Recommended Reading

Not sure what you're looking for yet? You might want to begin here → Where to Start

Reading won't replace the work, but the right book at the right time can make you feel less alone in it and sometimes put words to something you've been carrying without language. These are books I return to often, both in sessions and as personal recommendations. They're offered here as tools, not homework.

If you’re not sure where to start, you might find it helpful to choose the section that feels closest to what you’re experiencing right now.

Domestic Violence & Abuse

If something in your relationship feels confusing, controlling, or hard to name, these books explore the dynamics of abuse, coercive control, and survival.

See What You Made Me Do: Power, Control and Domestic Abuse by Jess Hill
A look at how domestic abuse operates, why victims feel trapped, and how systems often fail to protect them.

Why Does He Do That? Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men by Lundy Bancroft
Explains the thought patterns of abusive men, helping readers recognise red flags and understand manipulative behaviours.

Coercive Control: How Men Entrap Women in Personal Life by Evan Stark
Defines coercive control and explains how it traps victims, even without physical violence.

No Visible Bruises: What We Don’t Know About Domestic Violence Can Kill Us by Rachel Louise Snyder
Explores real-life cases of domestic violence and how society can prevent fatal outcomes.

Trauma Recovery

If you feel overwhelmed, stuck in patterns, or like your body reacts before your mind can catch up, these books focus on understanding trauma and healing.

The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
Explains how trauma affects the brain and body and offers recovery methods.

In an Unspoken Voice: How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness by Dr Peter A. Levine
Explores somatic healing techniques and how the body processes trauma.

It Didn’t Start with You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are & How to End the Cycle by Mark Wolynn
Examines how trauma is passed down through generations and how to break the cycle.

Narcissistic Abuse

If you feel overwhelmed, stuck in patterns, or like your body reacts before your mind can catch up, these books on recognising and recovering from narcissistic abuse.

Becoming the Narcissist’s Nightmare by Shahida Arabi
A survivor’s guide to understanding narcissistic abuse and reclaiming power.

Divorcing and Healing from a Narcissist by Dr Covert
Offers practical steps for leaving and healing from a relationship with a narcissist.

Should I Stay or Should I Go? Surviving a Relationship with a Narcissist by Dr Ramani Durvasula
Helps readers decide whether to leave a narcissistic partner and how to heal.

Emotional & Mental Health

If you’re trying to make sense of anxiety, low mood, or ongoing emotional strain, these books on emotional well-being and psychological resilience.

Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment by Dr Amir Levine & Rachel Heller
Explains attachment styles and how they affect relationships.

The Happiness Trap by Dr Russ Harris
Uses ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) to break free from negative thinking.

Change Your Thinking by Dr Sarah Edelman
A practical guide to cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for managing anxiety and depression.

I Had a Black Dog: His Name Was Depression by Matthew Johnstone
A simple yet powerful illustrated book on living with depression.

Parenting & Family Dynamics

If you’re trying to make sense of anxiety, low mood, or ongoing emotional strain, these books address intergenerational trauma, emotional maturity, and parenting.

Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents by Dr Lindsay C. Gibson
Explains how emotionally immature parents impact their children and how to heal.

Girlhood: Raising Our Little Girls to Be Healthy, Happy and Heard by Claire M. Bennett & Alexandra A. Hamlet
A guide for parents raising emotionally resilient daughters.

From Boys to Men: Guiding Our Teen Boys to Grow into Happy, Healthy Men by Dr Will Meek
Helps parents understand and support their teenage sons.

Books That Come Up Most in Sessions

If you're not sure where to begin, start here. These are the books I return to most often in sessions, and the ones clients tend to find most useful.

The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker
Teaches how to trust intuition and recognise warning signs of danger.

Women Who Love Too Much by Robin Norwood
Explores why some women are drawn to unhealthy relationships and how to break free.

The Emotionally Absent Mother by Jasmin Lee Cori
Helps those who grew up with emotionally unavailable parents understand their wounds.

Mother Hunger by Kelly McDaniel
Explores the lasting impact of maternal neglect and how to heal.

Running on Empty: Overcome Your Childhood Emotional Neglect by Jonice Webb
Addresses the long-term effects of childhood emotional neglect and ways to recover.

Where to Find These Books

For convenience, here are links where you can find these books:

Buy Online: Booktopia, Amazon Australia, Dymocks
Borrow from a Library: Trove (National Library of Australia – search libraries across Australia)
Find Secondhand Copies: Better World Books, AbeBooks, Gumtree

Note on Recommended Reading

This list is updated as I come across books worth adding. If something here resonates, feel free to bring it into a session; it can be a useful starting point for the work.

These books work best alongside therapy, as a way of deepening what you're already working through rather than replacing it. If reading is helping you recognise your experience but isn't shifting how it feels, that's often the point where therapy makes the most difference.

If you'd like support, you're welcome to reach out.