100 books like Yoga for Depression

By Amy Weintraub,

Here are 100 books that Yoga for Depression fans have personally recommended if you like Yoga for Depression. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of In Love with the World: A Monk's Journey Through the Bardos of Living and Dying

Eyal Shifroni Author Of The Extended Chair for Yoga: A Comprehensive Guide to Iyengar Yoga Practice with a Chair

From my list on essential to the study of yoga.

Why am I passionate about this?

I've always been fascinated by yoga and the wonderful stories about yogis. When I was in the fourth grade, studying the subject of 'India', I taught myself to stand on my head and fold my legs in the lotus position. I love practicing yoga – every morning, I thank the Gurus and teachers from whom I learned! I've taught yoga for almost 40 years now and strongly believe that the practice and teaching of yoga, done with devotion and love can transform one's life for the good. I wrote 7 books about yoga (the last, Yoga in Nature is forthcoming) I regularly write articles on yoga and have translated two of B.K.S. Iyengar's books into Hebrew.

Eyal's book list on essential to the study of yoga

Eyal Shifroni Why did Eyal love this book?

This is an extraordinary journey book of a yogi who was identified at a very young age as a Tulku - reincarnate custodian of a specific lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. Mingyur Rinpoche was taken at a very young age to a monastery to receive a Buddhist education. Since his childhood, he was fascinated by the wandering yogis of his tradition (like Naropa and Milarepa). At the age of 34, when he was a respected authority of Tibetan Buddhism and a renowned master who was teaching around the world, he decided to become a wandering yogi and embark on a solitary journey. He soon encountered many difficulties, including life-threatening situations which he describes with an amazing sincerity. His story shows how even a master encounters mental and emotional upheavals like all of us but then is able to apply his skill in meditation to restore his peace and equanimity.

By Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, Helen Tworkov,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked In Love with the World as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A rare, intimate account of a world-renowned Buddhist monk’s near-death experience and the life-changing wisdom he gained from it

“One of the most inspiring books I have ever read.”—Pema Chödrön, author of When Things Fall Apart

“This book has the potential to change the reader’s life forever.”—George Saunders, author of Lincoln in the Bardo

At thirty-six years old, Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche was a rising star within his generation of Tibetan masters and the respected abbot of three monasteries. Then one night, telling no one, he slipped out of his monastery in India with the intention of spending the next four…


Book cover of Attachment Disturbances in Adults: Treatment for Comprehensive Repair

Deirdre Fay Author Of Becoming Safely Embodied: A Guide to Organize Your Mind, Body and Heart to Feel Secure in the World

From my list on to heal trauma with yoga and meditation.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am someone whose trauma history came out of the blue…while living in a yoga ashram, meditating, and training for triathlons. After almost seven years of ashram life I left, went to graduate school, and explored trauma, attachment, and wisdom traditions in inpatient and outpatient hospital settings, my private practice, and beyond.  I amassed skills sets in trauma treatment (as a supervisor under the guidance of Bessel van der Kolk and Janina Fisher), attachment theory (with Daniel Brown, PhD), compassion (Compassion Focused Therapy & Mindful Self-Compassion), body therapy (as a trainer for Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, practitioner in LifeForce Yoga and Self-Awakening Yoga), and Internal Family Systems.

Deirdre's book list on to heal trauma with yoga and meditation

Deirdre Fay Why did Deirdre love this book?

I was incredibly lucky to spend almost thirteen years learning attachment theory with Dan Brown in a small group setting, meeting with clinicians I highly respected. Dan’s incredible capacity to integrate the theory and literature of developmental psychology, attachment theory, and the wisdom traditions made it clear that the reason trauma doesn’t heal is because of the underlying attachment issues. David Elliott headed the team of co-authors which I am honored to be part of, making the book immensely readable. In 2018 it won the prestigious International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD) Pierre Janet Writing Award.

