“Our wounds are often the openings into the best and most beautiful part of us.” ― David Richo

Marianne Dissard - Not Me

This was a quite a unique and introspective memoir from Marianne Dissard about a lifelong battle with eating disorders, who she is and what matters. How Marianne develops a habit of pushing people away to keep her illness to herself, not having to lie to someone close, which in turn creates more loneliness and further issues. As with many areas of mental health.

Then there is the concept of transference, replacing one addiction with another, to consume you and distract you from the overriding ‘problem’. In Marianne’s case, this was Yoga and of there are plenty worse things to indulge in! Her realisations through her Yoga practise and how it helps her form a connection with herself and therefore develop more of an understanding of her recurrent life choices. If you know anyone struggling with an eating disorder and you want to understand more, this is a must read.

 

Reggie & Me - Marie Yates

Reggie and Me, the first in the Dani Moore trilogy created by Marie to tell a story about how to move forward after being a victim of rape in childhood. Not just how you move on, but how to handle other people, those who don’t understand, those who’s business it isn’t, family members and friends who want to do/say the right thing but are not in your head. Then along comes Reggie, a dog they acquire when moving away after the assault to keep Dani company and add a layer of protection for their family unit. Most dog lovers will know the power and sixth sense of a canine; great listeners, good company and a social element to getting out and about to help prevent isolation.

Most importantly these books show how when something horrendous happens, your life is not over. You may never get over what happens but there is life after a tragedy. Your experience can help others, you are more than what has happened to you.

Find out more on Marie Yates and her Canine Progress workshops here: https://marie-yates.co.uk/social-enterprise/

 

Pivotal - Nikki Valance

I like a book that leaves you thinking long after its finished, mulling over the implications of how each day can be a pivotal moment in our life. The choices we make, the people we trust and leave behind.

Pivotal follow the lives of 4 people who receive a bizarre and interesting potential inheritance which involves needing to take a leap of faith. A leap that not all of us want to take, can take, need to take or dare to. When faced with indecision we can’t always deal with it on our own for reasons we may not even understand and in the case of Pivotal, the 4 people in question enlist the help of a hypnotherapist to unpack what is going on in their head.

Quite bizarrely, this book came at a time that I too was about to embark on hypnotherapy and it was a welcomed guide as to what to expect. Rather than the Paul McKenna-esque preconceived ideas and notions of me clucking like a chicken when somebody said ‘Rosebud’ or some such nonsense!

I can’t say much more without giving too much away but it’s definitely an interesting and intriguing perspective on life and the paths we take.

 

My Life in 37 Therapies - Kay Hutchison

This was such an interesting selection of therapies, some of which are now on my list (The Fuck-It Yoga retreat in Italy), others filled me with dread (a 10 day silent retreat with an orange and apple classed as a ‘full’ meal). But the theory of exploration and openness to try new treatments and why is what this book is really about. What is good is to see that not only are there a variety of methods out there. You don’t need to try one, fail and give up. Our options are many and varied. Not only do we have a variety to embark upon, but as Kay shows us, they can complement each other and fill gaps where other therapies aren’t quite cutting it. Some are more long term, others one-offs. You won’t know what is good for you until you give something a go, nothing ventured nothing gained.

This book is a great opportunity to read about and decide for yourself from Kay’s experiences what may work for you. To learn about the breadth of therapies available and how they work. And yet one of my favourite reasons to read book such as ‘My Life in 37 Therapies’ is to go on a journey with someone. To share that we all have our crosses to bear, that we don’t always know who we are, what we want or even understand what should be important to us.

Listen to our chat on Riverside Radio here.

 

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I am a part of everything I have ever read - Theodore Roosevelt