Mental Health Summer Reading/Podcast Recommendations

These book and podcast recommendations come from our wonderful clinical staff from both adult and adolescent campuses. Please enjoy reading and listening to these resources!

Mental Health Book Recommendations:

TITLE	AUTHOR	SUMMARY
Man’s Search for Meaning	Victor Frankl	Man’s Search for Meaning is a 1946 book by Viktor Frankl chronicling his experiences as a prisoner in Nazi concentration camps during World War II, and describing his psychotherapeutic method.
The Power of Different	Dr. Gail Saltz	In The Power of Different, psychiatrist and bestselling author Gail Saltz examines the latest scientific discoveries and profiles famous geniuses who have been diagnosed with all manner of brain differences―including learning disabilities, ADD, anxiety, Depression, Bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and Autism.
Option B	Sheryl Sandberg/ Adam Grant	Option B illuminates how to help others in crisis, develop compassion for ourselves, raise strong children, and create resilient families, communities, and workplaces.
Emotional Intelligence	Daniel Goleman	Daniel Goleman’s brilliant report from the frontiers of psychology and neuroscience offers startling new insight into our “two minds”—the rational and the emotional—and how they shape our destiny. But why is emotional intelligence important?
Outsmart Your Brain	Daniel Willingham	In this revolutionary, comprehensive, and accessible guide on how the brain learns, discover how to study more efficiently and effectively, shrug away exam stress, and most of all, enjoy learning.
Positive Intelligence	Shirzad Chamine	Shirzad Chamine reveals how to achieve one’s true potential for both professional success and personal fulfillment. His groundbreaking research exposes ten well-disguised mental Saboteurs.
No Mud, No Lotus	Thich Nhat Hanh	Nhat Hanh shares how the practices of stopping, mindful breathing, and deep concentration can generate the energy of mindfulness within our daily lives. With that energy, we can embrace pain and calm it down, instantly bringing a measure of freedom and a clearer mind.
If at Birth You Don’t Succeed	Zach Anner	If at Birth You Don’t Succeed is a hilariously irreverent and heartfelt memoir about finding your passion and your path even when it’s paved with epic misadventure.
The Wisdom of Your Body	Hillary McBride, PhD	The Wisdom of Your Body offers a compassionate, healthy, and holistic perspective on embodied living. Weaving together illuminating research, stories from her work as a therapist, and deeply personal narratives of healing from a life-threatening eating disorder, a near-fatal car accident, and chronic pain.
The Nature Fix	Florence Williams	From forest trails in Korea to islands in Finland, to eucalyptus groves in California, Florence Williams investigates the science behind nature’s positive effects on the brain.
How to Keep House While Drowning	KC Davis, LPC	This revolutionary approach to cleaning and organizing helps free you from feeling ashamed or overwhelmed by a messy home.
Atomic Habits	James Clear	Atomic Habits will reshape the way you think about progress and success, and give you the tools and strategies you need to transform your habits.
Feeling Good	Dr. David Burns	In Feeling Good, eminent psychiatrist, David D. Burns, M.D., outlines the remarkable, scientifically proven techniques that will immediately lift your spirits and help you develop a positive outlook on life.
The Mindfulness Prescription for Adult ADHD	Dr. Lidia Zylowska	Don’t let adult ADHD stand in your way—this 8-step mindfulness program provides you with the tools you need to stay focused and confident in all areas of your life.

Mental Health Podcast Recommendations:

TITLE	CREATOR	SUMMARY
In it: Supporting Kids with Neurodiversity	Understood.org	Listen to the joys and frustrations of supporting kids who learn and think differently. Hosts Rachel Bozek and Gretchen Vierstra talk with parents, caregivers, teachers, and sometimes kids, offering support and advice for and from people who struggle with reading, math, focus, and other learning differences.
Unlocking Us	Brene Brown	Conversations that unlock the deeply human part of who we are, so that we can live, love, parent, and lead with a whole heart.
Other People’s Problems	Hillary McBride, PhD	Hillary McBride and her clients want to help demystify mental health. No actors. No auditions. No artifice. This is what people really sound like when they talk about traumatic births, turbulent divorces, eating disorders and tough childhoods.
Holy/Hurt	Hillary McBride, PhD	What is spiritual trauma? How does it impact us? And are there paths toward healing? In this series, Hillary McBride (PhD, RPsych, RCC) explores these questions, sharing her research, clinical experience, and embodied approach, and engaging with other mental health professionals and people with lived experience of spiritual trauma.
Good Inside	Dr. Becky Kennedy	Good Inside is the breakthrough parenting approach by Dr. Becky to help you become the parent you want to be.
We Can Do Hard Things	Amanda/Glennon Doyle	Battling addiction, illness, and loneliness; struggling in our jobs, our marriages, and our divorces; setting boundaries, etc.
Mind Love	Melissa Monte	Inspiring interviews, raw stories and evidence-based transformation.

Disclaimer:

The summer reading recommendations provided in this blog represent the personal selections of our staff members. These recommendations are intended to share individual literary interests and are not official endorsements or organizational recommendations from Skyland Trail. The views and opinions expressed in these selections are those of the staff members and do not necessarily reflect the views, policies, or positions of Skyland Trail.