From Voiceless To Vocal by Danielle Larson

I was looking forward to reading this book and it didn't disappoint. The story follows Danielle's experiences of meeting the man who would become her husband and their turbulent relationship as it develops, through a disastrous abusive relationship and miscarriage. She paints a picture of a thoroughly unpleasant individual with nasty, belittling behaviours. He cuts off her family and turns her into a nervous wreck with no confidence. The situation is compounded by a misdiagnosis of bipolar disorder, which has Danielle on medication that clouds her thinking. It seems this is part of the reason why she stays in this awful relationship, and doesn't flee from the situation earlier.

Drowning: A Memoir, by Andy Palmer

 

Brilliantly written, this insightful memoir offers a revealing perpective into the life of an addict. It takes you on a journey, from Andy's childhood relationships and misdemeanours, through to his struggles with addiction as a young adult. The descriptive detail really brings the story to life, but there's not so much detail that it becomes cumbersome or boring. I loved the description of Andy's grandfather's house - a real reminder of the 1970s, and I'd urge people considering reading this book to download the free sample, because the first chapter kicks off very well. As a reader, I did feel frustrated as Andy hopped from one great opportunity to another, messing each one up, because of his addiction to alcohol and drugs.

Without Conscience by Robert D Hare PhD

This book is fascinating. I was interested in psychopaths in the community, rather than in prison, and this book covers both. It explores how psychopaths behave, what drives them, how they treat their family and acquaintances. When your child is a psychopath and how to get help, as well as looking at how to protect yourself when you find yourself in a relationship with a psychopath.

Emotional Healing in Minutes by Valerie and Paul Lynch

Emotional Healing in Minutes sounds impressive. Too good to be true? In my case, probably. It's  based on the Emotional Freedom Technique and involves learning energy points on the body, so you can tap them, and in so doing, release negative emotions, virtually instantly!

I tried it. Perhaps it did help a little. When I was feeling emotionally charged, not in a good way, I would attempt to follow the instructions to tap different parts of my body and face, to release this bad emotional energy,

Candida Albicans: Overcoming Yeast and Fungal Infections

This book explores the way fungal infections can take hold, the problems they can cause, and it looks at different approaches to treatment including conventional medicine, natural alternatives, and diet. The A-Z of antifungals is quite unusual, and provides a pretty comprehensive list of different anti-fungals on the market. There is also a lot of information about the anti-candida diet, along with food lists and recipes to help people who want to follow that route to wellness. This is only available as an ebook at the moment. It's free to borrow on Kindle Unlimited. You can find out more here: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08B2YL6NH

Natural Highs by Holford and Cass

I was interested in this book because I felt a healthy pick me up might be nice, and curiosity got the better of me. I don't know what I'd expected, but the recommendations are to take an awful lot of expensive supplements.

Kava, NADH and S-ame are allegedly herbal mood enhancers, which might be worth a try, a powerful multi-vitamin and mineral should ensure you're not blue because of nutritional deficiencies. Omega 3 is a recommendation that I include in my daily diet anyway.

Nothing is Impossible by Christopher Reeve

This book was written by Christopher Reeve, the actor who played Superman in the 1970s and '80s movies. He was paralysed in a horse riding accident in 1995, and died in 2004 of a heart attack, following a bad reaction to an antibiotic.

In the book, he tells how he started to gain some movement back in his limbs - five years after the accident, which was unheard of among the medical profession and was thought to be impossible. It led to new therapies being developed to help people with paralysis regain some movement.

Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman

This book starts off looking at neurology - the workings of the brain - and recognising that some unconscious emotional responses are triggered before we're even aware of them, or have a chance to think what an appropriate response would be. Our initial reaction therefore, is instinctive, and we may later regret having responded in the way we did. Harnessing the power of emotional intelligence can get us responding more appropriately. A lot of emotional intelligence is developed in childhood, given the right circumstances to develop a healthy social and emotional life. There are ways to teach people emotional intelligence, and examples are given throughout the book.

365 Ways to Feel Better by Eve Menezes Cunningham

This book is rather more spiritually focused that I'd expected, so if you're a fan of angels, crystals, meditation, yoga, and other 'new age' approaches to feeling better, you might enjoy it. Personally I'm finding many of the ideas don't appeal and I'd rather go for a walk, which I know will boost my mood! However, there are lots of ideas, so if the day-to-day readings aren't doing it for you, you could dip in to any part of the book, looking for something that does appeal. It doesn't really matter what order you do things in.

