The top 20 books on mind-body therapies for fatigue and pain
These books are in no particular order, as I could only pick 20, they are literally all gamechangers.
In case you were considering it, reading summaries just doesn’t do any of these books justice, as the real knowledge in these books lives in the stories, the nuances, and the pathos.
1: “The Body Keeps Score” by Bessel van der Kolk
Explores how trauma impacts the body and mind, offering insights into healing.
2: “The Mindbody Prescription: Healing the Body, Healing the Pain” by John E. Sarno
Discusses how repressed emotions can cause physical pain and offers a path to recovery.
3: “Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma” by Peter A. Levine
Introduces Somatic Experiencing, a method for resolving trauma stored in the body.
4: “In an Unspoken Voice: How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness” by Peter A. Levine
Explores how trauma affects the body and mind and how to restore well-being.
5: “The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science” by Norman Doidge
Presents case studies showing the brain’s ability to rewire and heal.
6: “Rewire Your Anxious Brain: How to Use the Neuroscience of Fear to End Anxiety, Panic, and Worry” by Catherine M. Pittman and Elizabeth M. Karle
Explains how to rewire the brain to overcome anxiety.
7: “You Are the Placebo: Making Your Mind Matter” by Joe Dispenza
Discusses the power of the mind to heal the body through the placebo effect.
8: “No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model” by Richard C. Schwartz
Introduces the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model for understanding and healing internal parts.
9: “Parts Work: An Illustrated Guide to Your Inner Life” by Tom Holmes
A practical guide to understanding and working with internal parts for healing.
10: “Shadows Before Dawn: Finding the Light of Self-Love Through Your Darkest Times” by Teal Swan
Offers tools and insights for self-love and healing from past trauma.
11. “The Completion Process: The Practice of Putting Yourself Back Together Again” by Teal Swan
A step-by-step guide for healing emotional wounds through the Completion Process.
12: “When the Body Says No: Exploring the Stress-Disease Connection” by Gabor Maté
Examines the link between stress and chronic illness and how to address it.
13: “In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction” by Gabor Maté
Explores the root causes of addiction and paths to recovery.
14: “Scattered Minds: The Origins and Healing of Attention Deficit Disorder” by Gabor Maté
Discusses the origins of ADHD and offers approaches for healing.
15. “It Didn’t Start with You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle” by Mark Wolynn
Explores how trauma is passed down through generations and how to break the cycle.
16: “Driven to Distraction (Revised): Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder” by Edward M. Hallowell and John J. Ratey
Provides insights and strategies for managing ADHD in adults.
17: “ADHD 2.0: New Science and Essential Strategies for Thriving with Distraction–from Childhood through Adulthood” by Edward M. Hallowell and John J. Ratey
Offers new approaches and strategies for living with ADHD.
18: “The Divided Mind: The Epidemic of Mindbody Disorders” by John E. Sarno
Explores the role of the mind in chronic pain and other disorders.
19: “Mind Over Medicine: Scientific Proof That You Can Heal Yourself” by Lissa Rankin
Provides evidence and techniques for using the mind to heal the body.
20: “Anatomy of an Illness: As Perceived by the Patient” by Norman Cousins
Chronicles the author’s journey of using humor and positive emotions to heal from a serious illness.
