Below is a compilation of various mental health resources.

Do share with fellow readers in the comment box below other information and resources that you’ve found to be useful.

Anxiety, Depression & Bipolar

• An Unquiet Mind is a seminal classic by Dr Kay Redfield Jamison, one of the foremost authorities on manic-depressive (bipolar) illness who also has experienced it firsthand. The book is written with enormous candor, vividness, and wisdom — transformative and life-saving.

• We stumbled upon Dr. Alice Boyes’s blog and we are instantly struck by the compassion in her voice, even as she dispenses no-nonsense very practical anxiety-management tips and tools. Anxiety Toolkit compiles all of those useful information and suggestions in one convenient book.

• Lost Connections is a radical and controversial book on depression and anxiety. We do not take such an extreme position as author Johann Hari — we believe building social connections is supplemental and complementary to traditional therapy and medication, in overcoming mental health struggles.

Psychology

• Thrilled to have more books that talk about cultural competency and specificity in mental health Permission to Come Home: Reclaiming Mental Health as Asian Americans.

• Don’t let the over-the-top title — How to Stubbornly Refuse to Make Yourself Miserable About Anything—Yes, Anything! — detracts you from reading this book. It offers many great insights. We found the sections on interrogating and refuting our own flawed beliefs to be super helpful.

• We recommend Brené Brown’s The Power of Vulnerability to most anyone because it is so fundamental — understanding the basic of shame, vulnerability, and trust can lead us to the connections, joy, and love we crave and deserve. Other excellent books by Brown: The Gifts of Imperfections, Rising Strong, Braving the Wilderness, and Daring Greatly.

Mindfulness and Spirituality

• Wherever You Go, There You Are — this classic by Jon Kabat-Zinn is a great entry to understanding mindfulness and starting a meditation practice.

• Power of Now explains the value and practice of being present. In this hyper-connected, super fast-paced world we live in, Eckhart Toole’s book is especially relevant now, more than ever.

• While some of the concepts from The Seat of the Soul may seem a little dated now (it was published almost 3 decades ago!), the book is a wonderful reminder for us to set and focus on our Intention.

• Don’t let the heavy-on-Christian-terminologies deters you from reading Tears to Triumph — it’s ultimately a book on forgiveness and true healing, if we can learn to face our pain and wrestle with what it has to teach us.

Personal Development

• Spark Joy has gotten some good and bad reps lately. But we stand by this book: Physical de-cluttering can lead to mental and emotional clarity.

• The Soul of Money may sound woo-woo at first but the concepts in the book can be so illuminating. One fundamental concept that has transformed our relationships and attitudes towards was from this book: the opposite of Scarcity is not abundance, but Sufficiency.

• Getting Things Done — many of us with mental health struggles are often-times overwhelmed, avoidant, and procrastinating. Implementing just one or two suggestions from this book can greatly improve our day-to-day lives.

• We believe that the practice of creative play can improve our overall mental health. Because of that, we whole-heartedly recommend The Artist’s Way.

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We are also NOT medical/mental health professionals. The information we posted on this website is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, or used for medical diagnosis and treatment — it is provided for educational supplemental purposes only. When in doubt, always seek the advice of your physician or qualified healthcare provider.

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