By Daniel P. Brown, David S. Elliott,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Attachment Disturbances in Adults as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Attachment Disturbances in Adults offers an innovative therapeutic model and set of methods for treating adult patients with dismissing, anxious-preoccupied or disorganised attachment. With rich detail, it integrates historical and leading-edge attachment research into practical, effective treatment protocols for each type of insecure attachment. Case transcripts and many sample therapist phrasings illustrate how to apply the methods in practise.


Book cover of Mindful Compassion: How the Science of Compassion Can Help You Understand Your Emotions, Live in the Present, and Connect Deeply with Othe

Deirdre Fay Author Of Becoming Safely Embodied: A Guide to Organize Your Mind, Body and Heart to Feel Secure in the World

From my list on to heal trauma with yoga and meditation.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am someone whose trauma history came out of the blue…while living in a yoga ashram, meditating, and training for triathlons. After almost seven years of ashram life I left, went to graduate school, and explored trauma, attachment, and wisdom traditions in inpatient and outpatient hospital settings, my private practice, and beyond.  I amassed skills sets in trauma treatment (as a supervisor under the guidance of Bessel van der Kolk and Janina Fisher), attachment theory (with Daniel Brown, PhD), compassion (Compassion Focused Therapy & Mindful Self-Compassion), body therapy (as a trainer for Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, practitioner in LifeForce Yoga and Self-Awakening Yoga), and Internal Family Systems.

Deirdre's book list on to heal trauma with yoga and meditation

Deirdre Fay Why did Deirdre love this book?

This was another tough choice as Paul is a prolific writer, one of the earliest researchers and writers on the importance of compassion in healing. In this book, Paul teams up with a former Buddhist monk, Choden, to skillfully blend evolutionary and Buddhist psychology. Repeatedly, we are shown how compassion can be a powerful motivational force bringing about real, lasting change to end toxic self-criticism, heal trauma and shame, help us feel worthy and loveable, and be kinder to ourselves and others.  

By Paul Gilbert, Choden,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Mindful Compassion as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Are you ready to transform your mind and emotions? To cultivate compassion, stability, self-confidence, and well-being? If so, get ready to change the way you experience your life with this highly-anticipated approach using mindfulness and compassion. Therapists have long been aware of mindfulness as a powerful attention skill that can help us live with greater clarity and awareness - but mindfulness alone is not enough to completely change the way a brain works. In order to fully thrive, we require motivation. Compassion, like anger or aggression, is an extremely powerful motivational force that can bring about real, lasting change. Written…


Book cover of The iRest Program for Healing PTSD: A Proven-Effective Approach to Using Yoga Nidra Meditation and Deep Relaxation Techniques to Overcome Trauma

Deirdre Fay Author Of Becoming Safely Embodied: A Guide to Organize Your Mind, Body and Heart to Feel Secure in the World

From my list on to heal trauma with yoga and meditation.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am someone whose trauma history came out of the blue…while living in a yoga ashram, meditating, and training for triathlons. After almost seven years of ashram life I left, went to graduate school, and explored trauma, attachment, and wisdom traditions in inpatient and outpatient hospital settings, my private practice, and beyond.  I amassed skills sets in trauma treatment (as a supervisor under the guidance of Bessel van der Kolk and Janina Fisher), attachment theory (with Daniel Brown, PhD), compassion (Compassion Focused Therapy & Mindful Self-Compassion), body therapy (as a trainer for Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, practitioner in LifeForce Yoga and Self-Awakening Yoga), and Internal Family Systems.

Deirdre's book list on to heal trauma with yoga and meditation

Deirdre Fay Why did Deirdre love this book?

I really struggled with coming up with only five best books. When I first started dealing with my own trauma there were two peer-reviewed articles on trauma and meditation. Now there are thousands. Part of me wanted to highlight the new exemplary books coming out and yet, I know the books that have impacted me and have stood the test of time. The iRest Program is one of them. Based on the Advaita teachings of Jean Klein (which I am immensely lucky to have studied with) iRest provides a simple way to do just that – rest. Since hypervigilance is one of the painful symptoms of trauma, being able to rest, to still, to quiet, is essential. 

