of book recommendations from our team here at Torus! This list is by no means a full list but a handful of some of our favorites related to mental well-being, emotions, trauma, recovery, and the human experience. We hope you enjoy and find time to tap into your inner world, get cozy, and find some perspective.

For Understanding & Perspective

A Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
  • Viktor Frankl writes about his experience as a prisoner in Nazi concentration camps during World War II. He describes his psychotherapeutic method of identifying a positive purpose in life and imagining that outcome.
The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
  • Provides insight and understanding into the physical symptoms of trauma. The Body Keeps the Score explores trauma and the connection to our physical body, while discussing effective solutions and treatment options.
When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron
  • Chodron writes about overcoming life’s difficulties with a lens of spirituality and personal growth.
Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents by Lindsay C Gibson
  • Lindsay Gibson writes on the impact of parents who are emotionally unavailable or immature. She explores ways to heal from confusion or pain caused by childhood.
It Didn’t Start With You by Mark Wolynn
  • Explores generational trauma and the link to depression, anxiety, chronic pain, and phobias. Provides guidance on how to break the cycle of family patterns that may be destructive and identify inherited family trauma in our own lives.

For Relationships

Codependent No More by Melody Beattie
  • Discusses codependency and the impact it has on us and our relationships. Provides space for reflection, exercises and stories for those wanting to self-examine patterns.
Nonviolent Communication Language Life Changing Relationships by Marshall Rosenberg
  • Nonviolent Communication provides us with active tools to allow compassion and non-judgment to be at the heart of conversation and connecting to others. Prompts us to focus on four areas: what we are observing, feeling, and needing, and what we are requesting to enrich our lives.
Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself by Nedra Glover Tawwab
  • Clearly discusses what boundaries are and the importance of setting boundaries in personal and professional areas of life. Explore how to speak up for what you need and reflect on areas in your life where change may be beneficial.
Insecure in Love by Leslie Becker-Phelps
  • A book on Anxious Attachment and how to overcome using self-compassion and heightened awareness.

Self-Esteem & Self-Compassion

Self-Compassion: The Proven Power Of Being Kind To Yourself By Kristin Neff
  • Self-compassion is one of the greatest lessons and practices we can give ourselves. This book discusses its power through research, stories, and everyday practices to heal from the inside out.
Believing in Myself: Self-Esteem Daily Meditations by Carol Larsen Hegarty and Earnie Larsen
  • Daily meditations for a year that work to increase and strengthen our self-esteem, includes inspirational quotes, and space for contemplation and reflection. 
The Gift of Imperfection by Brene Brown
  • Explores how to embrace and accept our inner flaws and who we are, to release the need to chase the image of who we are trying to be. Brene identifies the three gifts of imperfection as courage, compassion, and connection, and how we can cultivate these more by leaning into our story, truth, and flaws.

Written by: Chardyce Kott, LSW