Reading and Audio/Visual Material
Here are some books, DVDs, and Web-based material that you may find of interest. If you're interested in buying a book or DVD, links are provided to the Avanta bookstore and to some online sites.
In Ottawa, much of this material may be found at Singing Pebble Books on Main Street opposite St. Paul's University and near the Green Door restaurant.
General
| Book | Author(s) | More info | Author's site | Purchase | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The New Peoplemaking (1988) | Virginia Satir | Avanta chapters.ca |
Virginia's seminal work describing family dynamics. | ||
| The Satir Model (1994) | Virginia Satir, John Banmen, Jane Gerber & Maria Gomori | Avanta chapters.ca amazon.ca |
This book details the evolution of Satir's strategy and the powerful interventions she developed. | ||
| Working with the Family in Primary Care: A Systems Approach to Health and Illness (1984) | Janet Christie-Seely | amazon.ca | A systematic approach to the role that the family can and should play in improving health care management. | ||
| Making Peace with Your Parents (1996) | Harold Bloomfield & Leonard Felder | Harold Bloomfield | amazon.ca | Your relationship with your parents is one of the most fundamental in your life. This book can help open your eyes to who they really are and, in turn, let you become the happy, creative and fulfilled person you are meant to be. | |
| Taming Your Gremlin: A Surprisingly Simple Method for Getting Out of Your Own Way (2003) | Rick Carson | The Gremlin Taming Institute | amazon.ca | Who's controlling your life? You? Or is it your gremlin, the inner voice that's talking to you all the time? | |
| Homecoming: Reclaiming and Championing Your Inner Child (1992) | John Bradshaw | John Bradshaw | chapters.ca | Bring your wounded inner child into adulthood. | |
| Healing the Shame that Binds You (1988) | John Bradshaw | John Bradshaw | amazon.ca | John Bradshaw shows us how toxic shame is the core problem in our lives. | |
| The Power of Intention: Learning To Co-create Your World Your Way (2004) | Wayne Dyer | Hay House Publishers | Wayne Dyer | amazon.ca | Wayne Dyer sees intention as a field of energy that you can harness to co-create the life you want. |
| Power vs Force: The Hidden Determinants of Human Behavior (2002) | David Hawkins | Veritas Publishing | chapters.ca | Learn how to get demonstrably true answers to your questions, and know what true success is and how to create it. | |
| I Don't Want to Talk About It: Overcoming the Secret Legacy of Male Depression (1997) | Terry Real | MenWeb | Terry Real | amazon.ca | Terry Real feels that depression is a silent epidemic in men, one that men hide from nearly everyone. |
| The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom - A Toltec Wisdom Book (1997) | don Miguel Ruiz | don Miguel Ruiz | amazon.ca | According to Toltec wisdom, these four agreements with yourself can positively transform your life: (1) Be impeccable with your word. (2) Don't take anything personally (3) Don't make assumptions. (4) Always do your best. | |
| The Fifth Agreement: A Practical Guide to Self-Mastery (2010) | don Miguel Ruiz & don Jose Ruiz | don Miguel Ruiz | amazon.ca | A follow-on to The Four Agreements, this book summarizes the first four agreements and adds a fifth: Be skeptical, but learn to listen. | |
| A Course in Miracles (1999) | Helen Schucman & William Thetford | A Course in Miracles | amazon.ca | From the introduction to the Course: it "...aims at removing the blocks to the awareness of love's presence." | |
| The Biology of Belief (2008) | Bruce Lipton | Bruce Lipton | amazon.ca | From the description: "... he demonstrates how the new science of Epigenetics is revolutionizing our understanding of the link between mind and matter." | |
| Healing Your Aloneness (1990) | Erica J. Chopich & Margaret Paul | Inner Bonding | amazon.ca | From the description: "Erika Chopich and Margaret Paul show how anyone can reconnect with his or her Inner Child to short-circuit self-destructive patterns, resolve fears and conflicts, and build satisfying relationships. Healing Your Aloneness outlines a self-healing process that can be used every day to restore a nurturing balance between loving Adult and loved Inner Child." | |
| The Shadow Effect (DVD [2009], book [2010]) | Debbie Ford, Deepak Chopra, Marianne Williamson | Free program on Oprah's website | The Shadow Effect | amazon.ca | In Debbie Ford's The Shadow Effect, she and the other authors talk about the "shadow" that each of us has, the shadow that can take over our lives. In early 2010, Oprah highlighted The Shadow Effect and Debbie Ford, and there is now a six-week free online program available on her website. |
Adoption
| Book | Author(s) | More info | Author's site | Purchase | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Journey of the Adopted Self (1994) | Betty Jean Lifton | Google search results | Betty Jean Lifton | amazon.ca | From one of our members: "This book gave me huge insights into what it's like to be an adopted person. There is a lot of information for adoptees, adoptive parents and birth parents alike. Very informative and well written." | At the end of each of these books there are many lists with names and addresses of all kinds of groups, periodicals, etc. |
| The Adoption Reunion Survival Guide (2001) | Julie Jarrell Bailey & Lynn N. Giddens | Canadian Council of Natural Mothers' Library | chapters.ca | From one of our members: "Very informative with practical advice on how to arrange and carry out a successful reunion with one's birth parent or relinquished child." | ||
Couples
| Book | Author(s) | More info | Author's site | Purchase | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work (2000) | John Gottman | Review | John Gottman | amazon.ca | Based on 20 years of research |
| The Couple's Journey: Intimacy As a Path to Wholeness (1980) | Susan Campbell | Susan Campbell | amazon.ca | Clarifies the power struggle stage of a relationship | |
| The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate (2008) | Gary Chapman | Gary Chapman | amazon.ca | ||
| You Just Don't Understand: Women And Men In Conversation (2001) | Deborah Tannen | Deborah Tannen | amazon.ca | Helps you understand gender differences | |
| Getting the Love You Want: A Guide for Couples (2007) | Harville Hendrix | Harville Hendrix | amazon.ca | ||
| Making Peace with Your Parents (1996) | Harold Bloomfield & Leonard Felder | Harold Bloomfield | amazon.ca | Your relationship with your parents is one of the most fundamental in your life. This book can help open your eyes to who they really are and, in turn, let you become the happy, creative and fulfilled person you are meant to be. |