I have vivid, wonderful memories of childhood days engrossed in a book, transported to another world! As an adult, unfortunately my time for being whisked away by great fiction is a lot less but I still believe in the immense power of a great book.
Here are some of the books we recommend to our clients who are seeking to know more about themselves and why they do the things they do. We believe that everyone innately desires to live a fulfilling and meaningful life and these books can help you to do that.
Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life by Marshall Rosenberg
Over 1 million copies of this book have been sold and translated into over 30 languages worldwide.
Don’t be put off by the title! Are you are wondering what nonviolence has to do with communication? If being violent means acting in ways that result in hurt or harm, then much of how we communicate with people could indeed be called "violent communication."
Marshall Rosenberg, PhD helps you to discover how the language you use can strengthen your relationships, build trust, prevent conflicts and heal pain.
The book starts off by explaining the basic process of Nonviolent Communication:
1. Observe what's happening - look at what's really going on as if you were watching it on a movie screen without judgment.
2. Identify your feelings about what you observe
3. Explore your unmet needs that lie beneath those feelings
4. Ask for what will help you meet your needs
Those are the basics, but the book is about so much more.
It offers life-changing tools to:
- understand your self and develop emotional and relational intelligence
- improve your communication skills and resolve conflict
- increase your ability to live with choice, meaning, and authentic connection
- understand how empathy can change your life
- understand and express anger
- live a life motivated by joy and integrity
Easy to read, with lots of anecdotes and real-life stories, I know this book can change your life!
Respectful Parents, Respectful Kids: 7 Keys to Turn Family Conflict Into Co-operation by Sura Hart and Victoria Kindle Hodson
Parenting in the 21st century is not simple! It’s easy to get lost in the opinions, research findings and well-meaning friends and relatives who want to offer their suggestions.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, give yourself a break from all that external noise and read this book.
It’s a loving guidebook and resource for parents. More than a tool to correct and manage behavior, it shows parents how to avoid discipline problems and power struggles by creating an environment based on mutual respect, emotional safety, and positive, open communication.
The 7 keys provide step-by-step guidelines for how to:
- achieve mutual parent-child respect rather than submissiveness;
- set firm limits without demands or coercion;
- empower children to co-operate to meet needs for themselves and others.
Because that’s what you want, isn’t it?
Unf*ck Yourself: Get out of your head and into your life & Stop Doing That Sh*t: End Self-Sabotage by Gary John Bishop
Yes, I know the title is a bit confronting but hear me out!
Over 2 million copies of this New York Times bestseller have been sold. What’s all the fuss about?
If you are tired of feeling stuck in destructive patterns of behaviour that are stopping you from living the life you want, Bishop helps you to understand yourself and interrupt those destructive cycles to make the kind of profound shift needed to get your life on track.
Its irreverent style is not for everyone, but if you are tired of doing the same things and expecting different results, this book is a wake-up call to stop the self-sabotaging patterns you are holding onto, but which are ultimately holding you back.
