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The following books, websites, CDs and apps have been of value to me personally. Not all of these will be relevant to you and your situation but they convey wisdom, encouragement, skills and guidance which you might find helpful, motivating or inspiring.

'Radical Acceptance' (2003), 'True Refuge' (2013) and 'Radical Compassion' (2019)

Three books by Tara Brach, clinical psychologist, lecturer, workshop leader and founder of the Insight Meditation Community of Washington. She writes about overcoming fear and shame, finding peace and freedom in one's self and learning to love oneself.

'Neuro Dharma' by Rick Hanson (2020)

An exploration of the heights of human potential. Rick Hanson combines recent scientific discoveries, and ancient wisdom to reveal how to develop unshakeable presence of mind, deep contentment, liberating insight and a corageous heart.

'How to Survive Your Childhood Now That You're an Adult' by Ira Israel (2017)

A powerful, comprehensive, step-by-step path to recognnizing the ways of being that we created as children and transcending them with compassion and acceptance.

'Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway' by Susan Jeffers (1987) A classic self-help guide which encourages you to face, and overcome, your fears.
'The 3-minute Meditator' by David Harp and Nina Smiley (2005) 30 simple ways to unwind your mind. The book is aimed at stressed-out and overworked people who don't believe they have time to meditate but who are, in fact, most likely to benefit from it.
Rick Hanson

Rick is a neuroscientist who writes extensively on his website about essential, inner skills for personal well-being, psychological growth, and contemplative practice, as well as about relationships, family life, and raising children. The site contains a range of useful resources and includes a link to Rick's free e-newsletter (Just One Thing) in which he suggests some simple, uplifting and inspiring weekly practices for bringing more joy, more fulfilling relationships, and more peace of mind and heart into your life.

Rick also offers a range of online and audio courses and runs the Wisebrain website which offers a range of resources incuding information about neuroscience, a 'Test Your Brain' series, links to the world's great contemplative traditions and a monthly 'Wise Brain' bulletin.

8 Ways to Wellbeing

The aim of this project is to inform people, to inspire them by providing exemplars, to support them with multimedia materials and social media groups, and to empower them with effective strategies for behavior change. The larger goal is to catalyze a national, and eventually international, movement towards healthier lifestyles, self-empowerment, and greater mental health and wellbeing.

The project promotes eight major areas of healthy living: recreation, relaxation, nutrition, exercise, relationships, giving back and spirituality. You can find out out more about the project at www.8waystowellbeing.com.

'Mindfulness for Beginners' by Jon Kabat-Zinn

Jon Kabat-Zinn is the teacher who awakened Western medicine to the powerful health benefits of Mindfulness. He has defined Mindfulness as "paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally".

Mindfulness for Beginners is a series of five, downloadable guided meditations that lead you, breath-by-breath, into the essence of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). These practices can inspire those who are new to meditation and will show you how to: dissipate stress and enter the joyful stream of present-moment awareness; re-energize the body and clear the mind to navigate the storms and crises of life; and bring compassionate attention to challenging situations and relationships. It is a start-to-finish primer on living a more mindful life.

'Practical Meditation: A Simple Step-by-Step Guide' by Giovanni Dienstmann

A guide on how to meditate to suit your lifestyle, whether you are new to meditation or seeking to enhance your existing practice.

Giovanni also runs the Live and Dare website which focuses on meditation, personal growth and spirituality, and includes some guided meditations.

Greater Good in Action

The (Greater Good in Action website, which is maintained by the University of California at Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, has collated the best research-based methods for a happier, more meaningful life based on hundreds of scientific studies, and puts them at your fingertips in a format that's easy to navigate and digest.

Get Peace of Mind

The GetPOM website offers guidance on how to make changes in your life in order to achieve peace of mind.

'The Power of Now' by Eckart Tolle

A guide to spiritual enlightenment by leaving our analytical mind and its false created self, the ego, behind. Tolle offers simple language and a question and answer format to show us how to silence our thoughts and create a liberated life.

'Recovery of Your Inner Child' by Lucia Cappacchione (1991) An introduction to the concept of inner child work. The book guides you towards discovering and re-parenting your inner child, and liberating your true self.
'Healing the Shame That Binds You' by John Bradshaw (1988) An exploration of how toxic shame lies at the heart of our compulsions, co-dependencies, addictions and the drive to superachieve, resulting in a breakdown in the family system and our inability to move forward with our lives.
'Mindsight' by Daniel Siegel (2010) Dr. Siegel is a Professor of Psychiatry at UCLA and is also a practising psychotherapist. In this book he explains how to observe the working of our minds, allowing us to understand why we think, feel and act the way we do, and showing us how we can literally change the wiring of our brains.

Dr. Siegel also provides a range of useful resources on his website.

