Books
Books have the power to inspire, heal, and transform lives, and at Innergiving, we believe in the profound connection between personal growth and meaningful giving. Our platform features a carefully selected collection of books that align with our mission—covering topics like mindfulness, emotional well-being, mental health, purpose-driven leadership, and the power of generosity. These books serve as both a resource and a companion for those seeking deeper self-awareness while supporting causes that matter. Through reading, reflection, and shared wisdom, we invite our community to explore new perspectives and enrich their journey of inner and outer giving. Sorted in alphabetical order by title.
➤ Kevin Shird ➤ In "A Life for a Life," Kevin Shird offers a powerful and raw memoir that doubles as a social commentary on the American justice and mental healthcare systems.
➤ Elizabeth Gilbert ➤ "All the Way to the River: Love, Loss, and Liberation" by Elizabeth Gilbert is a raw, deeply personal memoir chronicling her love affair with Rayya Elias, who was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2016.
➤ Richard Bank ➤ In "Anxious Attachment and Avoidant Detachment," Richard Banks explores the dynamics of adult romantic relationships through the lens of Attachment Theory, specifically focusing on the push-pull cycle between individuals with anxious and avoidant attachment styles.
➤ Sheleana Aiyana ➤ In "Becoming the One," Sheleana Aiyana, founder of Rising Woman, challenges the traditional narrative of seeking a soulmate by arguing that the most profound relationship we will ever have is with ourselves.
➤ Heather T. Forbes, LCSW and B. Bryan Post ➤ In "Beyond Consequences, Logic, and Control," Heather Forbes and B. Bryan Post challenge traditional, fear-based parenting methods, arguing that they are ineffective and even harmful for children who have experienced trauma, attachment challenges, or adversity.
➤ Susan Cain ➤ In "Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole," Susan Cain explores the universal human experience of sorrow, longing, and bittersweetness, arguing that these emotions are not merely negative feelings to be avoided but are, in fact, essential components of a rich and creative life.
➤ Richard J. Davidson, PhD and Cortland Dahl, PhD ➤ In "Born to Flourish: How New Science and Ancient Wisdom Reveal a Simple Path to Thriving," neuroscientist Richard J. Davidson and contemplative scholar Cortland Dahl present a groundbreaking framework for well-being rooted in the Healthy Minds Framework. They argue that flourishing is not a fixed trait or a stroke of luck, but a learnable skill that can be trained through neuroplasticity.
➤ Christopher M. Palmer, MD ➤ In "Brain Energy," Dr. Christopher Palmer proposes a revolutionary theory that mental illnesses—including depression, anxiety, ADHD, bipolar disorder, and even schizophrenia—are fundamentally metabolic disorders of the brain.
➤ In "Courage Is Calling: Fortune Favors the Brave," Ryan Holiday explores the most foundational of the four Stoic virtues, arguing that courage is the essential catalyst that allows all other virtues to exist. The book is structured into three progressive stages: Fear, Courage, and Heroism. Holiday distinguishes between "scare"—a natural, temporary physiological reaction—and "fear," a paralyzing state of being that he urges readers to defeat through logic and clear definition.
➤ Brené Brown ➤ In "Dare to Lead," Brené Brown argues that leadership is not about titles, status, or power, but about the willingness to step up, put yourself out there, and lean into vulnerability. Based on two decades of research, Brown identifies four skill sets of "courageous leadership" that can be taught, observed, and measured: Rumbling with Vulnerability, Living into Our Values, Braving Trust, and Learning to Rise.
➤ Marc Brackett ➤ In "Dealing with Feeling: Use Your Emotions to Create the Life You Want," Marc Brackett, the author of "Permission to Feel," provides an essential guide for regulating how we respond to our emotions in order to transform our lives.
➤ Dr. Julia DiGangi ➤ In "Energy Rising," neuroscientist Julia DiGangi argues that our emotions are not mysterious, passive feelings but rather a form of energy—a source of vital information that we can learn to understand and work with to improve our lives.
