Resources
These are resources I find genuinely useful - crisis lines, free tools, apps, and books I recommend to clients and colleagues. Self-help resources can be a powerful complement to therapy, but they work best alongside professional support. If something here resonates and you'd like to talk, I'm available.
Crisis and Support Lines
If you are in immediate danger, call 911. These lines are available 24/7 and are free and confidential.
Free Tools and Apps
These are free, evidence-based tools developed by the VA National Center for PTSD and other research institutions. Most are designed as therapy companions - they work best alongside professional care, but many are useful on their own.
Bilateral Stimulation Grounding Tool
A free, browser-based bilateral stimulation tool built by me for this site. Bilateral stimulation - alternating left-right sensory input - is used in EMDR and other trauma-focused therapies, and it has a well-supported role for nervous system calming outside of clinical settings. This tool offers multiple motion modes, customizable speed and color, and bilateral audio tones. It can be used for grounding, self-regulation, and stress reduction. It is not a replacement for clinical EMDR. No account required. No data collected. It is absolutely free. No freemium option, no pay wall. Everthing this tool has is available for you to use.
PTSD Coach
VA National Center for PTSD - FreeDeveloped by the VA National Center for PTSD. Includes PTSD education, symptom tracking, symptom management tools, and links to support. Can be used independently or alongside therapy. Over 460,000 downloads across 115 countries.
CPT Coach
VA National Center for PTSD - Free, iOS onlyA companion app for Cognitive Processing Therapy. Includes CPT worksheets, stuck point logs, PTSD symptom tracking, and session reminders. Best used with a therapist delivering CPT, though the psychoeducation and worksheets are useful independently. Currently available on Apple devices only.
Mindfulness Coach
VA National Center for PTSD - Free, iOS & AndroidA structured introduction to mindfulness practice with guided exercises, education, and progress tracking. Useful for anyone working on stress reduction, nervous system regulation, or building a mindfulness practice alongside therapy.
CBT-i Coach
VA / Stanford - Free, iOS & AndroidSleep difficulties are extremely common with trauma and mood disorders. CBT-i Coach was developed by the VA in partnership with Stanford and supports Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia. It helps build and maintain healthier sleep patterns through structured tools and education.
Resources help. Therapy goes further.
Self-help tools work best alongside professional support. If you're finding these resources useful and want to explore what working together might look like, I offer a free consultation - no commitment, no pressure.
Helpful Websites
Reputable, evidence-based organizations I trust for mental health information.
NAMI
nami.orgNational Alliance on Mental Illness. One of the most comprehensive and accessible sources of mental health education and advocacy. Good for understanding diagnoses, finding local support, and accessing family resources.
Visit NAMI →NIMH
nimh.nih.govNational Institute of Mental Health. The federal agency for mental health research. Excellent for understanding the science behind diagnoses, treatments, and current research. More clinical in tone, but accurate and thorough.
Visit NIMH →ADAA
adaa.orgAnxiety and Depression Association of America. Practical, accessible resources focused specifically on anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, and related disorders. Includes a therapist finder and peer support communities.
Visit ADAA →PTSD National Center
ptsd.va.govThe VA's National Center for PTSD is the world's leading research and educational organization on trauma. Excellent psychoeducation on PTSD, trauma types, treatment approaches, and research. Not just for veterans.
Visit PTSD.va.gov →SAMHSA
samhsa.govSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Particularly useful for substance use concerns, dual diagnosis, and finding treatment facilities and support programs. Includes the National Helpline (1-800-662-4357).
Visit SAMHSA →ISTSS
istss.orgInternational Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. The leading professional organization for trauma research. Their public resources section includes excellent evidence-based information on trauma, complex PTSD, and treatment approaches.
Visit ISTSS →Recommended Reading
Books I recommend to clients based on what they're working through. These are not substitutes for treatment, but the right book at the right time can be genuinely useful alongside therapy.
The Body Keeps the Score
The most widely read book on trauma and the nervous system. Explains how traumatic experiences affect the brain and body, and why healing requires more than talking about it. Essential reading for anyone beginning to understand their trauma.
Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving
The most accessible and widely recommended book for people dealing with complex or developmental trauma. Covers emotional flashbacks, the inner critic, and practical recovery tools in plain language. I recommend this frequently.
What Happened to You?
A highly accessible conversation about how early experiences shape the brain and behavior. Reframes mental health through the lens of "what happened to you?" rather than "what's wrong with you?" Particularly useful for reducing shame.
Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy
One of the most clinically validated self-help books ever published. Randomized controlled trials have shown it reduces depression symptoms comparably to antidepressants for mild to moderate depression. Based on CBT principles.
Dare: The New Way to End Anxiety
A practical, direct approach to anxiety that focuses on changing your relationship to anxious feelings rather than fighting them. Many clients find it more immediately applicable than traditional workbooks.
Waking the Tiger
The foundational text on somatic experiencing - understanding how trauma is stored in the body and how the body's natural healing mechanisms can be engaged. Complements neurosomatic and body-based approaches well.
Daring Greatly
Brown's research on shame and vulnerability is some of the most clinically relevant work to come out of social science in the last two decades. This book directly addresses the armor people build around themselves and why it keeps them stuck. Highly relevant for anyone working through trauma, perfectionism, or fear of being seen.
The Gifts of Imperfection
Where Daring Greatly focuses on shame and vulnerability, this book focuses on worthiness - letting go of who you think you should be and embracing who you are. Particularly useful for clients working on self-worth, perfectionism, and the kind of self-criticism that outlasts the original wound.
Journaling and Self-Reflection
Writing is one of the most accessible and evidence-supported tools for processing difficult experiences. These free resources include structured prompts, thought records, and worksheets grounded in evidence-based practices.
Thought Records (CBT)
Thought records help you identify and examine automatic negative thoughts - a core tool in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. The VA and many universities offer free downloadable versions.
Download Thought Record →CPT Stuck Point Log
Stuck points are unhelpful beliefs formed as a result of trauma - about yourself, others, or the world. This worksheet from CPT helps you identify and begin to challenge them. Available free from the VA.
Access via PTSD Coach Online →Trauma Journaling Prompts
Structured prompts for processing traumatic experiences through writing. Most effective when used alongside therapy. The National Center for PTSD and SAMHSA both offer free guides.
VA Writing Therapy Resources →DBT Diary Card
The DBT diary card is a daily self-monitoring tool used in Dialectical Behavior Therapy to track emotions, urges, and skill use. Useful for anyone working on emotional regulation.
Access DBT Diary Card →Behavioral Activation Worksheet
A core tool for depression: tracking daily activities and their impact on mood, then gradually increasing engagement in meaningful activities. Evidence-based and simple to use.
Download Activity Diary →Grounding Worksheet
Grounding techniques help interrupt dissociation, flashbacks, and acute anxiety by returning attention to the present moment. This worksheet walks through several evidence-based grounding strategies.
Access Grounding Techniques →