'On Becoming a Person' by Carl Rogers (1961) A therapist's view of psychotherapy by the originator of Person-centred counselling. Rogers considers what the aims of therapy might be and attempts to define what the "good life" might look like.
'Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness meditation for everyday life' by Jon Kabat-Zinn (1994) An introduction to Mindfulness practices.
'Mindfulness Meditation For Pain Relief' audiobook by Jon Kabat-Zinn (2010) How to use the power of mindfulness to transform your relationship to pain and suffering, and discover new degrees of freedom for living with greater ease and quality of life.
Greater Good in Action

The Greater Good in Action website draws on hundreds of scientific studies and offers the best research-based methods for a happier, more meaningful life, presenting them in a format that is easy to navigate and digest. These practices are for anyone who wants to improve his or her social and emotional well-being, or the well-being of others, but doesn't necessarily have the time or money to invest in a formal program. They are intended as building blocks for creating your own happiness regimen.

'Full Catastrophe Living: How to cope with stress, pain and illness using Mindfulness meditation' by Jon Kabat-Zinn (2005) A practical guide to applying Mindfulness to dealing with stress, pain and illness.
'Coming To Our Senses: Healing Ourselves and the World Through Mindfulness' by Jon Kabat-Zinn (2005) A guide to using Mindfulness to improve our personal wellbeing and our environment.
'The Positive Psychology of Buddhism and Yoga' by Marvin Levene (2009) A book which considers what maturity is, and what guidelines and practises might exist to enable us to transform ourselves and progress to another way of living. The book includes a section on handling anger.
'Don't Get Mad Get Wise' by Mike George (2006) This book proposes going beyond common psychological concepts and quick-fix techniques, and offers an antidote to the 'incendiary emotion' of anger. Many people will find this a useful introduction to meditation. You may also find some helpful resources on Mike's website.
'Anger: Buddhist wisdom for cooling the flames' by Thich Nhat Hanh (2001) Nobel prize nominee Thich Nhat Hanh offers a fresh perspective on anger, and uses stories and practical techniques to suggest how we might transform anger into peace.
Skyros Skyros combines holidays with self-development, providing a range of activities (including yoga, art, photography, creative writing and life coaching etc.) in several locations (Greece, Thailand, Cuba, Cambodia and the Isle of Wight).

You can find more details about what they have to offer on the Skyros website.

'Real Happiness at Work' by Sharon Salzberg (2013) Meditation applied to the workplace by one of the world's leading meditation teachers.
'The Yoga Bible' by Christina Brown (2003) A guide to yoga postures for both beginners and experienced practitioners.
'12 Rules for Life' by Jordan B. Peterson (2018) Professor Peterson offers twelve profound and practical principles for how to live a meaningful life, as a defence against the suffering that is intrinsic to our existence.
'The Road Less Travelled' by M. Scott Peck (1978) An exploration of the nature of loving relationships. The book encourages us to distinguish dependency from love; to become more sensitive parents; and, ultimately, to become our own true selves.
'Getting the love you want: a guide for couples' by Harville Hendrix (2008) A book which has helped millions of couples attain more loving, supportive and deeply-satisfying relationships. This 20th anniversary edition contains extensive revisions, including a new chapter and new exercises.
'Do I Have to Give Up Me to be Loved by You?' by Jordan Paul and Margaret Paul (2010) This book describes the fears and false beliefs that act as obstacles to loving feelings, and teaches couples how to work through conflict and create more love and intimacy. In addition, it suggests exercises to help couples explore their feelings and beliefs about values, power struggles, and sexual expectations.
'Mating in Captivity' by Esther Perel (2007) An examination of the complexities of desire, and the paradoxical union of domesticity and eroticism.
'Love 2.0: Finding Happiness and Health in Moments of Connection' by Barbara Frederickson (2014) An investigation into the importance of love in improving mental and physical health.
'The Solution-focused Marriage: 5 Simple Habits That Will Bring Out the Best in Your Relationship' by Elliott Connie (2013) A guide to applying the ideas and principles of Solution-focused therapy to relationships.
'The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work' by John Gottman and Nan Silver (2015) A guide for partners, introducing new and startling strategies for making marriage work.
'The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read (and Your Children Will Be Glad That You Did)' by Phillipa Perry (2019) A book about how we have relationships with our children, what gets in the way of a good connection and what can enhance it. Philippa Perry shows how strong and loving bonds are made with your children and how such attachments give a better chance of good mental health, in childhood and beyond.
'The Assertiveness Pocketbook' by Max Eggert (2011) An introduction to assertiveness and practical exercises to help you become more assertive.
'Instant Confidence' by Paul McKenna (1989) In this book and CD, Paul McKenna guides you through practical steps towards increasing your self-confidence.
'Man's Search for Meaning' by Victor Frankl (2006) Frankl's memoirs of life in Nazi death camps and the lessons he learned for spiritual survival.
'Staring at the Sun' by Irvin Yalom (2011) Existential psychotherapist Irvin Yalom explores how the knowledge of our own mortality affects the unconscious mind of every human being. He considers how we might live life and argues that "Though the physicality of death destroys us, the idea of death can save us."
'Being With Dying' by Joan Halifax (2009) For three decades, Zen teacher Joan Halifax has been helping both the dying and their caregivers to face death with courage and compassion. In this book, she offers the fruits of her work, providing comfort, inspiration, and practical skills for all those who are in the process of dying or who are charged with a dying person's care.
'The examined life: How we lose and find ourselves' by Stephen Grosz (2014) Drawing on his twenty-five years of work and more than 50,000 hours of conversations, Grosz presents a collection of tales that illuminate the human experience.
'Buddhism Without Beliefs' by Stephen Batchelor (1997) A book which demystifies Buddhism and explains, without jargon or obscure terminology, what awakening is and how to practise it.
'Insight Meditation' by Sharon Salzburg and Joseph Goldstein (2001) A step-by-step course on how to meditate (includes an in-depth workbook, study cards and 2 CDs).
Yourskillfulmeans.com Yourskillfulmeans is a comprehensive resource for people interested in personal growth, overcoming inner obstacles, being helpful to others and expanding consciousness. It offers instructions in everything from common psychological tools for dealing with negative self talk, to physical exercises for opening the body and clearing the mind, to meditation techniques for clarifying inner experience and connecting to deeper aspects of awareness.