By Richard C. Miller,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The iRest Program for Healing PTSD as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

If you suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), you know how debilitating the symptoms can be. Many times, people with PTSD will suffer flashbacks, have intense nightmares and difficulty sleeping, and may feel angry, anxious, and constantly "on alert." Living with PTSD is extremely difficult, but there are ways that you can manage your symptoms and, in time, recover.

In The iRest Program for Healing PTSD, clinical psychologist and yogic scholar Richard C. Miller-named one of the top 25 yoga teachers by Yoga Journal-offers an innovative and proven-effective 10-step yoga program for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The deep relaxation…


Book cover of The Yoga Effect: A Proven Program for Depression and Anxiety

Laura Staton Author Of Yoga Bones: A Comprehensive Guide to Managing Pain and Orthopedic Injuries Through Yoga

From my list on helping you reflect and reset.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a lifelong asthmatic I’ve been working with the body for as long as I can remember. Childhood activities included getting lost in the woods, camping, and roller-skating, and grown-up life has included the professions of a modern dancer, choreographer, yoga therapist, and occupational therapist. If you can learn to slow down and find safety in your body, you can always manage to find your way home.

Laura's book list on helping you reflect and reset

Laura Staton Why did Laura love this book?

I love The Yoga Effect because it is based on the cutting-edge findings of NIH-funded studies at Boston University School of Medicine and shares poses and breathing techniques that are proven to help the body and mind release fear, worry, and sadness. Not dissimilar to my book, The Yoga Effect offers a customizable prescription for maintaining centeredness, confidence, and balance with short, well-rounded practices that include breath work, visualizations, and clear explanations of how yoga contributes to emotional wellness.

By Liz Owen, Holly Lebowitz Rossi, Chris C. Streeter

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Yoga Effect as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Discover inner calm and balance with a programme designed to help you overcome the debilitating effects of depression and anxiety.

"An evidence-based yoga program that is easy to follow... with calming, empowering and balancing imagery to accompany the accessible poses. Every practice invites a self-affirming attitude of courage...I love this book...and I highly recommend it..." -Amy Weintraub, founder, LifeForce Yoga, and author, Yoga for Depression and Yoga Skills for Therapists

'Inspirational. Forges new ground for how yoga can be researched and validated within the Western medical framework..." -David Emerson, Director, The Center for Trauma and Embodiment at JRI; Author, Trauma-Sensitive…


Book cover of The Ayurvedic Self-Care Handbook: Holistic Healing Rituals for Every Day and Season

Victoria Moran Author Of Main Street Vegan: Everything You Need to Know to Eat Healthfully and Live Compassionately in the Real World

From my list on yoga and Ayurveda.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm an American author of thirteen books (so far). Some are on vegan living (Main Street Vegan, The Love-Powered Diet); others (Creating a Charmed Life, Shelter for the Spirit, Younger by the Day) are about wellbeing and crafting an inner life. My passions are spirituality -- yoga primarily, but all the ways people find meaning; compassionate living: extending loving-kindness to ourselves and all beings; and creating vibrant health through yoga, Ayurveda, plant-based eating, and a grateful outlook. (Here's a little preview: I'm in the early stages of a book about aging like a yogi.)

Victoria's book list on yoga and Ayurveda

Victoria Moran Why did Victoria love this book?

I had to have this little square book when I saw that it comes with a satin ribbon bookmark, and I was not disappointed. I only wish I'd had this simple, practical guide to the healing tradition of Ayurveda, yoga's sister science, when I was new to it. Dr. Kucera (she's a chiropractor and a Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner) cuts through 5000 years of history and tradition to give us the information we can use, enjoy, and benefit from right now. (I've become a total fan and have had Dr. K. on my Main Street Vegan Podcast three times.)

By Sarah Kucera,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Ayurvedic Self-Care Handbook as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Feeling burned out, unmotivated, or stuck? THE AYURVEDIC SELF-CARE HANDBOOK is here to help. This authoritative guide to ancient healing will introduce you to the role that ritual plays in overall health, and reveal how reconnecting our internaL rhythms to nature's cycles can create physical and emotional balance.

