The following books are deemed good and useful by the counselors at Nikao. However, we do not agree with everything in every book. Therefore, if you choose to read one of these books, we encourage you to interact with it critically and follow up with your individual therapist.
ABUSE/TRAUMA
“Suffering and the Heart of God:How Trauma Destroys and Christ Restores” by Diane Langberg
“The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma” by Bessel van der Kolk
“Hope and Healing from Emotional Abuse” by Gregory Jantz and Ann McMurray
ADDICTIONS
“Loving the Addict, Hating the Addiction: For Christian Families Coping with Drug Addiction” by Kecia Sims
“Freedom from Addiction: Breaking the Bondage of Addiction and Finding Freedom in Christ” by Neil T. Anderson
“The Heart of Addiction: A Biblical Perspective” by Mark Shaw
“Addictions- A Banquet in the Grave: Finding Hope in the Power of the Gospel” by Edward Welch
“The Lost Years: Surviving a Mother and Daughter’s Worst Nightmare” by Kristina Wandzilak
ANXIETY
“Running Scared: Fear, Worry, and the God of Rest” by Edward Welch
“Calm My Anxious Heart: A Woman’s Guide to Finding Contentment” by Linda Dillow
“When Panic Attacks: The New Drug Free Anxiety Therapy that Can Change Your Life” by David Burns
DEPRESSION
“Depression: Looking Up From the Stubborn Darkness” Edward Welch
“Walking with God Through Pain and Suffering” by Timothy Keller
“Disappointment with God” by Phillip Yancey
“Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope That Matters” by Timothy Keller
DIVORCE/REMARRIAGE
“Divorce and Remarriage in the Church: Biblical Solutions for Pastoral Realities” by David Brewer
“Divorce and Remarriage” by Tony Evans
“Growing Through Divorce” by Jim Smoke
“A Woman’s Guide to Healing the Heartbreak of Divorce” by Rose Sweet
“New Life After Divorce: The Promise of Hope Beyond the Pain” by Bill Butterworth
“The Divorce Dilemma: God’s Last Word on Lasting Commitment” by John MacArthur
“When the Vow Breaks: A Survival and Recovery Guide for Christians Facing Divorce” by Joseph Kniskern
“Helping Children Survive Divorce” by Archibald Hart
EATING DISORDERS
“Love to Eat, Hate to Eat” by Elyse Fitzpatrick
“Intuitive Eating” by Evelyn Tribole
“Help Your Teenager Beat an Eating Disorder” by James Lock
“Life Without Ed: How One Woman Claimed Independence from her Eating Disorder and You Can Too” by Jenni Schaefer
“Goodbye Ed, Hello Me: Recover from your Eating Disorder and Fall in Love with Life” by Jenni Schaefer
“Life Inside the Thin Cage: An Inside Look into the Life of a Chronic Dieter” by Constance Rhodes
GRIEF/LOSS
“Good Grief” by Granger Westberg
“The Path of Loneliness: Finding Your Way Through the Wilderness to God” by Elisabeth Elliot
“Grieving the Loss of Someone You Love” by Raymond Mitsch
“Life After the Death of my Son: What I’m Learning” by Dennis Apple
“A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through Loss” by Jerry Sitser
MARRIAGE
“The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work” by John Gottman
“What did you Expect: Redeeming the Realities of Marriage” by Paul Tripp
“The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God” by Tim Keller
“Sheet Music: Uncovering the Secrets of Sexual Intimacy in Marriage” by Kevin Leman
“When Sinners Say I Do” by Dave Harvey
“Sacred Marriage: What if God Designed Marriage to Make Us Holy More than to Make us Happy” by Gary Thomas
“Restoring the Pleasure” by Joyce Penner
PARENTING
“Give them Grace: Dazzling Your Kids with the Love of Jesus” by Elyse Fitzpatrick
“How and When to Tell your Kids About Sex” by Stan and Brenna Jones
“The Heart of Anger: Practical Help for Prevention and Cure of Anger in Children” by Lou Priolo
“Freeing Your Child from Anxiety” by Tamar Chansky
“Girls will be Girls: Raising Confident and Courageous Daughters” by Joann Deak
“Shepherding a Child’s Heart” by Tedd Tripp
“Parenting Your Out of Control Teenager” by Scott Sells
“Grace Based Parenting: Set Your Family Free” by Tim Kimmel
RELATIONSHIPS
“Why Won’t You Apologize: Healing Big Betrayals and Everyday Hurts” by Harriett Lerner
“When People are Big and God is Small: Overcoming Peer Pressure, Codependency, and the Fear of Man” by Edward Welch
“How to Forgive When you Don’t Feel Like it” by June Hunt
“Surviving a Borderline Parent” by Kimberlee Roth
“Crazymakers” by Paul Meier
“Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself” by Melody Beattie
“The Language of Letting Go: Daily Meditations for Codependents” by Melodie Beattie
SEXUAL ISSUES/SEXUAL IDENTITY
“Healing the Wounds of Sexual Addiction” by Mark Laaser
“The Heart of Female Same-Sex Attraction” by Janelle Hallman
“Restoring Sexual Identity: Hope for Women who Struggle with Same-Sex Attraction” by Anne Paulk
“Every Man’s Battle: Winning the War on Sexual Temptation One Victory at a Time” by Stephen Arterburn
“Every Young Woman’s Battle: Guarding Your Mind, Heart, and Body in a Sex Saturated World” by Shannon Ethridge
SPIRITUAL RENEWAL
“A Life Well Lived: A Study of the Book of Ecclesiastes” by Tommy Nelson
“Disciplines of a Godly Man” by Kent Hughes
“Celebration of Disciple: The Path to Spiritual Growth” by Richard Foster
“The Pursuit of God” by A.W. Tozer
“Because He Loves Me: How Christ Transforms our Daily Lives” by Elyse Fitzpatrick
“Praying God’s Word: Breaking Free From Spiritual Strongholds” by Beth Moore
“The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness” by Timothy Keller