➤ Jeff Brown ➤ In "Grounded Spirituality," Jeff Brown challenges the pervasive notion that true spirituality requires transcending or bypassing our human experience, including our emotions, stories, and physical bodies.
➤ Kate Truitt, PhD ➤ In "Healing in Your Hands," Dr. Kate Truitt introduces the powerful therapeutic technique of Havening as a neuroscientifically-grounded method for self-healing from traumatic stress.
➤ Thomas Insel, MD ➤ In "Healing," Dr. Thomas Insel, the former director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), offers a powerful critique of the current mental healthcare system in America, arguing that despite significant scientific advances, the country has failed to effectively treat and support millions of people with serious mental illness.
➤ Dr. Nicole LePera ➤ In "How to Do the Work," Dr. Nicole LePera, known as "The Holistic Psychologist," argues that many people remain stuck in self-sabotaging patterns due to unaddressed childhood experiences and trauma that lead to dysfunctional mind-body responses.
➤ Helen Russell ➤ In "How to Raise a Viking: The Secrets of Parenting the World's Happiest Children," Helen Russell, a British expat raising a family in Denmark, explores the unique parenting philosophies of Nordic nations.
➤ Katherine Center ➤ In "How to Walk Away," Katherine Center tells the story of Margaret Jacobsen, a high-achieving young woman whose seemingly perfect life is shattered by a catastrophic accident on her wedding day that leaves her paralyzed and facing a daunting recovery.
➤ Kristina Kuzmic ➤ In "I Can Fix This," Kristina Kuzmic, a popular parenting personality, shares a humorous and heartfelt guide to navigating the messiness of modern family life by letting go of the need for perfection.
➤ Terrence Real ➤ In "I Don't Want to Talk About It," psychotherapist Terrence Real argues that depression is a silent epidemic among men, often manifesting not as overt sadness but as "covert depression" expressed through typically male behaviors such as workaholism, anger, addiction, and emotional distance.
➤ In "iGen," Jean Twenge argues that the generation born between 1995 and 2012 (iGen or Gen Z) is fundamentally different from previous generations, largely due to their unique upbringing in a world dominated by smartphones and social media.
➤ Hrund Gunnsteinsdottir ➤ "InnSaei: Heal, Revive and Reset with the Icelandic Art of Intuition" by Hrund Gunnsteinsdóttir explores the concept of Innsæi—an Icelandic word that means both "the sea within" and "to see within"—as a modern solution to the challenges of an increasingly complex and distracted world.
➤ Richard C. Schwartz, PhD ➤ In "Introduction to Internal Family Systems," Richard Schwartz presents his groundbreaking therapeutic model, IFS, which posits that the human mind is naturally comprised of various "parts" or sub-personalities, much like an internal family.
➤ Alex Howard ➤ In "It's Not Your Fault," Alex Howard challenges the conventional understanding of chronic health conditions, particularly those often labeled as "functional" or "medically unexplained" like ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and Long COVID.
➤ David R. Hawkins, M.D., Ph.D. ➤ In "Letting Go: The Pathway of Surrender," David R. Hawkins presents a powerful and practical method for achieving emotional freedom and higher states of consciousness by consciously surrendering resistance to negative emotions.
➤ Johann Hari ➤ In "Lost Connections" Johann Hari challenges the traditional "chemical imbalance" narrative of depression, arguing that it is primarily a social and environmental crisis rather than just a biological one.
➤ Isabelle C. Hau ➤ In "Love to Learn," Isabelle Hau argues that despite advances in technology, the fundamental key to a child's healthy development, resilience, and lifelong learning lies in nurturing, positive relationships.
➤ Viktor E. Frankl ➤ In "Man's Search for Meaning," Viktor Frankl, an Austrian psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor, recounts his experiences in Nazi concentration camps and details his psychotherapeutic method, logotherapy.
➤ Jen Berlingo ➤ In "Midlife Emergence," psychotherapist and coach Jen Berlingo offers a compassionate and insightful guide to navigating the midlife transition, reframing it not as a crisis to be endured but as a profound opportunity for growth and self-discovery.
