6 Books To Help You (Really) Practice Self-Care

With so much going on in the world, self-care seems like a necessary form of survival.

We don’t have to remind you what we’re up against, but for the record: a novel coronavirus is still ravaging the U.S. because of total lack of governmental leadership, a racial reckoning is happening in every facet of society and children (in some parts of the country) are being forced to go back to school even as millions have died from the virus.

We’re still not used to working from home. We still miss our friends because we’re trying to be responsible and self-isolate and we’re still missing our old ways of life.

For the July/August issue of ESSENCE, psychologist Dr. Thema Bryant-Davis helped us hand-select books that really speak to our need for care, compassion, empathy and real-life tactics on how to cope.

01

Bipolar Faith

Monica A. Coleman gets real about her own “dance” with bipolar disorder and shows others there is a way out in Bipolar Faith: A Black Woman’s Journey With Depression and Faith ($26.99)

02

The Self-Care Prescription

Robyn L. Gobin, Ph.D., breaks down useful techniques in The Self-Care Prescription: Powerful Solutions to Manage Stress, Reduce Anxiety and Increase Well- Being ($14.99) to help you design a balanced and purpose-filled life

03

Stay Woke: A Meditation Guide for the Rest of Us

In his debut, Stay Woke: A Meditation Guide for the Rest of Us ($20.99), Justin Michael Williams offers meditations for trauma, racism, homophobia and even self- sabotaging

04

Dear Woman

Michael E. Reid, better known as Just Mike The Poet, penned a collection of poetry and letters called Dear Woman ($27.99), in which he reminds women to grab and wear their crown

05

Soothe Your Nerves: The Black Woman’s Guide to Understanding and Overcoming Anxiety, Panic, and Fear

In Soothe Your Nerves: The Black Woman’s Guide to Understanding and Overcoming Anxiety, Panic, and Fear ($16.95), Dr. Angela Neal-Barnett places Black women’s anxiety front and center

06

Happy, Okay?: Poems About Anxiety, Depression, Hope, & Survival

We’re introduced to Paloma, a woman faking it to survive, in M.J. Fievre’s Happy, Okay?: Poems About Anxiety, Depression, Hope, & Survival ($15.95)