Resources
Below is a list of my favourite websites and resources that I share with clients, friends and loved ones. I use these myself and have found them to be great sources of support in times of need.
Websites
https://self-compassion.org/
This is a great website from Dr. Kristin Neff, the leading researcher on self-compassion. It has helpful videos, as well as exercises and guided meditations to help you increase your self-compassion. It also has a short test you can take to help get a sense for your areas of strength and growth edges when it comes to practicing self-compassion.
https://yogawithadriene.com/
An awesome website if you’re looking for a gentle, supportive, at-home yoga practice. Adriene is very relatable and down-to-earth, and has videos tailored to a wide range of areas (e.g. yoga for a broken heart, yoga for sleep, yoga for anxiety). She also makes cool (free!) 30-day yoga programs that are fun to participate in.
https://brenebrown.com/
Chock full of great resources.
https://highlysensitiverefuge.com/
For those who identify as a Highly Sensitive Person
https://www.haileymagee.com/blog-1
This is a website tailored to codependency recovery.
https://www.gottman.com/
This website is developed by Dr. John Gottman, the leading researcher on couples’ relationships. It’s loaded with great articles and videos that help you increase your understanding of effective communication in relationships and how to increase connection with loved ones.
Here are two of my most-recommended articles that speak to healthy communication in relationships:
The Four Horsemen: Criticism, Contempt, Defensiveness, and Stonewalling
and
The Four Horsemen: The Antidotes
Meditation
A 45-minute guided meditation, led by Jon Kabat Zinn (a.k.a. the “father of mindfulness”). He helps guide you through scanning and placing your attention on various parts of your body, which promotes a deep sense of relaxation. Nice to listen to any time, particularly when you want to wind down from the day.
This is a collection of RAIN (Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nourish) Guided Meditations led by Tara Brach. These meditations help us to be present and curious with our feelings, allowing space for them to move through us, and bringing self-compassion as we navigate difficult times.
Insight Timer is a free app that I love for guided meditations, music, lectures, etc. https://insighttimer.com/en-ca
Videos
One of the most all-time-viewed TED talks, here Brené Brown talks about her work studying vulnerability. Brené discusses her many years of research, and findings about how we all have our “shame stories,” and how we put up walls to protect from judgment and further emotional injury. And yet how at our core, as human beings, we all want to feel connected. Dr. Brown shares ways we can begin to take down those walls, by consciously and intentionally sharing ourselves more fully with others.
What's the difference between empathy and sympathy? We all struggle at times to know how to comfort a friend. This video brilliantly depicts some of the traps we can unknowingly fall into, and how we can respond to our loved ones in a more caring, truly comforting way.
Another on-point video from Brené Brown, that highlights a new way of looking at our reflexive instinct to blame, and gives ideas about how we can better examine our responses.
Introduction to EMDR - Click Here.
This video from Deb Dana (Polyvagal Theory) guides you in exploring ways to nourish your nervous system.
Podcasts
Small Things Often (John Gottman, relationships)
Where Should We Begin (Esther Perel, relationships)
Super Soul (Oprah)
Joyful Courage Parenting Podcast
Nurture vs. Nurture (parenting)
Being Well with Dr. Rick Hanson
On Being (spiritual growth)
Podcast with Dr. Richard Schwartz discussing and practicing Internal Family Systems (part-self) work with Tim Ferriss. This is an approach we use when working with trauma, understanding that we all have "parts" within us that develop out of a need to adapt to our environment. The goal with IFS is to understand and get to know out parts so that we can feel integrated and whole: check out the episode here.
Brene Brown talks to Emily and Amelia Nagoski about their research on emotions and ways to fully move through an emotional experience so as to avoid burnout.
Books
Just One Thing by Rick Hanson, Ph.D.
What Happened to You? by Bruce Perry and Oprah Winfrey
The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D
Anchored by Deb Dana
Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski, Ph.D.
Books by Dan Siegel, Ph.D.