➤ B Grace Bullock ➤ In "Mindful Relationships: Seven Skills for Success," B. Grace Bullock, drawing on decades of research in neuroscience, psychophysiology, psychology, and contemplative science, argues that chronic stress significantly undermines our well-being and the success of our relationships.
➤ Rasmus Hougaard & Jacqueline Carter with Marissa Afton and Rob Stembridge ➤ In "More Human: How the Power of AI Can Transform the Way You Lead," Rasmus Hougaard and Jacqueline Carter challenge the anxiety surrounding AI by arguing that, when used thoughtfully, the technology can actually enhance essential human-centered leadership qualities.
➤ Bill Plotkin ➤ In "Nature and the Human Soul," Bill Plotkin proposes a visionary ecopsychology of human development, arguing that the pervasive modern yearning for meaning and fulfillment can be addressed by aligning individual growth with the wisdom of the natural world and the human soul.
➤ Stephanie Harrison ➤ In "New Happy," Stephanie Harrison challenges the conventional, often unfulfilling pursuit of happiness—what she terms "Old Happy"—which emphasizes external achievements, perfectionism, and individualism.
➤ Richard V. Reeves ➤ In "Of Boys and Men," Richard Reeves argues that boys and men in modern society are facing significant structural challenges, leading to struggles in education, work, and family life.
➤ Niobe Way ➤ In "Rebels with a Cause," developmental psychologist Niobe Way argues that the widespread mental health crisis among boys and men, characterized by loneliness, anxiety, and violence, stems from a toxic "boy culture" that devalues and mocks emotional intimacy and close male friendships.
➤ Richard C. Schwartz, PhD and Thomas Hubl, PhD ➤ In "Releasing Our Burdens," Internal Family Systems (IFS) founder Richard Schwartz and collective trauma expert Thomas Hübl join forces to argue that true healing requires looking far beyond the individual. They contend that the emotional "burdens" we carry are rarely just our own; they are often "legacy burdens" passed down through generations or absorbed from the collective trauma of society.
➤ Dr. Nicole LePera ➤ "Reparenting the Inner Child" by Dr. Nicole LePera (often known as The Holistic Psychologist) explores how our earliest childhood experiences create the "blueprints" for our adult behaviors, such as people-pleasing, self-sabotage, and emotional reactivity.
➤ Rachel Salzberg ➤ In "ReSoul Revolution," Rachel Salzberg presents a guide to personal transformation by aligning the brain and the soul, leveraging insights from neuroscience and spirituality.
➤ Gabor Mate, M.D. ➤ In "Scattered Minds," Gabor Maté argues that ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is not a genetic disease but a developmental disorder stemming from emotional pain and unfulfilled attachment needs, often rooted in early childhood experiences.
➤ Jane McGonigal ➤ In "Secrets of Adulthood: Simple Truths for Our Complex Lives," Gretchen Rubin distills decades of her research on happiness, habits, and human nature into a collection of pithy, memorable aphorisms designed to navigate the trials of modern life.
➤ In "Shift: Managing Your Emotions—So They Don't Manage You," neuroscientist and psychologist Ethan Kross reframes emotions as a vital "internal immune system" rather than forces to be suppressed or feared. Building on his work in Chatter, Kross argues that emotions are essential signals that provide data about our environment; the goal of emotional maturity is not to eliminate negative feelings, but to utilize them as information to guide better decision-making.
➤ Adam Nember ➤ In "Simple Mental Health," former healthcare executive Adam Nemer provides a compelling bridge between corporate performance and personal well-being, arguing that mental health literacy is an essential "power skill" for modern leadership. Drawing on his own eighteen-year struggle with undiagnosed depression and anxiety while serving as a CFO at Kaiser Permanente, Nemer dismantles the "Isolation Cycle"—a self-perpetuating loop of myth, stigma, shame, and silence—that prevents over 20% of the workforce from seeking help.
