Take the first step toward your mental health and well-being with this comprehensive list of mental health books for women.
Struggling to take care of yourself while dealing with the weight of social expectations? We’ve been there too!
As women, we have to constantly manage a universe of expectations, make our path in a world vying to control us and continue fighting internal and external battles that threaten to push us over the edge. The pressure to be everything to everyone breathes down our neck. Systematic inequalities, patriarchal mindsets, and skewed societal norms – being a woman in this world means having all the odds stacked against you.
You are supposed to carry the weight of generations and balance on the tightrope of expectations set by a patriarchal society. You are expected to navigate the demands and struggles of motherhood without caring about your own well-being. And while you try your best, the whispers of self-doubt emerging from a culture that forces you to shrink, stop, and hide can get to your head eventually.
Simply put, being a woman is hard. It’s exhausting and, quite frankly, infuriating.
So, how do you find solace? How do you get back home to yourself after spending time in the real, unequal world?
This is exactly where the best mental health books for women come into play. From stories of struggles and courage to self-help advice, maternal mental health resources, and postpartum support strategies – the best mental health books for women have it all.
To help you get started, we have compiled a comprehensive list of the best mental health books for women. Let’s dive in.
9 Best Mental Health Books For Women
1. Mom Rage: The Everyday Crisis of Modern Motherhood
The first in our list of the best books for women’s mental health book is this masterpiece by Minna Dubin. Mom Rage outlines the struggles of living her version of motherhood that doesn’t fit the regular societal standards. Dubin is not your ordinary stuck-in-her-50s mother, and the idea of being forced to stick to a certain image makes her want to scream.
Dubin’s story is the reality of thousands of mothers out there. She represents every woman who has been labeled as an unloving mother just because she doesn’t fit the mold.
This is one of the best mental health books for women because it highlights a deep-seated problem and stereotype that women have fought against all their lives. It sheds light on unequal parenting responsibilities and the fact that women receive almost no social support while dealing with the struggles of being a parent.
Dubin is on a mission to transform the idea of motherhood and is genuinely one of the best maternal mental health resources out there.
2. To Have and to Hold: Motherhood, Marriage, and the Modern Dilemma
Who better to write one of the best mental health books for women than a clinical psychologist herself? Molly Millwood specializes in providing marital and intimate relationship-related therapy to women. In this groundbreaking book about postpartum depression, she highlights the various aspects of motherhood, identity shifts, and expectations related to it.
Millwood offers strategic and scientific advice to process through the journey. Her clinical expertise and background, client experiences, and her own motherhood journey are a bonus for readers.
This is one of the best mental health books for women because it comes from a mental health professional who has struggled with these issues herself.
3. Beyond the Blues: Understanding and Treating Prenatal and Postpartum Depression & Anxiety
One of the best books for postnatal depression, Beyond the Blues, is your ultimate resource guide to navigating the tumultuous recovery process.
Beyond the Blues makes it to the list of the best books on postpartum depression because it provides a nuanced and balanced perspective of the condition. It provides you with scientific strategies to manage your condition. Additionally, for young mothers, it also offers knowledge on how to prevent postpartum depression.
The best part about the book is that it provides updated and latest information regarding treatment and medications related to postpartum depression, making it a comprehensive guide.
4. I Really Needed This Today
Written by the fantastic Today Show co-host Hoda Kotb, I Really Needed This Today is a compilation of the best quotes and affirmations that offer hope and courage for all mothers. Not just that, but along with 365 heartfelt quotes, Kotb also writes about the people who pushed her to challenge herself and achieve greater heights.
If you are struggling to find hope or looking for positive affirmations, this is one of the best mental health books for women. It feels relatable and makes you feel heard and seen while at your most vulnerable.
5. Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning
Mental health struggles for women from marginalized communities are often hidden under the rug. This is why Minor Feelings is one of the must-read mental health books for women, especially to understand the unique challenges people of color face.
Cathy Park is a daughter of Asian immigrant parents, and her book Minor Feelings contains a list of hard-hitting essays that highlight the culture of shame and dependency that she felt throughout her life. She also addressed the misconceptions about her racial identity and offered a glimpse into the reality of second-generation immigrants.
Minor Feelings is one of the best mental health books for women. It’s a complete master class on how race affects mental health and what we can do about it.
6. Good Moms Have Bad Days: Understanding Postpartum Mood Disorders
If you’ve ever been made to feel like a bad mom because of your postpartum depression diagnosis, this is one of the best books on postpartum depression for you.
While dealing with postpartum depression, your energy levels and moods are constantly fluctuating. You might not understand why, but you are continually exhausted by the sheer weight of your responsibilities and feel like giving up.
This is where Good Moms Have Bad Days can help. It empowers mothers and their families with everything they need to understand what postpartum depression is and how it affects people.
Good Moms is packed with information about treatment options, stories from survivors, and added details about new research across the world – making it one of the best books to help with postpartum depression.
7. Communion: The Female Search for Love
Next on the list of the best books on women’s mental health is Communion by Bell Hooks.
At first look, Communion might look like a book written about all the mushy aspects of love and relationships. But when you look closer, you’ll realize that it’s more than just a book about love. Communion details the experiences of being in love as a woman of color.
While it discusses love and relationships at great length, it also talks about important aspects of women’s mental health, like self-love, body-image issues, and mental peace.
8. The Pregnancy and Postpartum Anxiety Workbook
This postpartum depression and anxiety workbook is one of the best maternal mental health resources out there. Filled with practical strategies and tips to help you overcome postpartum anxiety, this workbook offers a workable and planned recovery journey to you.
When combined with professional help, this postpartum depression workbook can be an effective tool in your recovery process. The exercises in the workbook are clinically designed and based on cognitive-behavioral therapy.
Additionally, the workbook also contains a section to help partners or fathers understand more about what postpartum depression and recovery look like.
9. Breathe, Mama, Breathe: 5-Minute Mindfulness for Busy Moms
As mothers, you might rarely find time for yourself, let alone have a moment to indulge in mindfulness. Well, Shonda Moralis has heard you and created a mindfulness routine you can practice in just five minutes. And we are not kidding!
Winner of the National Parenting Award, this five-minute mindfulness guide is one of the best books to help with postpartum depression. It offers easy-to-practice and helpful mindfulness techniques that mothers can practice in the middle of their busy schedules.
Not just that, Shonda outlines the benefits of meditation and mindfulness for young mothers and motivates you to incorporate the practices into your daily schedule.
So, if you have ever thought you cannot make time for your well-being as a mom, this excellent book is here to tell you otherwise.
Conclusion:
Being a woman is tough. While constantly juggling the responsibilities of motherhood, self-doubt, societal expectations, and the burden of patriarchy – it’s easy to lose a sense of your mental health and well-being.
This is exactly where the best mental health books for women come into play. These mental health books for women are filled with self-care advice, scientific information about maternal mental health, and stories of courage and resilience. We hope our list of the best books on women’s mental health will get you started the right way.
Looking for more self-care tips for mothers? Here are the best self-care strategies for mothers. To continue learning about women’s mental health, subscribe to Your Mental Health Pal.