Books for Better Relationships

This is an ongoing list of books that both myself and my clients have found helpful over the years.

As I am exposed to new resources and suggestions, this list will continuously grow!

I imagine that there is at least one book list that could benefit you in someway, if not more — as well as a few books that don’t resonate with you at all.

Cherry pick the best ones for you, and feel free to contact me with suggestions of books that you think might help other people like yourself!

Anxiety, Depression, Fear and Stress

• The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook: Cure Yourself of Worry, Depression, Chronic Anxiety, and Fear by Martha Davis, PhD, Elizabeth Robbins Eshelman, MSW, and Matthew McKay PhD

• The Healthy Aging Brain: Sustaining Attachment, Attaining Wisdom by Louis Cozolino

• The Confidence Gap by Russ Harris

• The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris

• The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle

• A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle

• Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff by Richard Carlson

• Braving the Wilderness by Brené Brown

• The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown

• The Power fo Vulnerability by Brené Brown

• The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins

• The Courage to Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga

• Letting Go: The Pathway to Surrender by David Hawkins

• I Could Do Anything, If Only I Knew What it Was: How to Discover What You Really Want and How to Get it by Barbara Sher

• Soul of a Citizen: Living with Conviction in a Cynical Time by Paul Rogat Loeb

• When You’re Falling, Dive: Acceptance, Freedom and Possibility by Cheri Huber

• Keys to Personal Achievement by Napoleon Hill

• Who Moved My Cheese?: An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life by Spencer Johnson, MD

• On Death and Dying: What the Dying Have to Teach Doctors, Nurses, Clergy, and Their Own Families by Elizabeth Kübler-Ross, MD

• What to Say When You Talk to Yourself: Powerful New Techniques to Program Your Potential for Success by Shad Helmstetter, PhD

• Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff… And it’s All Small Stuff: Simple Things to Keep the Little Things From Taking Over Your Life by Richard Carlson, PhD

• 7 Habits of Highly Effective People & The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness by Stephen R. Covey

• Wherever You Go There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life by Jon Kabat-Zinn

• Think Like a Monk: Train Your Mind for Peace and Purpose Every Day by Jay Shetty

Couples

• Eight Dates by John & Julie Gottman

• The Seven Principles for Making a Marriage Work by John & Julie Gottman

• Getting The Love You Want: A Guide For Couples by Harville Hendrix, PhD

• The Don’t Sweat Guide for Couples: Ways to Be More Intimate, Loving and Stress-Free in Your Relationship by Richard Carlson, PhD

• Guide to Getting it On by Paul Joannides

• Mating in Captivity: Unlocking Erotic Intelligence by Esther Perel

• The State of Affairs by Esther Perel

• After the Affair: Healing the Pain and Rebuilding Trust When a Partner Has Been Unfaithful by Janis Abrahms Spring, PhD

• From the Living Room to the Bedroom by Bill & Ginger Bercaw

• Passionate Marriage: Keeping Love & Intimacy Alive in Committed Relationships by David Schnarch, PhD

• You, Me & We: A Practical Guide to Marital Intimacy by Anthony Hughes, PhD, CST (LDS Faith Based)

Being Single or Breaking Up

• The Missing Piece by Shel Silverstein

• The Missing Piece Meets the Big O by Shel Silverstein

• Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams

• The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion

• The Lover’s Dictionary by David Levithan

• Dept of Speculation by Jenny Offill

• Unbinding the Heart: A Dose of Greek Wisdom, Generosity and Unconditional Love by Agapi Stassinopoulos

Parenting

• Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child by John Gottman

• The Awakened Family by Shefali Tsabary

• The Conscious Parent by Shefali Tsabary

• Out of Control: Why Disciplining Your Child Doesn’t Work, and What Will by Shefali Tsabary

• Raising Children You Can Live With by Jamie Raser

• No Drama Discipline: The Whole-Brain Way to Calm the Chaos and Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind by Daniel Siegel & Tina Payne Bryson

• The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind by Daniel Siegel & Tina Payne Bryson

• Parenting from the Inside Out: How a Deeper Self-Understanding Can Help You Raise Children Who Thrive by Daniel Siegel & Mary Hartzell

• The Explosive Child: A New Approach for Understanding and Parenting Easily Frustrated, Chronically Inflexible Children by Ross W. Greene, PhD

• Inside the Teenage Brain: Parenting, A Work in Progress by Sheryl Feinstein

• You’re Not the Boss of Me: Brat-Proofing Your 4-to-12-Year Old Child by Betsy Brown Braun

Social Skills, Communication Skills, and Social Anxiety

• How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

• Leadership and Self-Deception by The Arbinger Institute

• The Anatomy of Peace by The Arbinger Institute

• The Root of Relationships: How to Know Yourself, Understand Others, and Create the Relationships You Want by TyaCamellia Allred

• Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss

• Getting to Yes by Robert Fisher

LGBTQIA+ Literature

• Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin

• Trans Like Me by CN Lester

• Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender

• I’m Afraid of Men by Vivek Shraya

• A Safe Girl to Love by Casey Plett

• Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women, and the Rest of Us by Kate Bornstein

• Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More by Janet Mock

• Trans Bodies, Trans Selves by Laura Erickson-Schroth