Recommended Books and Resources Library
Welcome to the recommended books and resources library. Books have played an important role in my own growth, healing, and professional development over the years. The resources below are books that I have personally found helpful or frequently recommend based on the topics people often navigate in life.
Whether you’re exploring self-compassion, healing childhood wounds, navigating relationship challenges, recovering from trauma, or moving through a major life transition, I hope these resources provide support, insight, and encouragement along the way.
Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting A Full Cup Life.
Whenever possible, I also encourage supporting your local bookstore, checking your public library, or using apps such as Libby and Hoopla.
This library will continue to grow as I discover and evaluate additional resources that align with the values of A Full Cup Life.
A Full Cup Life Favorites ⭐
If you’re not sure where to begin, these are some of the books that have most influenced my own journey and the philosophy behind A Full Cup Life.
📖 The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook — Kristin Neff & Christopher Germer
📖 The Language of Emotions — Karla McLaren
📖 Becoming Safely Embodied — Deirdre Fay
📖 Inner Bonding: Becoming a Loving Adult To Your Inner Child — Margaret Paul, PH.D.
📖 No Bad Parts — Richard Schwartz
📖 Transcending Trauma: Healing Complex PTSD with Internal Family Systems — Frank G Anderson, MD
📖 Hold Me Tight — Sue Johnson
📖 Transitions — William Bridges
📖 The Body Keeps the Score — Bessel van der Kolk, MD
📖 Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma— Peter Levine
📖 Set Boundaries, Find Peace— Nedra Glover Tawwab
📖 The Relationship Cure— John & Julie Gottman
📖 The Journey Toward Complete Recovery — Michael Picucci
Browse by What Is Most Helpful for You
- I want to be kinder to myself → Self-Compassion & Self-Acceptance
- I struggle to say no or set limits → Boundaries
- I want to better understand my emotions → Emotions & Self-Awareness
- I’m interested in Parts Work / Internal Family Systems (IFS) → Internal Family Systems (Parts Work)
- I’m healing childhood wounds → Inner Child Healing & Reparenting
- I’m working through trauma or nervous system dysregulation → Trauma & Nervous System Healing
- I’m navigating relationship challenges or want stronger connections → Relationships, Attachment & Connection
- I’m struggling with anxiety or overthinking → Anxiety & Emotional Wellbeing
- I’m going through a major life transition → Life Transitions, Meaning & Purpose
- I want deeper self-discovery, authenticity, and personal growth → Self-Discovery, Shadow Work & Personal Growth
Self-Compassion & Self-Acceptance
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📖 The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook
Kristin Neff, PhD & Christopher Germer, PhD
A practical workbook filled with exercises and practices for developing self-compassion, resilience, and emotional wellbeing. One of the most accessible and helpful resources for learning to treat yourself with the same kindness you would offer a friend.
📖 How to Meet Yourself
Dr. Nicole LePera
A guided workbook filled with reflections and exercises designed to help readers better understand themselves, their patterns, and their path toward healing and growth.
Additional Resources
📖 How to Be the Love You Seek
Dr. Nicole LePera
A thoughtful exploration of self-love, attachment patterns, and emotional healing. This book focuses on becoming the source of the love, safety, and acceptance we often seek outside ourselves.
Boundaries
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📖 Set Boundaries, Find Peace
Nedra Glover Tawwab
A practical and accessible guide to understanding, communicating, and maintaining healthy boundaries in relationships, work, and everyday life.
📖 Boundaries
Henry Cloud & John Townsend
A classic resource for learning when to say yes, when to say no, and how healthy boundaries support emotional wellbeing and stronger relationships.
Emotions & Self-Awareness
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📖 The Language of Emotions
Karla McLaren
A powerful resource that teaches readers how emotions function as messengers rather than problems to eliminate. Offers a compassionate and empowering way to understand emotional experiences.
📖 Atlas of the Heart
Brené Brown
An insightful exploration of emotions, connection, vulnerability, and what it means to be human. Brené Brown helps readers build a richer emotional vocabulary and deeper self-understanding.
Internal Family Systems (Parts Work)
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📖 No Bad Parts
Richard C. Schwartz, PhD
An introduction to Internal Family Systems (IFS) and the idea that every part of us has a purpose, even the parts we struggle with most. A foundational book for understanding self-leadership and healing.
📖 Self-Therapy
Jay Earley, PhD
A practical, step-by-step guide for applying Internal Family Systems concepts to better understand your inner world and support personal healing.
📖 Transcending Trauma
Frank Anderson, MD
Explores healing complex trauma through the lens of Internal Family Systems therapy and compassionate self-understanding.
Inner Child Healing & Reparenting
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📖 Reparenting the Inner Child
Dr. Nicole LePera
Combines neuroscience, psychology, and practical exercises to help readers understand and heal childhood wounds while developing healthier patterns in adulthood.
📖 Inner Bonding
Margaret Paul, PhD
A guide to developing a loving relationship with yourself and learning the practice of healthy self-parenting through self-awareness and compassion.
📖 Healing Your Inner Child
Elizabeth Thorpe
A practical guide focused on self-parenting, trauma recovery, emotional healing, and cultivating self-compassion.
