Our Favourite Books of 2022

Inspired by Maya Angelou’s life, work, and words “You are only free when you realize you belong no place - you belong every place - no place at all. The price is high. The reward is great.” Brené speaks honestly to this journey of belonging to yourself and how she personally understood its true meaning. She’s an amazing storyteller who backs her work with data. She beautifully blends these in talking about the spiritual crisis of disconnection and the quest for belonging. This book, like many of her works, is a conversation changer. She urges you to be who you are, and maps a way for you to do this, while not denying how difficult the road this.

Moroccan American Enterpreneur Iman helps you rewrite your story of self-sabotaging beliefs especially when it comes to the things blocking you from thriving in your career, work, and dreams. She talks about power, likeability, authenticity, and more. If you want to rewrite the narrative of your success, this book is for you!

Gabor Maté has continued to revitalize the conversation about addiction, trauma, culture, and healing through various publications and works. In this book, he provides common sense insights backed by science about illness and healing. He emphasizes the role of the environment in this. His main point? Your body can heal when it’s supported by the right conditions for it to heal.  

In this book, which was published seven years after her first, Pema highlights the power of connecting through kindness, including kindness to yourself. The main focus of this book is acceptance: She talks about how it is the hardest thing you would do in your life. AND, why that’s so crucial.

In this book, Egyptian American author and journalist, Mona Eltahawy, speaks fiercely to women and girls about harnessing their power unapologitcally outside of the confines of patriarchy. She teaches you how to tap into your fury to dismantle a system of oppression that crosses the lines of class, race, faith, and gender. She knows this too well, like many women with this shared lived experience, and this book is her call to action.

Author, activist, and change-maker, Glennon Doyle speaks her truth in this memoir and how she found her voice by listening inward. Soulful, tender, and unapologetic, she speaks with empathy and honesty about moving through life disconnected and discontent. Then, navigating to a more authentic life. She doesn’t pretend that this authenticity is all rosey. Authenticity comes with its own challenges. But she reminds us that it’s worth it!

This one is an oldie but a goodie! In my early days becoming a trauma therapist, I was introduced to Peter Levine’s work - a pioneer in understanding the impact of trauma on the body (i.e. somatic experiencing). He draws examples from nature to help you understand why you might react the way you do to overwhelming painful experiences. He normalizes the symptoms of trauma, helps you understand why they happen, and offers a hopeful vision for your healing. 

Pema is an author and a Tibetan Buddhist master. She blends impeccable advice on how to deal with difficult situations that seem to not have a resolution, with inspiring spirituality, and practical ways to use communication as a tool for healing yourself and others. If you’re not familiar with her work, this is a good start.