Books

Below are a list and short summary of all the recovery focused books I have read.

When I get the time, I will write a short review on all of them and the aspects which I found most helpful. However, until then, I recommend the first book ‘Eating in the Light of the Moon’ is a great one to start reading! Enjoy!

Eating Disorder Recovery Books
	Eating in the Light of the Moon- Dr Anita JohnstonThis would have to be one of my favourite books. I highly recommend it to everyone suffering from an eating disorder! “By weaving practical insights and exercises through a rich tapestry of multicultural myths, ancient legends, and folktales, Anita Johnston helps the millions of women preoccupied with their weight discover and address the issues behind their negative attitudes toward food.”
.	8 Keys to Recovery from an eating disorder- Carolyn Costin & Gwen Grabb “For anyone who has suffered, their family and friends, and other helping professionals, this book should be by your side. With great compassion and clinical expertise, Costin and Grabb walk readers through the ins and outs of the recovery process, describing what therapy entails, clarifying the common associated emotions such as fear, guilt, and shame, and, most of all, providing motivation to seek help if you have been discouraged, resistant, or afraid. The authors bring self-disclosure to a level not yet seen in an eating disorder book and offer hope to readers that full recovery is possible”
.	Goodbye ed, hello me- Jenni SchaeferThis is the second book written by Jenni after her first book ‘Life without ed’. “In “Goodbye Ed, Hello Me” Jenni shows you that being fully recovered is not just about breaking free from destructive behaviors with food and having a healthy relationship with your body; it also means finding joy and peace in your life.”
	Intuitive Eating- Evelyn Tribole & Elyse Resch This is the ultimate goal for anyone who has trouble with disordered eating. A must read book. Probably best suited to someone further along their recovery path as the concept requires you to have hunger and satiety signals. “We’ve all been there-angry with ourselves for overeating, for our lack of willpower, for failing at yet another diet that was supposed to be the last one. But the problem is not you, it’s that dieting, with its emphasis on rules and regulations, has stopped you from listening to your body. Written by two prominent nutritionists, Intuitive Eating focuses on nurturing your body rather than starving it, encourages natural weight loss, and helps you find the weight you were meant to be”
.	Women, Food and God- Geneen Roth “The way you eat is inseparable from your core beliefs about being alive. No matter how sophisticated or wise or enlightened you believe you are, how you eat tells all. The world is on your plate. When you begin to understand what prompts you to use food as a way to numb or distract yourself, the process takes you deeper into realms of spirit and to the bright center of your own life. Rather than getting rid of or instantly changing your conflicted relationship with food, Women Food and God is about welcoming what is already here, and contacting the part of yourself that is already whole—divinity itself.”
.	Starved: Mercy for Eating Disorders- Nancy Alcorn “Nancy combines deep compassion with practical knowledge, insight and guidance from Gods Word. The lives of more than two thousand young women who have experienced the life-changing program of Mercy Ministries, which Nancy founded, are proof that these principles work. Starved will help you learn how to recognize the signs and symptoms of an eating disorder, understand how and why eating disorders develop, and know how to break free and stay free. Read the stories of girls just like you, who once had no hope but now live with joy and freedom. There is mercy for eating disorders!”
.	Hidden Hunger- Maxine Vorster “Hidden Hunger is essentially Maxine’s story about her own struggle with an eating disorder. She talks about the possible causes of eating disorders, going back to childhood years. Although eating problems are very real, they’re actually the symptoms of a much deeper hunger, which is usually hidden – even from those who are desperate to be free. This book looks at many of the root causes of eating disorders and offers help and hope to all those who suffer in this area and those who care for them. This is written from Maxine’s heart and reflects her personal experience…”
.	Bronte’s Story- Bronte Cullis & Steve Bibb “Bronte Cullis was the Melbourne teenager whose battle with anorexia captured the hearts of Australians in a series of stories and documentaries by Ray Martin for the Nine Network. Bronte’s parents knew their daughter would die unless they did something drastic. They mortgaged the family home, sold what they could and sent Bronte to the Montreux Clinic, an unconventional eating disorder clinic in Canada. It was Bronte’s last chance at survival. . .Bronte kept diaries from diagnosis to recovery. This is her story.”
