Literature Recommendations
*Disclosure: I only recommend products I use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission.
"Forgiveness: A Bold Choice for a Peaceful Heart" by Robin Casarjian
Robin Casarjian has found workable paths to forgiveness, providing a gentle journey into places of peace, even when the reader may not feel ready. She brilliantly crafts a guide to forgiving oneself & others. She addresses oppression, social injustice, spirituality, as well as the choice not to forgive.
"The Ethical Slut: A Practical Guide to Polyamory, Open Relationships & Other Adventures" by Dossie Easton & Janet Hardy
A groundbreaking guide for those who have ever dreamed of love, sex & companionship beyond the limits of traditional monogamy in ways that are ethically & emotionally sustainable. Partners learn how to discuss boundaries, resolve conflicts, & successfully define their own relationships.
“Sex for One: The Joy of Selfloving” by Betty Dodson
“Self-touch is the foundation for optimal sexual health. According to Betty Dodson, Ph.D, ‘Masturbation will get you through childhood, puberty, romance, marriage & divorce, & it will see you through old age.’ This honest, reassuring guide takes the reader through the pleasurable & proven techniques Dr. Dodson developed over decades of practice.” – Donna Harris-Richards
"The All or Nothing Marriage: How the Best Marriages Work” by Eli J. Finkel, Ph.D
“This fascinating book is a useful, impressive, and fun read about the history and evolution of marriage along with practical advice on making it the best it can be in our modern world today.”
– Donna Harris-Richards
– Donna Harris-Richards
"Better Sex Through Mindfulness: How Women Can Cultivate Desire” by Lori A. Brotto, PhD
“In this useful guide to greater pleasure & enjoyment, Dr. Brotto offers a wealth of information on female sexuality; how desire, arousal, mood & communication are connected & practical advice on how individuals and couples can have optimal experiences.”
–Donna Harris-Richards
–Donna Harris-Richards
"The Five Love Languages" by Gary Chapman
“Love is measured by what we do & this book is a handy, simple and practical guide to help you discover what tangible tools you can actually use to help your own partner feel & experience your love. Learning different love languages helps create stronger bonds in your relationship as you write the next chapter of your love story.” – Donna Harris-Richards
"The Passionate Marriage: Keeping Love and Intimacy Alive in Committed Relationships" by David Schnarch, PhD
“The Passionate Marriage” has been recognized as a pioneering book on intimacy. With chapters that provide the scaffolding for overcoming sexual & emotional problems, this inspirational book is sure to help couples improve their relationships & reach full potential in their love lives.
"She Comes First: The Thinking Man's Guide to Pleasuring a Woman" by Ian Kerner
Ian Kerner offers a radical new philosophy on women’s pleasure in “She Comes First”—an essential guidebook to intimacy and female orgasms. A crucial aid to a healthier, more fulfilling sex life for her and him, “She Comes First” offers humor, a wonderful philosophy and techniques that are proven to rock your world.
"Come as You Are" by Emily Nagoski
An essential exploration normalizing women’s sexuality—based on groundbreaking research and brain neuroscience—that will radically transform your sex life into one filled with confidence and joy.
"The Four Agreements" by Don Miguel Ruiz
Don Miguel Ruiz reveals the source of self-limiting beliefs that rob us of joy, creating needless suffering. Based on ancient Toltec wisdom, “The Four Agreements” offers a powerful code of conduct that can rapidly transform our lives to a new experience of freedom, true happiness, & love.
"Trans Bodies, Trans Selves: A Resource for the Transgender Community 1st Edition" By: Laura Erickson-Schroth
There is no one way to be transgender. This in-depth, easy-to-read, comprehensive guide is a revolutionary resource. Each chapter is written by transgender & gender-expansive authors, taking the reader through important issues such as race, religion, transitioning, mental health & more.
