Books and Media Resources
Below is a list of books and media resources that have and continue to inform my work as a mental health provider and fellow human. When and if possible, please support local QT& BIPOC owned bookstores when purchasing books (here is one that’s awesome in Oakland!).
Books
Racial Justice
So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
Me and White Supremacy by Layla F Saad
How To Be An Antiracist by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi
Body Justice and Fat Liberation
Belly of the Beast: The Politics of Anti-Fatness as Anti-Blackness by Da’Shaun L Harrison
What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat by Aubrey Gordon
Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fatphobia by Sabrina Strings
The Body is Not an Apology by Sonya Renee Taylor
Trauma and Healing
A Burst of Light: and Other Essays by Audre Lorde
In The Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction by Gabor Mate
Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents by Lindsay C. Gibson
The Pain We Carry: Healing from Complex PTSD for People of Color by Natalie Y. Gutierrez
Healing Justice Lineages: Dreaming at the Crossroads of Liberation, Collective Care, and Safety by Cara Page and Erica Woodland
My Grandmother’s Hands by Resmaa Menakem
What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo
What Happened to You? by Dr. Bruce Perry and Oprah
How to Survive Today by Tonya Ingram
If You Feel Too Much by Jamie Tworkowski
**Please note that I am no longer recommending The Body Keeps the Score by Dr. Bessel Van Der Kolk due to allegations of harm and abuse, not crediting folks who did groundbreaking work so his book could exist, and its Eurocentric/Western centered view that include a lack of critical discussion of oppression. I apologize for recommending this work previously and for my failure of critical analysis, and will do better moving forward.
Mental Health Politics, ADHD, and Autism
Mad World: The Politics of Mental Health by Micha Frazer-Carroll
Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity by Dr. Devon Price
How to Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing by KC Davis
Decolonizing Therapy: Oppression, Historical Trauma, and Politicizing Your Practice by Dr. Jennifer Mullan
Community Organizing and Social Justice
Emergent Strategy by Adrienne Maree Brown
We Do This ‘Til We Free Us by Mariame Kaba
No More Police: A Case for Abolition by Mariame Kaba and Andrea J. Ritchie
Freedom is Constant Struggle by Angela Davis
LGBTQ+
Beyond The Gender Binary by Alok Vaid-Menon
The Transgender Teen: A Handbook for Parents and Professionals Supporting Transgender and Non-Binary Teens by Stephanie Brill and Lisa Kenney
Relationships & Sexuality
All About Love by bell hooks
Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex by Angela Chen
Refusing Compulsory Sexuality: A Black Asexual Lens on Our Sex-Obsessed Culture by Sherronda J. Brown
Polysecure: Attachment, Trauma, and Consensual Nonmonogamy by Jessica Fern
Podcasts
Unsolicited: Fatties Talk Back: “Join fat activists Marquisele Mercedes (she/her), Da’Shaun Harrison (they/them), Caleb Luna (they/them), Bryan Guffey (they/them), and Jordan Underwood (they/he) as they break down how and why anti-fatness shows up in our lives and relationships. Listen as they get endlessly sidetracked while re-answering old advice columns about weight, fitness, and more from fat liberationist perspectives. Released almost every other Sunday.”
Maintenance Phase: Debunking “wellness trends” and rethinking wellness and the relationship to anti-fat bias
Finding Our Way: Meet Prentis Hemphill, writer, healer, teacher, and Somatics practioner. Prentis sets the intention for this series and gives a preview of what is to come as we dive into topics of embodiment, boundaries, harm, creativity, and more with people who are working to reshape this world. This isn’t a podcast about answers. It is an exploration into ourselves, and the skills we need to create and embody the world we want.
