Resources
You don't have to figure everything out on your own.
Therapy is one part of overall well-being. This page includes books, podcasts, apps, community resources, and trusted professionals that may support your mental health between sessions.
This page will continue to grow as we discover resources we genuinely recommend.
Books
A few books I frequently recommend, reference in therapy, or simply think are worth reading.
The Happiness Trap
Russ Harris
A practical introduction to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and one I often recommend for people who feel stuck fighting with their thoughts and emotions.
Emotional Agility
Susan David
A thoughtful look at how we can relate to difficult emotions without ignoring them or letting them run the show. Helpful for developing greater emotional flexibility and making choices that align with your values.
Burnout
Emily Nagoski & Amelia Nagoski
An accessible exploration of stress, burnout, and why dealing with the stressor isn't always enough to deal with the stress itself. Especially helpful for understanding the role our bodies, expectations, and environments play in chronic stress.
Set Boundaries, Find Peace
Nedra Glover Tawwab
A practical guide to understanding, communicating, and maintaining healthier boundaries. Helpful for anyone who struggles with people-pleasing, saying no, overextending themselves, or feeling responsible for other people's reactions.
Self-Compassion
Kristin Neff
An approachable introduction to treating yourself with the same kindness and understanding you might naturally offer someone else. Particularly useful for people who struggle with self-criticism, perfectionism, or feeling like they're never doing enough.
Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents
Lindsay C. Gibson
A helpful framework for understanding how emotionally limited or unavailable parenting can continue to shape relationships and emotional patterns in adulthood. It can be especially validating for people trying to make sense of complicated family dynamics.
The Anxious Perfectionist
Clarissa W. Ong & Michael P. Twohig
A practical, ACT-based approach to perfectionism and the anxiety that often comes with it. Helpful for people who set relentlessly high standards, overthink their performance, or struggle to feel like what they're doing is ever "enough."
Your Brain's Not Broken
Tamara Rosier
A compassionate and practical look at the ADHD brain and the challenges that can come with managing emotions, motivation, time, and everyday responsibilities. Helpful for adults who want to better understand how their brain works rather than constantly fighting against it.
Four Thousand Weeks
Oliver Burkeman
A refreshing challenge to our obsession with productivity, efficiency, and trying to fit everything in. Helpful for anyone who feels like there's never enough time and wants to rethink what it means to spend their limited time well.
Spark
John J. Ratey
An exploration of the connection between movement, the brain, and mental health. A useful read for understanding why exercise can support mood, stress regulation, attention, learning, and overall cognitive functioning.
When the Body Says No
Gabor Maté
An exploration of the relationship between chronic stress, emotional patterns, and physical health. A thought-provoking read for considering how our experiences, relationships, boundaries, and ways of coping may affect both emotional and physical well-being.
Podcasts
A few podcasts I recommend for thoughtful conversations about mental health, relationships, well-being, and navigating everyday life.
Ten Percent Happier
Practical conversations about mindfulness, meditation, relationships, stress, and navigating everyday life. A good option for people who are curious about mindfulness but prefer a down-to-earth approach.
Unlocking Us
Brené Brown explores vulnerability, courage, relationships, emotions, and what it means to be human. Thoughtful conversations that can help listeners better understand themselves and how they connect with others.
The Happiness Lab
Psychologist Dr. Laurie Santos explores the science behind happiness and well-being—and why many of the things we assume will make us happier don't necessarily work. Research-based, engaging, and full of ideas you can actually apply to everyday life.
Feeling Good Podcast
Psychiatrist Dr. David Burns explores cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), relationships, anxiety, depression, and the patterns that can keep us feeling stuck. Particularly useful for listeners interested in understanding the connection between thoughts, emotions, and behavior.
Inside Mental Health
Conversations with experts about mental health, psychology, treatment, and the experiences of people living with mental health concerns. A helpful resource for learning more about a wide range of mental health topics in an accessible way.
The Mental Illness Happy Hour
Honest, often humorous conversations about mental health, trauma, relationships, addiction, and the parts of life people don't always talk openly about. Best suited for listeners who appreciate candid conversations about difficult topics.
Therapy for Black Girls
Dr. Joy Harden Bradford offers conversations about mental health, relationships, personal development, and emotional well-being with a particular focus on the experiences of Black women and girls.
Radio Headspace
Short, approachable episodes centered on mindfulness, perspective, and navigating the ups and downs of everyday life. A nice option for people who want something reflective without committing to a long podcast episode.
Where Should We Begin?
Therapist Esther Perel invites listeners into real conversations with couples and individuals navigating relationships, conflict, intimacy, and major life transitions. A fascinating look at the patterns that shape how we relate to the people closest to us.
Chasing Life
Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores the science behind living a healthier life, with conversations about the brain, body, habits, stress, sleep, relationships, and well-being. A good option for listeners interested in the intersection of physical and mental health.
Apps
A few apps that can be useful for mindfulness, emotional awareness, organization, self-care, and building supportive everyday habits.
Headspace
A mindfulness and meditation app with guided practices for stress, sleep, focus, and emotional well-being. A good starting point for people who are new to meditation or prefer having some structure and guidance.
Calm
A meditation and relaxation app offering guided meditations, breathing exercises, sleep stories, music, and other tools for winding down. Particularly useful for building relaxation or sleep practices into your routine.
Libby
A free app that lets you borrow ebooks and audiobooks through participating public libraries using your library card. A great way to access many mental health, psychology, and personal growth books without having to purchase every title.
Todoist
A task-management app for organizing responsibilities, reminders, projects, and recurring tasks. It can be especially helpful for reducing the mental load of trying to remember everything and creating a clearer external system for what needs your attention.
How We Feel
An emotion-tracking app designed to help you identify, understand, and notice patterns in how you're feeling. Useful for building emotional awareness, expanding your emotional vocabulary, and recognizing what may be influencing your mood.
Finch
A self-care app that turns everyday wellness activities into small, manageable goals while you care for a virtual pet. Its playful approach can make routines, reflection, and self-care feel a little more approachable.
Daylio
A simple mood and activity tracker that makes it easy to notice patterns over time without requiring extensive journaling. Helpful for exploring connections between your mood, habits, routines, activities, and experiences.
Balance
A meditation and mindfulness app that creates personalized practices based on your goals and experience. A useful option for people who want guided meditation but aren't quite sure where to start or what type of practice would work best for them.
Local Wellness Resources
A collection of Madison-area professionals and businesses that support physical health, wellness, and overall well-being.
Personal Trainers & Fitness
Local options for personalized fitness support, strength training, movement, and building sustainable exercise habits.
One-on-one personal training focused on meeting you at your current fitness level and building from there. Cody incorporates strength, cardiovascular fitness, mobility and stretching, with individualized support for a range of goals and experience levels.
A locally owned strength-focused gym in Monona offering 24/7 access and personal training with a variety of independent coaches. A good option for people looking for a smaller, community-oriented training environment with plenty of strength equipment and coaching options.
A welcoming, community-focused fitness studio specializing in small-group training. Their programs emphasize strength, movement, wellness, and meeting people where they are, including options specifically designed for adults over 50.
Personal and small-group training with an emphasis on building strength, confidence, and consistency in a supportive environment. Offers individualized coaching as well as small-group strength training, with both in-person and virtual options available
A boutique fitness option offering personal training, small-group workouts, and independent gym access. A good fit for people looking for a smaller training environment with individualized coaching, strength and conditioning, and an emphasis on form and modifications.