'The Brain That Changes Itself' by Norman Doidge (2007) A collection of fascinating case studies which demonstrate the effects of neuroplasticity.

'Focusing' by Eugene Gendlin (2003) Focusing is a powerful technique which enables us to gain direct access to our body's knowledge and to stay in contact with it long enough to benefit in a variety of ways.
brainHQ BrainHQ is an online brain-training system that represents the culmination of 30 years of research in neurological science and related medicine. It was designed by an international team of neuroscientists, led by Michael Merzenich, Professor Emeritus in Neurophysiology, member of the National Academy of Sciences, co-inventor of the cochlear implant, and Kavli Prize laureate.

'Irvin D. Yalom on psychotherapy and the human condition' by Ruthellen Josselson (2008). Irvin Yalom is one of the best known, most widely-read and most influential psychiatrists in the contemporary world. This book traces the genesis and evolution of his thinking and presents some of the seminal ideas of his writings.
'The Only Child - how to survive being one' by Jill Pitkeathly and David Emerson (1994). The book draws on the experiences of 60 only children to explain the difficulties only children are faced with and how, as adults, they can learn to cope with these problems.
'The Dance of Intimacy' by Harriet Lerner (1989) An outline of the steps we can take in order to strengthen good relationships and heal difficult ones.
'Positivity: Groundbreaking Research To Release Your Inner Optimist And Thrive' by Barbara Frederickson (2011) One of the leading members of the positive psychology movement draws on cutting-edge research and lab-tested tools to explain why positivity is more important than happiness, how it relieves depression, broadens minds and builds lives, and how to tap into your own sources of positivity.
'The Book on the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are' by Alan Watts (1966) A witty attack on the illusion that the self is a separate ego that confronts a universe of alien physical objects.
'The Courage to Create' by Rollo May (1975) An exploration of how imagination, art and our creative impulses can offer new possibilities for achievement.
'The Discovery of Being' by Rollo May (1983) An exploration of the causes of loneliness and isolation, and a search for new and firm mooring points in an age of anxiety.
'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance' by Robert Pirsig (1974) An inquiry into the nature of values and quality, and an exploration of the underlying metaphysics of western culture, using the metaphor of motorcycle maintenance.
'Flourish' by Martin Seligman (2011) A new understanding of happiness and well-being (and how to achieve them). In this book, Seligman develops and extends his earlier work on authentic happiness.
'The Courage to be Me' by Dr. Nina Burrowes and Alexander Bertram-Powell (2014) A story of courage, self-compassion and hope after sexual abuse.
'The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari' by Robin S. Sharma (1997) A fable about a spiritual journey, containing powerful life lessons that teach us how to abandon consumerism in order to embrace destiny, live life to the full and discover joy.
'Emotional Intelligence' by Daniel Goleman (1995) Daniel Goleman explores how emotional intelligence can be nurtured and strengthened in all of us (with detailed guidance for parents and schools).
'Vital Lies, Simple Truths' by Daniel Goleman (1997) An analysis of how we deceive ourselves, both individually and socially.
Superbetter Superbetter is a tool created by game designers, backed by science and with guidance from doctors, psychologists, scientists, and medical researchers.

Its purpose is to help build personal resilience: the ability to stay strong, motivated and optimistic even in the face of difficulty challenges. Resilience has a powerful effect on health - by boosting physical and emotional well-being. Resilience also helps you achieve your life goals - by strengthening your social support and increasing your stamina, willpower and focus. Every aspect of the game is designed to harness the power of positive emotions and social connection for live, feel, and act better.

Happify

The Happify website offers a range of activities which you can undertake on a regular basis and which can help you to increase your sense of wellbeing.