You don’t have to burn out to justify rest. You don’t have to carry your family’s unspoken trauma to be a good daughter, partner, or mother. And you absolutely don’t need to “bounce back” from anything to be whole.

This list is for the cycle-breakers, the burnt-out perfectionists, the women in the middle of a messy transformation. These are the books we recommend when you’re ready to come home to your body, find language for your experiences, and build a life that’s grounded in choice, not survival.

For Nervous System Regulation & Trauma Healing:

1. Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma by Peter A. Levine
The foundational text on Somatic Experiencing—offering readers an accessible introduction to how trauma lives in the body and how it can be discharged safely.

Why we recommend it: Essential reading for understanding the biology of trauma and the possibility of deep repair.

2. The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
A widely loved (and widely quoted) classic on the interplay between trauma, memory, brain development, and healing.

Why we recommend it: Dense, but incredibly validating. A must-read for those wanting to understand their trauma responses with both science and compassion.

3. The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy by Deb Dana
This guide bridges theory and practice, showing how our autonomic nervous system responds to safety and threat.

Why we recommend it: If you’ve ever wanted to understand your window of tolerance or why certain things dysregulate you, this is your roadmap.

4. Trauma Through a Child’s Eyes by Peter A. Levine & Maggie Kline
A powerful exploration of how trauma affects children and how adults can support healing through presence, play, and safety.

Why we recommend it: Helpful for clinicians, caregivers, and parents trying to support little nervous systems.

5. Buddha’s Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of  Happiness, Love and Wisdom by Rick Hanson
Combining neuroscience, mindfulness, and psychology, this book offers practical strategies for cultivating joy and inner resilience.

Why we recommend it : Grounded, gentle, and incredibly useful for nervous system regulation and positive neuroplasticity.

6. When the Body Says No by Gabor Maté
This book examines the link between suppressed emotions and chronic illness, with powerful case studies and compassionate insight.

Why we recommend it: A life-changer for many. It puts language to the cost of self-abandonment and emotional repression.

7. The Deepest Well by Nadine Burke Harris
Based on groundbreaking research about ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences), this book connects childhood trauma to lifelong health and healing outcomes.

Why we recommend it: For anyone wanting to break intergenerational cycles, this is essential reading.

For Women Reclaiming Identity & Autonomy:

8. Untamed by Glennon Doyle
A fierce, funny, and heartfelt memoir about shedding the expectations of others to live more freely and fully.

Why we recommend it: Because so many of our clients are asking: Who was I before I was trying to be everything to everyone?

9. Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski
An empowering, science-backed exploration of women’s sexuality and how it’s impacted by stress, shame, and nervous system state.

Why we recommend it: This book helps women understand their bodies, their arousal patterns, and their needs in a whole new way.

10. Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker
Not trauma-specific, but absolutely relevant. This deep dive into the science of sleep offers compelling evidence for prioritizing rest and recovery.

Why we recommend it: Because healing requires rest. And this book helps you stop treating sleep like a luxury.

11. The Relaxed Woman by Nicola Jane Hobbs
A beautifully written invitation to reclaim rest, ritual, and softness.

Why we recommend it: For those learning how to slow down without guilt, this book is a balm.

12. The New Menopause by Dr. Mary Claire Haver
A comprehensive guide that meets women at the crossroads of midlife with practical advice and hormonal understanding.

Why we recommend it: For women navigating body shifts, mood changes, and hormonal upheaval—this one’s a keeper.

13. Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents by Lindsay C. Gibson, PsyD
This book helps readers understand how unmet emotional needs in childhood shape adult relationships and self-perception.

Why we recommend it: It’s a revelation for many clients who feel stuck in roles they didn’t choose but can now outgrow.

These Books Are Mirrors and Maps

They won’t fix you. Because you were never broken. But they will offer new ways to understand your patterns, honor your needs, and expand your capacity to be present, safe, and free.

At Embody + Mind Collective, we love connecting clients to the resources that resonate with where they are. These aren’t just recommendations—they’re invitations to begin or deepen your healing journey.

Want more support integrating what you’re learning?

• Explore our Somatic Therapy Offerings
• Read more about Nervous System Education & Regulation
• Schedule a free consult with one of our trauma-informed therapists

You don’t have to do it all alone. Let these books support you. Let us support you too.