Books on my home office desk:

Coping With Grief – Dianne Hissock & Mal Hissock

“The go-to book on the grieving process.

This new edition of the bestselling classic offers sensitive and practical advice on how to deal with the grieving process, from coping with the funeral to managing anniversaries and special dates. Suitable for both the bereaved and their support team, it explains what to expect emotionally, psychologically and practically from the first day through the first year, as well as outlining the physical and emotional reactions to grief, why men and women react differently, how children deal with grief, and some of the long-term consequences of bereavement.

New chapters include complicated grief, memorialisation, talking to children about traumatic death, and compassionate ways to talk to the bereaved.

Whether you have been bereaved, or are supporting someone who is grieving, this self-help book will prove invaluable, and show you how to survive or help others survive the most challenging experience a human being can have: the loss of a loved one.”

Techniques of Grief Therapy – by Neimeyer

“Techniques of Grief Therapy is an indispensable guidebook to the most inventive and inspirational interventions in grief and bereavement counseling and therapy. Individually, each technique emphasizes creativity and practicality.

As a whole, they capture the richness of practices in the field and the innovative approaches that clinicians in diverse settings have developed, in some cases over decades, to effectively address the needs of the bereaved”.

 

The Desire Map – by Danielle LaPorte

“With The Desire Map, Danielle LaPorte brings you a holistic life-planning tool that will revolutionize the way you go after what you want in life. Unapologetically passionate and with plenty of warm wit, LaPorte turns the concept of ambition inside out and offers an inspired, refreshingly practical workbook for using the Desire Map process:

 

• Identify your “core desired feelings” in every life domain: livelihood & lifestyle, body & wellness, creativity & learning, relationships & society, and essence & spirituality
• Create practical “Goals with Soul” to generate your core desired feelings
• Why easing up on your expectations actually liberates you to reach your goals
• Self-assessment quizzes, worksheets, and complete Desire Mapping tools for creating the life you truly long for.”

The Artists’ Way – by Julia Cameron

” The Artist’s Way is the seminal book on the subject of creativity. Perhaps even more vital in today’s cultural climate than when it was first published, The Artist’s Way is a powerfully provocative and inspiring work. In it, Julia Cameron takes readers on an amazing twelve-week journey to discover the inextricable link between their spiritual and creative selves. This groundbreaking program includes:

 

• Introductions to two of Cameron’s most vital tools for creative recovery–The Morning Pages and The Artist Date
• Hundreds of highly effective exercises and activities
• Guidance on starting a “Creative Cluster” of fellow artists who will support you in your creative endeavors

A revolutionary program for artistic renewal from the world’s foremost authority on the creative process, The Artist’s Way is a life-changing book.”

Yoga For Emotional Balance – by Bo Forbes

” Emotional balance is within your reach—when you cultivate the intelligence of both your body and mind. Bo Forbes, a psychologist and yoga teacher, presents an integrative, mind-body approach to healing anxiety, depression, and chronic stress. In this book, she offers some of her most important teachings and practices, including:

 

• simple ways to understand your emotional patterns
• an overview of the three main obstacles to emotional well-being
• five tools for building emotional balance
• restorative yoga sequences designed to balance anxiety and lift depression
• breath- and body-centered exercises to mind and energize your body

Rooted in classical yoga, yet supported by psychology and science, the techniques in this book will help you create progressive and lasting change. This book also includes a complimentary online recording of the guided yoga routines: see inside for more information.”

Selfless – by Kristen Holzapfel

“A Social Workers Own Story of Trauma and Recovery. Selfless is the story of Kristen Holzapfel’s work on the frontline of social work and how, after several years in this relentlessly fast-paced environment, she overcame symptoms of Vicarious Trauma.”