Kjersti’s Book Club
Books for your mind, body, and soul.
Books have the power to not only educate and inform, but to inspire, uplift and encourage.
As a therapist and run coach, I am constantly reading to keep up on the latest mental health findings and practices, and training regimens. As a bibliophile, I am constantly seeking stories that inspire, uplift, and encourage.
I sort through books so you don't have to.
Here are the good ones.
BOOKS ON PARENTING & FAMILY ENRICHMENT
Parenting is tough. These books encourage a realistic approach to a healthy family dynamic.
This book encourages you to access your own creative side, use what you have and natural materials from your environment, the rest will follow.
I’d put this book in the category of books about "highly sensitive children". What we learn from Boyce is that "the children about whom we worry most are sometimes those with the most remarkable promise".
This book is realistic and has genuinely good ideas for parenting a toddler. It's based on the most recent science around parenting, attachment, and “positive discipline”. The big take-away: love breeds better communication, cooperation, and a healthy relationship.
The insight it provides into the brain and how motivation works are invaluable. It addresses motivation in regards to children of all ages. The take-away: motivation is born from independent choice making.
If you value nature, curiosity, and connecting those two things for your children, this book will serve as a helpful guide. This book is lengthy and covers ideas for a wide range of ages, and gets into some esoteric nature stuff.
This book doesn't read like the typical advice giving parenting book. The author discusses the differences in parenting styles American vs French. No therapy or medical jargon in this book. It is great for raising a happy, healthy child while staying sane as a parent.
Some topics covered in this book: delayed gratification, polite manners, encouraging independence, eating at restaurants, healthy eating/the culture of eating from a young age, snacks, sleep/naps, me-time, daycare/going back to work, discipline, and emotional control.
Kondo encourages you to go through your things and ask yourself "does this thing spark joy?" If it does, keep it, if it doesn't, don't. In this way your things will begin to match up to your values, and allow you to live a more fulfilling life.
BOOKS ON EXERCISE, HEALTH & WELLNESS
These books help provide a solid foundation for your health & wellness journey.
One of my favorite books! Deena Kastor exemplifies how using positive psychology can improve running and likewise improve life. Running and proactive mental health go hand in hand. It's a lifestyle. It's also a lot of work, and requires a good deal of self awareness.
Hutchinson points out how people use their minds to “endure” the most brutal conditions. This book is flooded with research, interspersed with stories about people that endure great physical feats. The take-away: people can do is far more than you might ever imagine.
An insightful read about the brain science behind exercise, meditation, and your relationships with tips for applying simple recommendations to engage your brain and live a more rewarding life. This book illustrates how exercise does indeed improve mood and enhance your life.
Havey is trained in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), a well known therapy/mental health practice that uses meditation and active awareness to ease pains and anxieties. Havey explores the research and provides how-to's for combining MBSR with running.
Douglas lays out the research on why running is a good “first-line” treatment option for people with depression and/or anxiety. You will find this book thorough, cogent, and life-changing if you are interested in why running is so good for moderating mood.
This book provides many rhetorical questions to ponder while running. Questions that relate to your relationships, anxiety, depression, anger, stress, etc. The book also explains how Dynamic Running Therapy (DRT) works-combining mindfulness and movement.
BOOKS FOR THE SOUL
There are books that you come across that change your life. These are them.
Who hasn't felt like they did not belong at some point? To feel like you belong you have to be yourself. The book touches on other topics related to belonging like self-worth, anxiety, and depression.
Every time I read this book, I come away feeling in awe of the human spirit. What I find is that it leads to a sense of hope and accomplishment that we can (and do) overcome the most challenging and heart wrenching of experiences.
There are so many misconceptions and blame-games that people feel pulled into when someone they love is an addict. This book helps you develop empathy and an understanding of what addiction is like for the addict and their parents.
One of my favorite books! Deena Kastor exemplifies how using positive psychology can improve running and likewise improve life. Running and proactive mental health go hand in hand. It's a lifestyle. It's also a lot of work, and requires a good deal of self awareness.
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Therapy & Wellness Services
Support for every season. Let’s overcome your challenges, learn valuable techniques for improvement, and find joy in your growth journey with therapy or group wellness services.
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Running for Mental Health
Running enhances mental well-being. Thoughtful choices, sensory awareness, and focused breathing can make it a powerful self-care practice. This book explains the benefits, techniques, and strategies for achieving success in running for mental health.
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Wellness & Self-Care
By incorporating small lifestyle additions into your routine, you may be pleasantly surprised by the positive impact they can have on your overall well-being. From simple practices like practicing gratitude to engaging in self-care activities or spending quality time with loved ones, each choice you make can contribute to an increased sense of joy, happiness, and satisfaction in your life.
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