➤ Jane McGonigal ➤ In "SuperBetter," game designer Jane McGonigal argues that the psychological strengths we naturally employ when playing games—such as optimism, creativity, courage, and determination—can be intentionally harnessed to overcome real-life challenges and achieve personal growth.
➤ Joanna Schroeder and Christopher Pepper ➤ In "Talk to Your Boys," Joanna Schroeder and Christopher Pepper provide a practical and urgent guide for parents to foster open communication with their tween and teen sons.
➤ Paulo Coelho ➤ "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho tells the allegorical story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who embarks on a journey to the Egyptian pyramids after repeatedly dreaming of a hidden treasure there.
➤ In "The Amazing Generation: Your Guide to Fun and Freedom in a Screen-Filled World," social psychologist Jonathan Haidt and science journalist Catherine Price translate the research from Haidt’s bestseller The Anxious Generation into a practical, kid-friendly handbook aimed at 9- to 12-year-olds.
➤ Jonathan Haidt ➤ In "The Anxious Generation" Jonathan Haidt argues that the dramatic decline in adolescent mental health, marked by rising rates of anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicide since the early 2010s, is primarily due to two interconnected factors: the decline of play-based childhoods and the pervasive rise of smartphone and social media use.
➤ Sarah Naish ➤ In "The A-Z of Therapeutic Parenting," Sarah Naish offers a comprehensive and practical guide for parents and caregivers raising children who have experienced trauma, attachment difficulties, or early adversity.
➤ Aimie Apigian, MD ➤ In "The Biology of Trauma," Aimie Apigian, a functional medicine physician and trauma expert, posits that trauma is not merely a psychological or emotional event, but an experience deeply encoded within the body's biology, influencing cellular function, the nervous system, and overall health.
➤ Michael Scheeringa ➤ In "The Body Does Not Keep the Score," psychiatrist Michael Scheeringa challenges the central premise of Bessel van der Kolk's popular book, arguing that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is primarily a disorder of cognition and memory, not a physical condition stored in the body.
➤ Bessel Van Der Kolk, MD ➤ In "The Body Keeps the Score," Bessel van der Kolk explores the profound and lasting impact of psychological trauma on the brain, mind, and body.
➤ In "The Comfort Crisis," Michael Easter argues that modern life's obsession with convenience, climate control, and constant stimulation has created a "comfort creep" that is paradoxically making us less resilient, less healthy, and more prone to depression. Blending adventure narrative with scientific research, Easter chronicles his 33-day backcountry caribou hunt in the Alaskan wilderness to illustrate how humans evolved to thrive through hardship rather than avoid it.
➤ Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga ➤ "The Courage to be Disliked" by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga, presented as a dialogue between a young man and a philosopher, introduces the core tenets of Alfred Adler's individual psychology.
➤ Judson Brewer ➤ In "The Craving Mind," Judson Brewer, a neuroscientist and addiction psychiatrist, reveals how cravings—whether for substances like nicotine, behaviors like checking social media, or even thoughts and emotions—are rooted in the brain's reward-based learning system.
➤ Rick Rubin ➤ In "The Creative Act: A Way of Being," legendary music producer Rick Rubin shares his philosophy on creativity, framing it not as a skill to be mastered but as a fundamental and mystical aspect of human existence.
➤ Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath ➤ In "The Digital Delusion," cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath challenges the common belief that technology inherently enhances learning, arguing instead that excessive digital consumption often hinders genuine understanding and long-term memory formation. Release date: December 7, 2025.
➤ Don Miguel Ruiz ➤ In "The Four Agreements," Don Miguel Ruiz presents a simple yet profound code of conduct derived from ancient Toltec wisdom, designed to transform one's life by challenging deeply ingrained, self-limiting beliefs and behaviors.
➤ Arthur C. Brooks ➤ "The Meaning of Your Life" by Arthur C. Brooks explores why finding a sense of purpose has become increasingly difficult in the modern world. Brooks, a social scientist and happiness expert, argues that rapid technological and societal shifts have rewired our brains to focus on logic and tasks, often at the expense of our "existential" needs.