Special recommendation: Continual Becoming with Prentis and ALOK
Videos
Let’s Replace Cancel Culture with Accountability: Sonya Renee Taylor Ted Talk 2021
The Hand-Brain Model: How our brain responds to overwhelming events by Dr. Daniel Siegel
Polyvagal Theory: The New Science of Safety and Trauma: How trauma impacts our nervous system, and how to begin creating safety in our bodies again
How Does EMDR work? A (very) brief introduction
Community Resources
Emergency Resources
Youth Specific:
Mobile Crisis Response Team (Santa Clara County): For folks under the age of 18 who are in need of immediate psychiatric support, please contact the Mobile Response program’s 24-hour crisis hotline at (408) 379-9085 or toll-free 1-877-41-CRISIS.
CA Youth Crisis Line: Call or text (800) 843-5200, for folks ages 12-24
Bill Wilson Center: call (408) 850-6125 for folks 12-24 years old in Santa Clara County
Trevor Lifeline: Call 1-800-488-7386 or text START to 678-678
Adults:
Suicide and Crisis Hotline 24/7
Call 1 (855) 278-4204 or text RENEW to 741741
National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-8255 or text HOME to 741741
Trans Lifeline: Call 877-565-8860
Food Assistance
Santa Clara County Cal-Fresh: Apply for SNAP benefits here
COVID Resources
Amanda from Sun and Spirit Therapy has made an incredible resource list!
Mutual Aid
South Bay Area Mutual Aid (Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties)
Bay Area Mutual Aid: Entire Bay Area, includes COVID-19 support
Liberation-focused mental health providers
Fat Mental Health Providers in the US and Canada
National Queer & Trans Therapists of Color Network
Self-Care for All Bodies, All Abilities
Joyn: Videos for different body sizes, abilities, and interests
Fat Self Care: Movement, travel, self-care items, fashion, discussion on the complex relationship fat folks and POC have with food, and fat liberation resources.
Hipline: Based in Oakland with classes also offered virtually, this studio celebrates all bodies and abilities, with centering of marginalized genders and freedom through movement. Special recommendations for Kat (fat-identified instructor who celebrates fat bodies) and Isabelle (nervous system healing and empowerment through dance).
Health At Every Size Dietitians
As You Are Nutrition: Anti-Diet based dietician and nutrition services. Services may be covered under insurance. Services offered in English and Spanish.
All Gender Nutrition: Dietician services for the transgender community.
Healthcare
Size Friendly Medical Care: https://barehealth.co/. Special recommendation for Corina Clark-Derman, NP, for fat folks, queer and trans folks, and neurodivergent folks.
Eating Disorder Support for Trans and Intersex Communities: https://fedupcollective.org/
Land Recognition
I acknowledge these Indigenous Peoples as the traditional stewards of the land, and the enduring relationship that exists between them and their traditional territories. The land on which I sit is the traditional unceded territory of the Tamien, Ohlone, and Muwekma Nations. I acknowledge the painful history of genocide and forced occupation of their territory, and I honor and respect the many diverse indigenous people connected to this land on which we gather from time immemorial.
I support returning land to the rightful stewards and recognize that I have benefited and continue to benefit from the colonization of land and the ongoing colonialism embedded deeply in colonial America. I believe it is up to those of us who benefit to engage in action to support the Indigenous Peoples in the return of their sacred land. I support and pay a portion of net income to the voluntary land tax of the Tamien Nation.
Acknowledgements
We all have people who have “loved us into being.” (Mr. Fred Rogers). Thank you to those of you who have loved me into being.
Jason, Lindsay, mom & dad, Julie, Adriana, Rae, Ezak, Ilene, Amanda T, Evelyn, Marie, Andy, Alicia, Christine, Dom, Leo, Steven, Juan, Roel, Holly, Hannah, Rosie, my fat and queer communities, and the folx who have nurtured me in my communities in which I am thankful to exist.
Sonya Renee Taylor, adrienne maree brown, Ijeoma Oluo, Imani Barbarin, Sherronda J. Brown, Mariame Kaba, Michelle MiJung Kim, Jamie Tworkowski, the Unsolicited FTB crew, Aubrey Gordon, Michael Hobbes, Tonya Ingram, Kanoa Greene, Rudy Francisco, Prentis Hemphill, Angela Chen, and countless others who have paved a way for me to learn to be a human connecting with other humans.