Explore in your own time
Here’s some of my favourite books exploring compassion, trauma and wellbeing, if you’re curious to explore further for yourself.
cultivating compassion
the compassionate mind - paul gilbert
A compendium for understanding compassion and its relationship to our emotional wellbeing, alongside simple steps to cultivate more compassion for ourselves and others.
all about love - bell hooks
An impassioned manifesto for cultivating love at every level of personal, social and political experience.
the way of tenderness: awakening through race, sexuality & gender - zenju earthlyn manuel
A buddhist take on identity, and the power of warmth and compassion in healing political, social and personal hatred.
radical acceptance - tara brach
A story-rich, practical guide to developing self-acceptance.
the wild edge of sorrow - francis weller
A poetic exploration of the different forms of grief we experience, and ways of working with our grief.
compassion: listening to the cries of the world - christina feldman
Exploring ways of holding pain, loss and suffering for oneself and others, without burning out.
Understanding Trauma
the body keeps the score - bessel van der kolk
An encyclopedic exploration of how our brains and bodies are impacted by trauma, and what we can do about it.
trauma and recovery - judith herman
A seminal work on trauma, Herman explores the surrounding political context alongside the personal impact of trauma on war veterans and survivors of abuse.
my grandmother’s hands: racialised trauma and the pathway to mending our hearts and bodies - resmaa menakem
A profound invitation to heal the racial trauma that lives in our bodies, offering practical guidance alongside compassionate cultural critique.
waking the tiger: healing trauma - peter levine
Exploring how humans as animals respond to trauma, and what we can learn from the animal kingdom about managing and healing trauma.
When the body says no: the cost of hidden stress - gabor maté
Exploring the relationship between emotional and physical stress, particularly when stress manifests in physical ailments and disease.
trauma stewardship - laura van dernoot lipsky & connie burk
A friendly, comprehensive guide to self-care for anyone working with traumatised people, traumatised animals or the traumatised planet.