Whether you're looking for a way to boost and stabilize your energy levels, overcome the trials of transitions (from life or seasonal shifts), or prevent and heal disease, you'll find a solution in one of the more than 100 simple rituals that give structure and space to your day. Plus, reflective prompts…


Book cover of Veggie Hotels

Wendy Werneth Author Of Veggie Planet: Uncover the Vegan Treasures Hiding in Your Favorite World Cuisines

From my list on vegan travel.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been living a semi-nomadic lifestyle and traveling the globe for all my adult life, and travel has truly shaped who I am. In 2014, when I learned about the many advantages of a vegan lifestyle for my health, the planet, and the animals, I felt compelled to make the change. There was one thing holding me back, though, which was the fear that being vegan would ruin travel. Fortunately, I gave it a trial run anyway during a three-week trip to Greece and discovered that being vegan actually made traveling even more fun! Ever since, I’ve been sharing my global vegan discoveries on my website, the Nomadic Vegan.

Wendy's book list on vegan travel

Wendy Werneth Why did Wendy love this book?

If you’re dreaming of travel but unable to hit the road at the moment, this is the perfect coffee table book for the vegan armchair traveler. Written by the creators of the Veggie Hotels web-based directory of vegan and vegetarian hotels, this book is full of gorgeous photos of some of the best cruelty-free digs around the world.

You’ll also find plenty of useful information about all the services and activities these veg and vegan accommodations offer, such as yoga and cooking classes. And chefs from the on-site restaurants even share some of their most popular recipes in the book.

By Teneues,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Veggie Hotels as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Even with the loveliest hotel room and a beckoning pool, the perfect vacation can be spoiled when the restaurant forces you to make a meal out of side dishes. For vegetarians and vegans, a hotel vacation suiting their culinary lifestyle can still be quite a challenge. But there are outstanding alternatives out there, you just have to find them! Travel journalists, Thomas and Karen Klein, had the same thought, so, in 2011, they joined forces with Peter Haunert to launch the hotel partner and website, VeggieHotels, a portal featuring 100% vegetarian hotels and inns. In addition to purely vegetarian-vegan hotels,…


Book cover of Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom: Creating Physical and Emotional Health and Healing

Swami Saradananda Author Of Sitting Comfortably: Preparing the Mind and Body for Peaceful Meditation

From my list on serious yogis and meditators.

Why am I passionate about this?

I was born in New York, live in London, have an Indian name, and a Polish grandmother. I’ve lived and worked worldwide, running yoga centers in New York, London, New Delhi, and the Himalayas; I’ve also worked as a spice merchant, magazine editor, and pilgrimage leader. My incentive in writing is to inspire people to practise yoga and meditation – and my books tend to be practical as well as theoretical. In addition to teaching and writing, I’ve spent extensive time doing personal practice in the Himalayas, and I hold an MA degree in Traditions of Yoga and Meditation from SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies), University of London.

Swami's book list on serious yogis and meditators

Swami Saradananda Why did Swami love this book?

Although technically not a yoga book, I have included it on my list, as the majority of modern yoga practitioners are women. I found this book to be both groundbreaking and inspirational. Northrup is a holistic physician who explains not only the physical workings of the body, but also how many health problems can relate energetically to such yoga concepts as the chakras.

This is a very large book that is obviously not meant to be read cover to cover. I keep it on my shelf and dip into it from time to time to get a deeper understanding of the chemistry, anatomy, and physiology of the human body.

By Christiane Northrup,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The New York Times bestselling guide to physical and emotional wellness for women of all ages—fully revised and updated for 2020
 
“A masterpiece for every woman who has an interest in her body, her mind, and her soul.”—Caroline Myss, Ph.D., author of Anatomy of the Spirit
 
“I recommend Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom to all women and also to all men who want to understand and nourish the women in their lives.”—Deepak Chopra, M.D., author of Ageless Body, Timeless Mind
 
Emphasizing the body’s innate wisdom and ability to heal, Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom covers the entire range of women’s health—from the…


Book cover of Soteria

Will Hall Author Of Outside Mental Health: Voices and Visions of Madness

From my list on psychosis from someone who has schizophrenia.

