“How to do the work” by Dr. Nicole LePera

The author 🖋

Dr. Nicole LePera is a licensed psychologist with a doctorate in clinical psychology and a New York Times #1 bestselling author.

Her work and ideas first gained recognition through her Instagram account - "The Holistic Psychologist" - and has now grown to a following of over 10 million across social media.

Key takeaways 🎓

1. Conscious healing

Based on Dr. LePera, self-awareness is the cornerstone of healing.

She teaches methods we can use to recognize our thoughts, emotions and behavioral patterns without judgment.

Developing this self-awareness allows us to make conscious choices rather than reacting automatically based on ingrained patterns.

2. Inner child work

Many adult issues are rooted in unmet needs and unresolved traumas from our childhood.

This trauma isn’t limited to extreme events but could be anything that made us feel scared, helpless or overwhelmed.

By actively thinking about these early experiences, we can recognize, acknowledge and begin to heal the wounds that continue to influence our behaviors and thought patterns in our adulthood.

3. A holistic approach to mental health

Dr. LePera advocates that feeling good isn't just about what's in our head and involves addressing all aspects of a person's life - including physical health, emotional well-being and spiritual connection.

She believes that only by treating our entire self, rather than just individual symptoms, lasting transformation can be achieved.

This means incorporating practices such as proper nutrition, exercise, mindfulness and self-compassion into daily routines.

Closing thoughts 🧠

The book is a comprehensive guide to self-healing that combines traditional psychology with holistic practices to help us take control of our mental health.

I like the fact that Dr. LePera offers practical exercises that can help us identify and address the root causes of our issues (which should lead to a better life for us as well as the people around us).