The Power of Words: Our Favorite Books on Addiction and Recovery

September 6th is “Read a Book Day,” and we wanted to share with you some of our favorite books on addiction, recovery, trauma, and overall well-being. The right book at the right moment has the potential to change people’s lives. The books mentioned below are impactful, well written, and have the ability to change how you think.

Books on Addiction

In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts by Dr. Gabor Maté 

Unspoken Legacy: Addressing the Impact of Trauma and Addiction Within the Family by Claudia Black

Books for Parents or Caregivers

Trauma-Proofing Your Kids by Maggie Kline and Peter A. Levine

Parenting From the Inside Out by Mary Hartzell, M.Ed. and Daniel J. Siegel, M.D.

The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel J. Siegel, M.D. and Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D.

Childhood Disrupted: How Your Biography Becomes Your Biology, and How You Can Heal by Donna Jackson Nakazawa

Books for Those on the Front Lines

Trauma Stewardship: An Everyday Guide to Caring for Self While Caring for Others

by Laura van Dernoot Lipsky and and Connie Burk

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson

How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

Books for Understanding Trauma

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk M.D.

Waking the Tiger by Peter A. Levine

Trauma and the Body: A Sensorimotor Approach to Psychotherapy by Pat Ogden, Ph.D., Clare Pain, M.D., and Kekuni Minton

What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing by Oprah Winfrey and Bruce D. Perry, M.D., Ph.D.

Books for Overall Wellbeing

Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence by Rick Hanson

What books have made a positive change in your life? Let us know and we will add it to our reading list! If you or someone you know is seeking treatment for addiction, reach out to Sage Home to find out how we can help.