Additional Resources
📖 How to Do the Work
Dr. Nicole LePera
Explores how childhood experiences shape our thoughts, behaviors, and relationships while offering practical steps toward healing and lasting change.
Trauma & Nervous System Healing
Start Here
📖 Becoming Safely Embodied
Deirdre Fay, MSW
A compassionate guide to developing safety, connection, and regulation within the body. Particularly helpful for those healing from trauma, attachment wounds, or chronic stress.
📖 The Body Keeps the Score
Bessel van der Kolk, MD
A foundational resource exploring how trauma impacts the brain, body, and nervous system, along with pathways toward healing and recovery.
📖 Waking the Tiger
Peter Levine, PhD
Introduces Somatic Experiencing and the body’s natural capacity for healing trauma through nervous system regulation.
Additional Resources
📖 In an Unspoken Voice
Peter Levine, PhD
Explores how the body releases trauma and restores a sense of safety, connection, and resilience.
📖 Trauma and Memory
Peter Levine, PhD
Examines the relationship between trauma, memory, the brain, and the body’s innate healing processes.
📖 An Autobiography of Trauma
Peter Levine, PhD
Part memoir and part teaching resource, illustrating trauma recovery through both personal experience and clinical insight.
📖 Childhood Disrupted
Donna Jackson Nakazawa
Explores how adverse childhood experiences impact lifelong health and wellbeing while highlighting pathways toward healing.
📖 The Polyvagal Theory
By: Stephen W. Porges, PhD
A groundbreaking introduction to Polyvagal Theory, explaining how the autonomic nervous system shapes our responses to safety, danger, connection, and stress. This foundational work has transformed our understanding of trauma, emotional regulation, and the body’s remarkable capacity to heal.
📖 Polyvagal Practices: Anchoring the Self in Safety
Deb Dana, LCSW
A practical, reader-friendly guide that translates Polyvagal Theory into everyday life through simple exercises, reflections, and practices. Deb Dana helps readers learn to recognize their nervous system states, cultivate greater safety and connection, and build lasting resilience through small, accessible steps.
Relationships, Attachment & Connection
Start Here
📖 Attached
Amir Levine, MD & Rachel Heller
An accessible introduction to attachment theory and how attachment patterns influence adult relationships.
📖 Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love
Sue Johnson
One of the most influential relationship books available, focused on creating secure emotional bonds and deeper connection.
📖 The Love Prescription
John & Julie Gottman
A practical seven-day guide filled with simple habits and exercises designed to strengthen connection, intimacy, and friendship.
📖 Wired for Love
Stan Tatkin, PsyD
Explains how attachment, neuroscience, and relationship habits influence connection, conflict, and intimacy.
📖 Fight Right
John & Julie Gottman
Research-based strategies for navigating conflict in ways that strengthen rather than damage relationships.
[View on Amazon]
📖 What Makes Love Last?
John Gottman & Nan Silver
Explores trust, betrayal, repair, and the factors that help relationships remain resilient over time.
📖 The Science of Trust
John Gottman, PhD
A deeper dive into the research behind emotional attunement, trust, and relationship success.
📖 The Relationship Cure
John & Julie Gottman
Practical communication skills for strengthening marriages, friendships, family relationships, and everyday connection.
📖 Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child
John Gottman, PhD & Joan DeClaire
A guide for helping children understand, regulate, and express emotions in healthy and supportive ways.
Anxiety & Emotional Wellbeing
Start Here
📖 At Last a Life
Paul David
A compassionate and encouraging approach to anxiety recovery centered on acceptance, understanding, and nervous system healing.
📖 Rewire Your Anxious Brain
Catherine Pittman, PhD & Elizabeth Karle
Combines neuroscience and practical tools to help readers better understand and manage anxiety.
Life Transitions, Meaning & Purpose
Start Here
📖 Transitions
William Bridges & Susan Bridges
A classic guide to understanding the emotional and psychological process of change and transition.
📖 The Way of Transition
William Bridges
A deeper exploration of life’s difficult transitions and how uncertainty can become a doorway to growth.
📖 The Middle Passage
James Hollis, PhD
A thoughtful exploration of identity, meaning, and personal growth during midlife and major life transitions.
Additional Resources
📖 Managing Transitions
William Bridges & Susan Bridges
A practical guide for navigating change effectively in organizations and personal life.
📖 The Journey Toward Complete Recovery
Michael Picucci
A holistic exploration of healing, recovery, authenticity, and reclaiming one’s true self.
Self-Discovery, Shadow Work & Personal Growth
Start Here
📖 Becoming the One
Sheleana Aiyana
A powerful exploration of healing, self-awareness, authenticity, and developing a deeper relationship with yourself. The central message is that we become the person we are seeking rather than searching outside ourselves for completion.
Additional Resources
📖 Shadow Work: Journal & Workbook
Olivia K. Renner
A practical workbook filled with prompts and exercises for exploring hidden aspects of self and increasing self-awareness.
Healing, growth, and self-discovery are lifelong journeys. I hope these resources provide encouragement, insight, and practical tools along the way. As I discover additional books that align with the values of A Full Cup Life, I’ll continue updating this library.
I’m always open to recommendations as well. If there’s a book that has been meaningful on your own healing, growth, or self-discovery journey, I’d love to hear about it. Feel free to share it in the comments below. 🤍
With Love,
Sharon