Why am I passionate about this?

I was an imaginative and sensitive kid – growing up in the confusing oppressions of the US south and raised by parents who are themselves trauma survivors. When I started to go into altered states, hear voices, withdraw in frightened isolation and drift towards strange beliefs, I was forcibly locked up at Langley Porter Psychiatric Hospital in San Francisco. I was drugged, put in restraints and solitary confinement, and told I was schizophrenic and would never live a normal life. Today I don’t take medication, work as a therapist teacher, and advocate, and have joined the international patients’ movement working to change an abusive and misguided mental health system. I am not anti-medication, but I see psychiatric meds for what they are – tranquilizers, not treatments, tools not solutions. We need compassionate approaches and caring communities for individuals suffering from a psychotic crisis like I was. I am also the author of the Harm Reduction Guide to Coming Off Psychiatric Drugs.

Will's book list on psychosis from someone who has schizophrenia

Will Hall Why did Will love this book?

What would happen if instead of throwing people into jail-like mental wards and hammering them with tranquilizing drugs, we instead welcomed them into home-like settings and spent time listening and caring, patiently giving them time and space to explore the emotional roots of their crisis? Psychiatrist Loren Mosher did just that in the Soteria House research project in the 1970s and 80s, and the results were clear: people do better without medications and with listening and caring in a safe environment instead.

Mosher was the first chief of the Center for Studies of Schizophrenia of the National Institutes of Mental Health but you’ve probably never heard of him – his innovative project proved that psychosis can be healed more effectively without medication and outside of  hospitals, but came at a time when biological and pharmaceutical solutions – and the profits they generate – came to dominate psychiatry, so he was…

By Voyce Hendrix Fort, Loren R. Mosher,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Soteria as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This is the story of a special time, space, and place where young people diagnosed as


Book cover of Recovery from Lyme Disease: The Integrative Medicine Guide to Diagnosing and Treating Tick-Borne Illness

Dorothy Kupcha Leland Author Of Finding Resilience: A Teen's Journey Through Lyme Disease

From my list on people with Lyme disease who can’t get well.

Why am I passionate about this?

Nineteen years ago, my 13-year-old daughter became wracked in severe pain for no discernible reason. She found walking, lying flat, or sitting up straight impossible. She had a host of other bizarre physical symptoms, too. The doctors we consulted not only didn’t help us, they decided she was faking it. We had to step outside the medical mainstream to discover she had chronic Lyme disease. After many difficult years, she got better, and I began working to change the system. As president of LymeDisease.org, a national Lyme advocacy and research organization, I write and speak on behalf of Lyme patients and their families.

Dorothy's book list on people with Lyme disease who can’t get well

Dorothy Kupcha Leland Why did Dorothy love this book?

Dr. Daniel Kinderlehrer was already a prominent holistic physician when he became quite sick. None of the many doctors he consulted could figure out what was ailing him or how to help him in any way.

He turned out to have persistent Lyme disease—which can be notoriously hard to diagnose—and the experience spun his life and career in a completely different direction. I like this book because he shares so much of his personal story and imparts excellent information about the immune system, healing the gut, detoxifying the body, and treating infections.

By Daniel A. Kinderlehrer,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Recovery from Lyme Disease as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From the foreword by world-leading Lyme expert Joseph J. Burrascano, Jr., MD:

A detailed and thoughtful road map is sorely needed. And it is in this context that I am so pleased that we have this book by Dr. Kinderlehrer. I wish I'd had a book like this back in the day to guide me! It covers just about everything-the infections, diagnostic tests, treatments, and yes, the all-important terrain. It gives the reader an in-depth, but easily understandable, guide through the many subtleties of tick-borne illnesses. I am impressed with the knowledge presented and grateful for this information, which has…


Book cover of In Love with the World: A Monk's Journey Through the Bardos of Living and Dying
Book cover of Attachment Disturbances in Adults: Treatment for Comprehensive Repair
Book cover of Mindful Compassion: How the Science of Compassion Can Help You Understand Your Emotions, Live in the Present, and Connect Deeply with Othe

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