➤ Gabor Mate with Daniel Mate ➤ In "The Myth of Normal," Gabor Maté argues that many of the chronic physical and mental illnesses prevalent in Western societies are not simply individual pathologies but rather normal, adaptive responses to an abnormal, toxic culture.
➤ Vienna Pharaon ➤ In "The Origins of You," licensed marriage and family therapist Vienna Pharaon argues that our adult behaviors, particularly in relationships, are deeply influenced by unhealed "origin wounds" from our family of origin.
➤ Liza K. Collins ➤ In "The Physiology of Bullying," author and leadership strategist Liza K. Collins reframes workplace bullying not as a personality clash or "bad behavior," but as a critical biological crisis. Drawing on her extensive background in healthcare and organizational sociology, Collins explains how chronic harassment and toxic environments trigger a profound physiological response, flooding the body with stress hormones and rewiring the brain’s nervous system into a state of permanent "survival mode."
➤ Don Miguel Ruiz Jr. ➤ In "The Poisoned Arrow," Don Miguel Ruiz Jr., son of the author of "The Four Agreements," builds upon his family's Toltec wisdom to explore how self-doubt, criticism, and fear act as "poisoned arrows" that we shoot at ourselves.
➤ Eckhart Tolle ➤ In "The Power of Now," Eckhart Tolle introduces the core concept that most human suffering stems from an overidentification with the "mind"—the constant stream of thoughts, worries about the future, and regrets about the past.
➤ Jonathan Haidt ➤ In "The Righteous Mind," Jonathan Haidt argues that human morality is not solely based on rational thought but is fundamentally rooted in a set of innate, evolutionarily developed moral intuitions.
➤ Chris Hayes ➤ In "The Siren’s Call," MSNBC host Chris Hayes provides a sweeping analysis of "attention capitalism," arguing that our focus has been transformed into a commodified resource extracted by tech giants for profit.
➤ Michael A. Singer ➤ In "The Untethered Soul," Michael A. Singer invites readers on a profound journey of self-discovery, positing that true freedom and inner peace are found by transcending the ego and observing one's thoughts and emotions from a detached, centered awareness.
➤ Lawrence Ford ➤ In "The World Doesn't Need You," Lawrence Ford challenges the pervasive modern mindset of seeking validation and worth through outward achievement, societal metrics, and a self-centered focus.
➤ Lisa M. Lawson ➤ In "Thrive," Lisa Lawson argues that breakthroughs in adolescent brain science reveal that young people require stable relationships, meaningful opportunities, and strong support to successfully transition into adulthood.
➤ Vivek H. Murthy, MD ➤ In "Together," Dr. Vivek Murthy, former U.S. Surgeon General, posits that loneliness is a pervasive and under-recognized public health crisis, as detrimental to health as smoking or obesity.
➤ John Perkins ➤ In "Touching the Jaguar," John Perkins recounts his transformative journey from an "economic hit man" – a role he exposed in his earlier work, where he helped exploit developing nations for corporate gain – to an impassioned activist dedicated to transforming a destructive "Death Economy" into a sustainable "Life Economy."
➤ Francesca Sipma ➤ In "Unblock Your Purpose," Francesca Sipma presents a revolutionary approach to personal growth called HypnoBreathwork, which she developed to help individuals overcome subconscious blocks and discover their true purpose.
➤ Dan Heath ➤ In "Upstream," Dan Heath argues that society is often trapped in a reactive "downstream" mindset, constantly addressing problems after they've occurred rather than proactively preventing them.
➤ Jon Kabat-Zinn ➤ In "Wherever You Go, There You Are," Jon Kabat-Zinn offers an accessible introduction to mindfulness, emphasizing that it's not about achieving a special state, but rather about bringing present-moment, non-judgmental awareness to whatever is happening in one's life.
➤ Michael A. Singer ➤ In Wisdom Untethered, Singer addresses life’s deepest challenges by offering direct answers to questions about finding peace amid chaos, silencing the mind's endless chatter, and releasing emotional pain.
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