An’s Recommended Readings List

Mindfulness and Spirituality

  1. The Art of Communicating by Thich Nhat Hanh - Practical guidance on mindful communication to enhance relationships and emotional well-being.

  2. Reconciliation: Healing the Inner Child by Thich Nhat Hanh - Addresses healing childhood wounds and reconciling past traumas.

  3. The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz - Offers practical steps to personal freedom and emotional health.

  4. 10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works by Dan Harris - A relatable introduction to mindfulness and meditation.

Trauma and Healing

  1. The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk - Comprehensive guide on understanding and treating trauma.

  2. It Didn't Start with You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle by Mark Wolynn - Explores intergenerational trauma and offers tools for breaking the cycle.

  3. When the Body Says No: Exploring the Stress-Disease Connection by Gabor Maté - Examines the connection between stress and physical health.

  4. Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation by Deb Dana - Offers insights into polyvagal theory and its application in therapy.

  5. What Happened To You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing by Bruce D. Perry - Explores trauma and resilience through accessible conversations.

  6. My Grandmother's Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Mending of Our Bodies and Hearts by Resmaa Menakem - Addresses racial trauma and offers body-focused practices for healing.

Asian American Experience and Identity

  1. Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong - Essays exploring the complexities of the Asian American experience.

  2. On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong - A poetic novel on identity, trauma, and resilience.

  3. The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui - A graphic memoir capturing the Vietnamese refugee experience and intergenerational trauma.

  4. Permission to Come Home: Reclaiming Mental Health as Asian Americans by Jenny T. Wang - Addresses mental health challenges specific to the Asian American community.

Psychology and Personal Development

  1. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck - Discusses the importance of a growth mindset for personal and professional development.

  2. Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ by Daniel Goleman - Highlights the importance of emotional intelligence in success.

Emotional Sensitivity and Intensity

  1. Emotional Sensitivity and Intensity by Imi Lo - Provides insights and strategies for managing emotional sensitivity and intensity.

  2. The Gift of Intensity: How to Win at Life and Love as a Highly Sensitive and Emotionally Intense Person by Imi Lo - Offers practical advice for thriving with high sensitivity and emotional intensity.

Relationships and Human Connections

  1. Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Find - and Keep - Love by Amir Levine and Rachel Heller - Explores attachment theory and its impact on adult relationships.

  2. The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate by Gary Chapman - Practical tools for improving communication and connection in relationships.

  3. Platonic: How the Science of Attachment Can Help You Make—and Keep—Friends by Marisa G. Franco - Discusses the importance of friendships and attachment for building meaningful connections.