Resources
Links
American Psychological Association
One of the largest associations for psychologists and a great resource on a variety of topics and self-help issues. visit site>
Internet Mental Health
Your one stop for a mind-boggling collection of resource for all things regarding mental health issues. The site is based around mental disorder diagnosis and provides research on medication, therapy and other help sources. visit site>
Dr. Mercola
An M.D. unlike your typical doctor. Dr. Mercola is an avid explorer of holistic medication and treatment with a focus on health and prevention rather than treating the symptoms of disease. Some information needs to be taken with a grain of salt because he is also selling product, but much of his information and newsletters are completely unrelated to a marketing pitch, very helpful and often out of mainstream thinking. If you do like his products, I have found them to be reputable and of high quality. visit site>
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
Fantastic source of information for a variety on mental health issues. This started as a grass roots movement and has information about local community resources in the area, like support groups for both those suffering with mental illnesses, like depression, as well as support for the family members. visit site>
Psychology Today
A more consumer oriented resource for issues related to psychology. There is more condensed information related to various mental health issues as well as articles on more topical situations, such as stress related to our current economic difficulties. visit site>
Books
One of my favorite “go to” books. This book does a great job of breaking down the steps and process that go into growing a healthy relational adult. Very helpful for putting into words where a person may have become stuck developmentally. This then helps the person be able to communicate theirs struggles more clearly and be more focused in the growing/changing process.
This is the book that put Cloud and Townsend on the map. This is probably my second favorite book and does a great job demonstrating what boundaries are, why they are useful, and what a with or without boundaries looks like.
This is directed toward men dealing with sexual addiction and sexual integrity issues. I don’t think I could have written a more comprehensive and compassionately descriptive look into the heart and mind of a sexual addict. The book can be read by the individual, but is easily adapted to a workbook group discussion format. A must read for anyone who is a sexual addict or struggling in this area.
A look at where your relationship with your partner may be at risk for infidelity. So much has been written about dealing with the aftermath, while this book takes a preventative approach with wisdom from those who missed the “sign posts” and had an affair. There is also some great stuff in there about strengthening your marriage to build in strength to resist temptations.
A great book for those who missed the kind of relationship with their father that would instill the courage to go forward and engage life with confidence. Without this “blessing” from their father, men are lost and often seek affirmation where it will never be found.
A very practical summary of the various styles for relating and connecting with others. The book looks at what is needed for healthy bonding in relationships and what types of dysfunctional relational “dances” persist when the two people approach relationship with unhealthy patterns for connecting.
Harville has written a wonderful guide to increasing closeness within a marriage and identifying the roots of fear that entangle this growth. It is filled with experiential exercises to help put these concepts into practice.
This is a great tool for those considering marriage. Neil has done a great job looking at how we choose a partner and suggesting some systematic ways to go about finding the best fit possible. This is obviously an area of passion for him as Neil is the founder of the dating service “eHarmony”.
A fantastic book on the key principles for marital health. John is one of the foremost researchers and writers in marriage and this is a collection of his wisdom to date. It has many questionnaires and exercises to draw couples into a deeper connection with each other.
Our culture is flooded with sexuality and, most often, an extremely distorted version of the healthy version. Cliff and Joyce do a wonderful job dispelling many of the myths and misunderstandings surrounding sex. They are straightforward and sensitive in their presentation and are real fun to listen to if you ever get to hear them speak together.