Superfoods: How to make them work for you, by Julie Neville

This beautifully illustrated, full colour book is a great resource for anyone who wants to include more superfoods into their life, with a great healthy recipe to accompany every superfood mentioned. You get full explanations of the nutritional contents of the different superfoods, their health benefits, and how they can help to ward off disease. You might feel a little overwhelmed by the sheer number of superfoods, but it's good news, because it draws attention to the excellent nutritional profiles of many ordinary, every day fruits and vegetables, which you can easily incorporate into a healthy diet and reap the benefits.

How to Overcome Eating Disorders - Breaking Free for a Better Life, by Louise V Taylor

This new book, written to help people (and families) understand and overcome eating disorders, is interesting, not least because it's written by someone who's had an eating disorder herself - both anorexia and bulimia - who went on to study psychology and nutrition. So it comes with insight from a former sufferer, and there's a shed load of the very latest science and treatment options, helping people to consider which approach to treatment and recovery may be most effective for them.

Behind Closed Doors by B A Paris

Usually I blog about non-fiction health and psychology titles, but because this novel is about abuse, it piqued my curiosity and fits the theme. I found the start of the book quite intriguing and recognised the fear of doing anything wrong. My dad was a tyrant and could be utterly unreasonable. So the whole 'walking on eggshells' introduction seemed very true to life. Mum was terrified of doing anything wrong - like failing to have a hot dinner ready when he got home. The outward appearance of charm and civility among friends, only for the perpetrator to turn nasty behind closed doors, rang very true.

Internal Health The Key To Eternal Youth & Vitality by Ron Gellatley ND

I really enjoyed this book. It's packed with useful information and I did pick up a couple of things I didn't already know, despite being very widely read on this topic. The book stresses important stuff repeatedly, is very accessible and easy to understand, and it covers just about every possible bowel complaint.

I decided to try slippery elm bark with ground linseed after reading this book and found the combination very beneficial.

An Introduction to The Lightning Process by Phil Parker

I bought this book thinking it would explain the steps people follow through The Lightning Process, enabling me to do it at home. I was disappointed to find it was actually a promotional tool, trying to enrol readers onto the author's courses. In my local area they cost £725+ to attend.

In a nutshell, The Lightning Process uses a mix of tools including hypnosis, NLP, and positive thinking to rewire the brain and enable the body to heal itself.

Mum's not having chemo by Laura Bond

When my mum was diagnosed with cancer, I thought I'd better get round to reading this book, which had been sitting on my shelf for a year. Anyway, mum wasn't interested and opted for chemo, but I found it an interesting read, and will incorporate some of the ideas into my own preventative health regime.

 

This book isn't what I was expecting. I thought it would be an autobiographical account of Laura's mother's search for a natural cure, but it's more like a detailed account of the different treatments available, and the evidence for their efficacy.

Confessions of a Sociopath by ME Thomas

For anyone who's interested in the mind of a psychopath (sociopath being the polite term for it) this book reveals all. It's written under a pseudonym by a 'high functioning' non-criminal psychopath who uses manipulation to get what she wants in life and enjoys 'ruining' other people for the sheer entertainment value it brings. 

 

There were many times in this book when I felt like putting it down, as it filled me with disgust and distaste. But I dislike giving up on books, and it doesn't happen often. I took a break and then continued. It's horrible, but interesting at the same time.

The Mindfulness Breakthrough by Sarah Silverton

This book had many similarities to Mindfulness: Finding Peace in a Frantic World by Mark Williams and Danny Penman. However, it is laid out very differently, with sections for carers, children, people suffering from illness, and it looks at a wider diversity of situations and experiences. There are lots of case studies included to illustrate the points made, and show how beneficial mindfulness practise can be.

It covers stress and anxiety, breathing, awareness, gentleness and compassion, and other aspects of mindfulness. It has key phrases printed in large print, over full colour pictures to draw your attention to them.

Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig

This book on the topic of author's breakdown in his 20s, and his experience of depression and panic attacks, is compelling reading. It's written in short, easy to digest, chunks and I was drawn into the autobiographical story from the outset.

Haig's easy-to-follow style and descriptive narrative will help anyone to understand the nature of depression, and the author discloses how depression made him feel, how it affected him physically, and how it was accompanied by suicidal thoughts and fears.

The Complete Guide to Tinnitus by Bill Habets

This book gives a thorough grounding in how hearing works, ear anatomy, causes of tinnitus, and possible treatments. According to the author, many experiences of tinnitus are not phantom sounds, but hypersensitivity to sounds created by your own body. For instance, humming might be caused by the movement of body fluids - blood travelling through the arteries. This can be caused by elevated blood pressure, and a wide variety of other possible causes. These are discussed, from noise, to stress.

Mindfulness: Finding Peace in a Frantic World by Mark Williams and Danny Penman

Having seen Mark Williams do a talk at a literary festival, and read about other people's life-changing experiences upon reading this book, I was curious. So I bought the book and accompanying CD, to see if it could help me live more in the present, feel less anxious, and to feel more at peace.