.	Hollow: An unpolished tale- Jena Morrow “Twenty nine years, 7 months, 14 days and the battle still rages. Jena Morrow has an eating disorder. It can kill her. Jena Morrow has a Savior. He came to give her abundant life. This is not a polished tale of victory but an honest, true story of fragility. “Hollow” recounts Jena’s daily struggle with anorexia and the God who is able and willing to reach down into the dirt. A central theme of “Hollow “is the surrender of control to Jesus Christ. His Word is interwoven throughout the story as rebuttals to the lies that besiege those engaged in any addiction. In addition to her point of view, Jena includes those of her friends, family, and former therapists providing an undercurrent of hope. Written in an easy conversational voice, “Hollow” will resonate with those in the midst of a struggle and those who stand beside them.”
.	A new name- Emma Scrivener “This is an outstanding autobiographical book. The writing style is eloquently honest: she writes about her war with anorexia candidly but without cliche or self-absorption. There is an honesty here with which she looks at what is arguably the heart or root issue of anorexia — the promise of powerful control that ends up proving deceitful. First, because her take on some of the core dynamics of eating disorders and self-harm is not a million miles off from that of some secular writers I have read. There is a common ground. Second, she is not reductionistic and, so, avoids any simplistic prescription: there is no “here are the five steps to recovery”. Third, as she addresses issues of identity, image, and human longings she deftly manages to include all of us, even those of us not specifically facing the horrors of anorexia.”
Depressions Books
.	Who switched off my brain?- Dr Caroline Leaf “We’re living in an epidemic of toxic emotions. Research shows that as much as 87% to 95% of mental and physical illnesses are a direct result of toxic thinking–proof that our thoughts affect us physically and emotionally. In this best-selling book, Dr. Caroline Leaf clearly communicates 13 ways to detox your thought life and live a life of physical, mental, and emotional wholeness.”
. .	Ready to Win over Depression- Thelma Wells “Popular speaker and author Thelma Wells knows firsthand how difficult depression can be. She provides powerful tools readers can use to successfully battle depression. With her trademark action-based, faith living, Thelma offers powerful real-life stories, medical facts, and biblical truths. She helps readers evaluate where they are (clinical depression, situational depression, “the blues”) and implement four steps to counter life’s negatives”
. .	Cut: Mercy for Self-harm- Nancy Alcorn “You keep the scars hidden and tell yourself you can stop, but you cant. You think the pain of cutting will end the hurt inside, but it always comes back. Maybe you dont even want to admit that you engage in self-harm. Is there any hope for breaking free? Cut will help you learn to recognize the signs and symptoms of self-harm, understand how and why these behaviors develop, and know how to break free and stay free. Read the stories of girls just like you, who once had no hope but now live with joy and freedom. Theres also a special section for parents and others who care. There is mercy for self-harm!”
	The Treasures of Darkness- Betty McCutchan “Has there ever been a time in your life when you had to leave everything you have ever known and rush headlong into something not known, not wanted by you? At such times, all of us experience deep fears, doubts and horrifying anxieties. We don t know which way to turn. All we want to do is go back to what was and no longer is. Mourning is a non-illuminated place. We don t want to experience it, especially for long periods of time. It s the blackest of black, the darkest of dark, and the gravest of grave. It is a place most of us would just as soon not visit. But if we don t go there and allowing ourselves to go there is a choice then we would never experience the rich treasures embedded within its solemn dreariness.”
