I am a self proclaimed bookworm and always have a stack (or stacks) of books to read. Included in those stacks are books to expand my clinical skills and my understanding of experiences of people or groups. I am a fan of sharing books that I enjoyed and thought I would share what I'm reading from time to time, so here is the first iteration.
My Grandmother's Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies by Resmaa Menakem
I started this a few months ago and hope to finish it soon. It is described as "a call to action for all of us to recognize that racism is not only about the head, but about the body, and introduces an alternative view of what we can do to grow beyond our entrenched racialized divide."
A Mind Spread Out on the Ground by Alicia Elliot
As soon as I read the first line of this description I knew it was going into my cart: "the Mohawk phrase for depression can be roughly translated to a mind spread out on the ground. In this urgent and visceral work, Alicia Elliott explores how apt a description that is for the ongoing effects of personal, intergenerational, and colonial traumas she and so many Native people have experienced."
The Body Is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love by Sonya Renee Taylor
I have heard Sonya Renee Taylor on podcasts and watched some of her IG stories and have found her work to be engaging and thought-provoking. I can't wait to read this one!
We've Been Too Patient: Voices from Radical Mental Health -- Stories and Research Challenging the Biomedical Model Edited by L D Green, Kelechi Ubozoh, and Robert Whitaker
"25 unflinching stories and essays from the front lines of the radical mental health movement"
Transgender Child: A Handbook for Families and Professionals by Stephanie A. Brill and Rachel Pepper
I work with a number of transgender clients, so I am always looking for new books to expand my knowledge in this area - to support them and their families.
Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body by Roxane Gay
I have enjoyed Roxane Gay's other books and this one has been on my list for a while. "I ate and ate and ate in the hopes that if I made myself big, my body would be safe. I buried the girl I was because she ran into all kinds of trouble. I tried to erase every memory of her, but she is still there, somewhere. . . . I was trapped in my body, one that I barely recognized or understood, but at least I was safe."
Also, I ordered these books through Bookshop.org which is a great resource that supports local bookstores or organizations (in my case, Inclusive Therapists). Be sure to check them out and happy reading!
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