The book takes you through the theory and practice of mindfulness meditation and explains how mindfulness has been scientifically proven to be beneficial to health. I have no doubt about that.

The Immune Advantage by Ellen Mazo and Dr Keith Berndtson

This is a great book for anyone with immune system challenges who is looking to kick their immune system into better shape. It covers nutritional, lifestyle, and psychological approaches to improving your body's immune response.

• Part 1 looks at the immune system, how it works, and at balance. 
• Part 2 looks at strengthening your immune system through healthy eating, avoiding environmental hazards, and it looks at immune boosters, and immune busters. 

Life without Limits by Nick Vujicic

This is an inspirational book written by a man who was born with no limbs, yet has lived a full and active life. He travels the world doing motivational speeches, and has learnt to live with the minimum of dependence on other people, despite his obvious disabilities. He's learnt to overcome the many challenges in life and find real purpose in his existence as a source of inspiration to others and as a Christian evangelist.

How to do Everything and be Happy by Peter Jones

This book is a really easy read. I completed it in a single day which is almost unheard of for me. It's funny, engaging, upbeat and light hearted, and the author draws you into his happiness techniques in a way that encourages you to make lists of things you want to do, while you're reading the book.

 

Yes, the techniques described do take time and effort. And some of your ambitions may require funding that you don't have right now, but the author suggests ways of overcoming obstacles and setting yourself challenging but achievable goals that will take you a step further on your journey towards greater happiness.

Positive Psychology for Overcoming Depression by Miriam Akhtar

This book, dubbed as providing, 'self-help strategies for happiness, inner strength and wellbeing', takes you on a journey through the relatively new discipline of positive psychology. It details techniques for developing a positive mindset, enabling you to reach for a happier and more fulfilling life. It's aimed at depressed people, but offers interesting insights to anyone seeking to enhance their happiness.

Positive psychology is different from counselling or psychotherapy, in-so-much that it's designed to encourage positive emotions, rather than to work through the difficulties and traumas left by a troubled past. It aims to encourage an optimistic outlook, build resilience, encourage positive relationships and develop achievable goals.

The Power of Negative Emotion by Todd Kashdan and Robert Biswas-Diener

This book appears, on the face of it, to be against mindfulness and living in the moment, but actually, when you start to read, you'll realise that the authors are very much in favour of the benefits of mindfulness. However, they warn against the avoidance of negative emotions completely because negative emotions can be really useful.

One such example that really resonates with me, is that expressing anger can get you the results you want, when being nice, and trying to negotiate, has repeatedly failed. That is so true. A number of examples are given to illustrate this point.

The Oxygen Prescription: The Miracle of Oxidative Therapies by Nathaniel Altman

I bought this book because it was a fraction of the price of the one I really wanted, Flood Your Body with Oxygen by Ed McCabe. It has a chapter dedicated to the use of hyperbaric oxygen, which I was particularly interested in because it's available locally.

Scentific studies show that oxygen therapies have the potential to boost your immune system, increase the effectiveness of antifungal drugs, support healing after surgery, improve the outcome in cancer patients, and dramatically improve the symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

Too Close to Me by Dave Pelzer

Dave Pelzer's latest book, To Close to Me, provides an interesting read. As a kid, he was the most abused child in America. He was eventually rescued and taken into foster care. This is an account of how the experiencees of his past have affected his decisions and his relationships as an adult.

Dave dedicated his adult life to helping others and became a well known speaker and motivator, helping others to face some of life's greatest challenges and thrive.

I Only Say This Because I Love You

This book by Deborah Tannen looks at conversational styles in families and the hidden messages behind words. She calls these unspoken messages, 'metamessages'. Deborah explains that families communicate in metamessages, with much of what is spoken having a background context and history. This context often gives the message a slightly different meaning, which may make it patronising, derogatory, offensive, and may become the cause of conflict.

The New Optimum Nutrition Bible by Patrick Holford

This is one of my favourite health books for dipping in and getting punchy information on a diverse selection of health complaints and conditions. It's an easy read. You can use it as a reference book, or read it in small chunks, so it doesn't require massive a time commitment. The author is the founder of the Institute for Optimum Nutrition, which trains nutritionists in a degree level course on the topic.

Bully In Sight by Tim Field

I picked up this book from a charity shop and, while less interested in bullying at work than bullying in social situations, I was interested in the psychology behind bullying behaviour, which applies across different environments.

I found this book quite hard going at first, but as I persevered, parts of the book really resonated with me. I've had trouble with bullies in the past. Thankfully those times are behind me, but the situations described reflect many of my own experiences.