Book Resources
Passionate Marriage: Keeping Love and Intimacy Alive in Committed Relationships, by David Schnarch. An extremely helpful book in guiding couples to navigate the choreography of intimacy and differentiation.
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking, by Susan Cain. A well written text on how our society stigmatizes those who are more on the introverted side of the introvert/extrovert continuum, and how we undervalue those who prefer to listen and observe. It’s a helpful read in learning to appreciate the gifts of those on the quieter side.
Resurrecting Sex: Resolving Sexual Problems and Rejuvenating Your Relationship, by David Schnarch. This is the same author of Passionate Marriage. Schnarch offers helpful options here in resolving sexual difficulties and the relationship challenges that they can cause.
Silently Seduced: When Parents Make Their Children Partners: Understanding Covert Incest, by Kenneth M. Adams. This very brief but helpful book serves to identify if one has been the victim of emotional (non-sexual/covert) incest and how that may affect their current adult relationships and lives.
The 7 Principles of a Successful Marriage, by John Gottman. This book, the result of many years of scientific study, offers practical questionnaires and exercises, helping to guide partners toward greater harmony and fulfilling intimacy.
The Artist’s Way: A Course in Discovering and Recovering Your Creative Self, by Julia Cameron. Here’s a text that I recommend to some clients who are starting on the path of finding a new career direction. This course helps one to tap into their creativity, not only in producing art, but in taking a more creative approach to grappling with life’s tasks, challenges, and decisions.
The Enneagram: Understanding Yourself and the Others in Your Life, by Helen Palmer. The Enneagram is a very useful tool for getting a better understanding your “personality type” and how that differs for those around you.
The Ethical Slut, by Dossie Easton. This work is a well known primer for many of the potential issues to consider when faced with the possibility of opening up a relationship.
The Feeling Good Handbook, by David Burns. Burns’ handbook is a superb guide in learning about the relationship between how our thoughts influence our emotions and then, how to both recognize and challenge the irrational thoughts. It is the cornerstone for any work in CBT, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
The Mind Body Prescription: Healing the Body, Healing the Pain, by John E. Sarno. This is a fascinating read on the different ways in which our emotions, particularly anger, can affect what we feel in our bodies, be it the pain in our lower back, our stomach, our neck and shoulders, and beyond.
The Velvet Rage, by Alan Downs. This book describes the experience for many gay or bisexual men who grew up in a homophobic time or location in the United States. The author guides the reader in the ways that men absorb the homophobic messages with which they grew up and how those messages have the potential to turn toxic and negatively affect how they view themselves and their present day relationships.
Tuesdays with Morrie, by Mitch Albom. This brief and very touching tale describes the journey of a sweet old college professor, who is facing his own mortality, and his questions of how we find meaning and purpose in this brief life.
Understanding, by Jane Nelsen. This is a more spiritual approach to CBT, finding greater peace of mind in recognizing the power, the necessity, and our ability to manage our thoughts, and consequently, our reality.
Movie Resources
“As Good As It Gets” - OCD
“A Beautiful Mind” - Schizophrenia
“Rachel Getting Married” - depression & alcohol abuse
“Matchstick Men” - OCD & Panic d/o
“When Two Won’t Do” – polyamory
“The Rabbit Hole” – grieving loss of a young child
“Adam” – Aspergers
“Brokeback Mountain” – internalized homophobia
“Lars and the Real Girl” – transitional objects, social phobia
“Crazy Heart” – alcoholism
“Basketball Diaries” – addiction/bottoming out
“Silver Linings Playbook” – bipolar
Organizations in the East Bay, and beyond
AA – Alcoholics Anonymous: http://www.aa.org/
ALANON – For Friends and Families of Problem Drinkers: http://al-anon.org
CODA – Co-Dependents Anonymous: http://coda.org
Crisis Support Services of Alameda County – a 24/7 Hotline for people in any kind of crisis: http://www.crisissupport.org 24-hour phone line: #1-800-309-2131
EMDRIA – the International Association for EMDR, offers explanation for EMDR and what it can accomplish for those in need: http://www.emdria.org
Gaylesta – The Northern California Psychotherapist Association for Gender & Sexual Diversity (LGBTQ): http://gaylesta.org
Open Path Psychotherapy Collective – for those who cannot afford full fee psychotherapy and wish to work with a licensed clinician: http://openpathcollective.org
Pacific Center for Human Growth – a Berkeley Community Center, offering resources, support groups, individual psychotherapy for those who identify as LGBTQ: http://pacificcenter.org
San Francisco Sex Information – offers free, confidential, accurate, and nonjudgmental information about sex, both via phone and email: http://sfsi.org
Stand For Families Free of Violence – an organization that supports those whom are the victims of domestic violence, offering support in prevention, intervention, and treatment programs: http://www.standffov.org