. .	I had a Black Dog- Matthew Artist and writer Matthew Johnstone, a sufferer himself, has written and illustrated this moving and uplifting insight into what it is like to have a Black Dog as a companion. It shows that strength and support that can be found within and around us to tame it. Black Dog can be a terrible beast, but with the right steps can be brought to heel. “There are many different breeds of Black Dog affecting millions of people from all walks of life. The Black Dog is an equal opportunity mongrel.” Matthew Johnstone
. .	Self-Injury: When pain feels good- Edward Welch “Edward T. Welch writes this eye-opening and encouraging booklet assuming that you feel trapped in a cycle of self-injury or that you love someone who does. Welch helps loved ones to understand the self-injurer’s world. And if you are the one who feels trapped by this behavior, he lovingly describes a cure that is more attractive than you think. If you want peace and rest, you must look away from yourself. Look to Jesus-the answers reside in him”
. .	Depression: The way up when you are down- Edward Welch “If you are one of the many people suffering from depression, there is hope and there is help-a way up when you are down. Even if you don?t feel like doing anything, this booklet provides manageable steps for getting started on the path that leads out of depression. Edward T. Welch helps us understand the spiritual issues involved, whether one’s depression is caused by physical problems or results in them. Getting to the heart of what depression says and means, Welch guides us through a process of dealing with depression biblically and effectively”
Workbooks
. .	The food and feelings workbook- Karen Koening “An extraordinary, powerful connection exists between feeling and feeding that, if damaged, may lead to one relying on food for emotional support, rather than seeking authentic happiness. This unique workbook takes on the seven emotions that plague problem eaters – guilt, shame, helplessness, anxiety, disappointment, confusion, and loneliness – and shows readers how to embrace and learn from their feelings.“
. .	ACT made simple- Russ HarrisAlthough written for mental health professionals, I find this book very helpful. “A practical and entertaining primer, ideal for ACT newcomers and experienced ACT professionals alike, ACT Made Simple offers clear explanations of the six ACT processes and a set of real-world tips and solutions for rapidly and effectively implementing them in your practice. This book gives you everything you need to start using ACT with your clients for impressive results. Inside, you’ll find: scripts, exercises, metaphors, and worksheets to use with your clients; a session-by-session guide to implementing ACT; transcripts from therapy sessions; guidance for creating your own therapeutic techniques and exercises; and practical tips to overcome ‘therapy roadblocks.'”
. .	The Freedom from Depression Workbook- Les Carter & Frank Minirth “Learn to manage depression in ‘The Freedom from Depression Workbook.’ Les Carter, Ph.D., and Frank Minirth, M.D., introduces a 12-part interactive program that identifies moods and patterns which affect our feelings. With the help of this book, peel back the layers of what causes depression and learn to develop keys to lasting change.”
. .	Finding your voice through Creativity- Mindy Jacobson-Levy Love love love this! “This workbook combines art therapy exercises and guided journal writing for individuals who want to explore their relationship with food and their bodies in a new way. Written by board-certified art psychotherapists, the pages of this workbook literally serve as a canvas for thoughts and feelings “spoken” primarily through art and elaborated upon through writing. Included are 58 expressive art projects and corresponding written exercises, which lead readers through specific stages of self-discovery related to disordered eating patterns, body image issues, relationships, life skills, emotions, self love, and personal transformation.”
. .	The Dialectical Behaviour Therapy Skills Workbook- McKay, Wood & BrantleyA must have I highly recommend it! “Developed for treating borderline personality disorder, dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) has proven effective as treatment for a range of other mental health problems. This book offers exercises for learning and putting into practice the four core DBT skills: mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation and distress tolerance.”
. .	The Dialectical Behaviour Therapy Diary- McKay & Wood “‘The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Diary’ presents an overview of each of the four DBT skills-distress tolerance, mindfulness, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness-and includes a journal you can use each day to monitor your successes, chart your progress, and stay on track making productive changes in your life.”
. .	365 Days of Mindfulness- Yvette JaneVery handy little book to keep around the house. Maybe in the kitchen as a reminder of the first thing to read each morning. “‘Every breath is an opportunity to receive and let go. I receive love and I let go of pain.’ Brenda MacIntyre. Create a moment of mindfuless every day with this book of inspirational quotations and insightful activities to refresh your spirit all year round.”