“The ABC's of LGBT+: (Gender Identity Book for Teens, Teen & Young Adult LGBT Issues)” by Ashley Mardell
The ABCs of LGBT+ is vital reading for questioning teens, teachers, parents, or anyone who wants to learn how to talk about gender & sexual identity. With in-depth definitions, personal anecdotes, useful infographics, & more, Mardell helps us know that it really does get better when we’re empowered by knowledge & understanding.
“Beyond Acceptance: Parents of Lesbians & Gays Talk About Their Experiences” by Carolyn W. Griffin, Marian J. Wirth, Arthur G. Wirth and Brian McNaught
The new edition of “Beyond Acceptance” remains a groundbreaking book that gives parents the comfort & knowledge they need to accept their children and build strong family relationships. Based on the accounts of other parents, this book shows them that they are in good company & not alone, helping them through the emotional stages leading to reconciliation with their children.
“Polyamory: A Clinical Toolkit for Therapists (and Their Clients)” by Martha Kauppi
“This excellent book is perfect for anyone interested in simplifying the complex subject of polyamory, consensual non-monogamy or ethical non-monogamy. It’s a wonderful and useful handbook for the public, for therapists and for their clients.” – Donna Harris-Richards
“Mating in Captivity: Unlocking Erotic Intelligence” by Esther Perel
Through case studies & lively discussion, couples therapist Ester Perel demonstrates how more exciting, playful, and even poetic sex is possible in long-term relationships. Wise, witty, and as revealing as it is straightforward, “Mating in Captivity” is a sensational book that will transform the way you live and love.
Middlesex: A Novel
Winner of the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, “Middlesex” is an audacious & wondrous tale surrounding a human gene passed down through three generations of a Greek-American family that flowers in the body of Calliope Stephanides, turning Callie into Cal. Lyrical & thrilling, Eugenides’s Middlesex is an exhilarating ride.
"Ultimate Guide to Kink: BDSM, Role Play and the Erotic Edge" by Tristan Taormino
The Ultimate Guide to Kink is the first major guide to BDSM in a generation–a bold and sexy collection of essays that run the gamut from expert how-to tutorials to provocative essays that delve into complex questions about desire, power, and pleasure. The book brings together diverse voices from the kink community in an unprecedented way…
“Ultimate Guide to Sex and Disability: For All of Us Who Live with Disabilities, Chronic Pain, and Illness” by Miriam Kaufman, MD, Cory Silverberg and Fran Odette
The Ultimate Guide to Sex and Disability is a long-overdue self-help sex guide for the millions of people living with disabilities and chronic pain and illness. For sufferers of ailments from chronic fatigue syndrome and spinal cord injury to multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, and others, the book provides encouragement, support, and expert information on sex positions, orgasm, and sex toys. It also features illustrations, a resource guide with hundreds of books, websites, and organizations.
"Fair Play: A Game-Changing Solution for When You Have Too Much to Do (and More Life to Live)" by Eve Rodsky
Fair Play (2019) explores gender inequality in the division of domestic labor and the impact of this inequality on mothers. Packed with practical advice, these blinks also offer couples a radical approach to reallocating domestic chores so that women married to men can get a fairer deal.
"After the Affair: Healing the Pain and Rebuilding Trust When a Partner Has Been Unfaithful, 2nd Edition" by Janis Abrahms Spring
Written by Janis Abrahms Spring, Ph.D., a nationally known therapist and acknowledged expert on infidelity, this revised and updated version brings the groundbreaking classic into the 21st century, with a new section dealing with online affairs in cyberspace. For women who are struggling in their marriage—and for clinicians, psychology academics and readers fascinated by popular psychology—this newly revised and updated edition of After the Affair is essential reading.
"Surviving and Thriving in Stepfamily Relationships: What Works and What Doesn't" by Patricia L. Papernow
Surviving and Thriving in Stepfamily Relationships draws on current research, a wide variety of clinical modalities, and thirty years of clinical work with stepfamily members to describe the special challenges stepfamilies face. The book presents the concept of “stepfamily architecture” and the five challenges it creates, and delineates three different levels of strategies―psychoeducation, building interpersonal skills, and intrapsychic work―for meeting those challenges in dozens of different settings.