Resources I genuinely recommend across my areas of work. Whether you are between sessions, reading up on something, or trying to support someone you care about, there is something here worth your time.
A note on these recommendations. These are resources I have found genuinely useful, either in my clinical work or personally. I cannot endorse every word in every one of them, and none of them replace professional support. If you are in distress, please go straight to the crisis numbers at the bottom of this page or reach out to me directly.
Resources on postnatal depression and anxiety, attachment, and the transition into parenthood, for mothers, fathers, and couples.
A warm guide to bringing mindfulness into early motherhood. Good for mothers feeling depleted, and for anyone curious about how Buddhist ideas translate into the practical messiness of parenting a small child.
A psychological look at what actually happens inside a woman when she becomes a mother. The identity shift, the new preoccupations, the way the world reorders itself. Many women find it articulates something they have been feeling but could not name.
A reframing of postnatal depression that goes beyond just getting through it. Karraa writes about how the experience can become a turning point rather than just something to recover from. Moving and clinically grounded.
Makes a strong case for why fathers matter in the early years and how dads can build real attachment with their babies from the start. Research-based but very readable.
From the Gottmans, whose research on couples is some of the most rigorous out there. Looks honestly at what happens to relationships after a baby arrives and gives practical tools for staying connected through it.
A thought-provoking read on how our own history shapes the way we parent. Tsabary writes about the idea that the real work of parenting is often work on yourself, and that becoming more self-aware changes everything downstream.
Based on Gallup research, this one focuses on identifying and building on what children are naturally good at rather than trying to fix what they are not. A useful shift in perspective for parents who feel stuck in a cycle of correcting.
A genuine classic. Fraiberg wrote this in the 1950s and it still holds up. It is one of the most warmly written and insightful guides to understanding the inner life of young children you will find anywhere.
A compassionate, practical guide for navigating pregnancy after loss. Covers the emotional realities honestly without being overwhelming, and takes both the fear and the hope seriously.
Explains child brain development in a way that actually makes sense to parents rather than clinicians. Siegel and Bryson are good at translating neuroscience into something useful for the 6pm witching hour.
Australia's leading perinatal mental health organisation. Good resources on anxiety, depression, birth trauma, and relationship changes in the perinatal period. I am a member of COPE.
Visit websiteNational helpline for perinatal anxiety and depression. Available Monday to Saturday. One of the most important services in this space in Australia, and genuinely kind to call.
Visit websiteA not-for-profit that provides specialist support for expectant and new parents with perinatal anxiety or depression. Free telehealth appointments are available across Australia. I have worked with Gidget House directly and have great respect for what they do.
Visit websiteAn Australian online community for mothers, covering mental health, relationships, and the everyday realities of motherhood. Warm and down to earth.
Visit websitePractical resources for new parents navigating the relationship changes that come with having a baby. Useful for couples who want to stay connected through the transition.
Visit websiteA well-put-together Australian parenting resource covering child development, behaviour, and wellbeing from pregnancy through to the teenage years. Easy to search when you need something specific at short notice.
Visit websiteA free SMS support service for new fathers in the first year of their baby's life. Simple, practical, and designed for dads who would not necessarily pick up the phone to talk to someone but will read a text.
Visit websiteAn Australian resource for fathers with practical advice, real stories, and information on supporting your partner and connecting with your baby.
Visit websiteResources for teenagers going through a hard time, and for the parents trying to understand what is happening for them.
A practical guide for parents helping children manage anxiety. Written by one of Australia's leading anxiety researchers, it gives clear strategies that parents can actually use at home rather than just in a clinical setting.
An Australian psychologist's guide to raising resilient children in an era of overprotective parenting. Warm, direct, and clearly written by someone who has sat with a lot of families. Worth reading for any parent of school-age children.
Written for children experiencing anxiety, this explains what anxiety is in terms a child can actually take in. A good starting point if you want to open up a conversation with a younger child about worry and big feelings.
Australia's leading online mental health service for young people aged 14 to 25. Covers anxiety, depression, relationships, and how to get help. There is also a good section specifically for parents.
Visit websiteAustralia's National Youth Mental Health Foundation. Free or low-cost support for young people aged 12 to 25, through centres around the country and online.
Visit websiteFree, private counselling for young people aged 5 to 25, available by phone or online 24 hours a day. Staffed by qualified counsellors who are used to talking to young people.
Visit websiteBased on Carol Dweck's research on mindset, this helps children and teenagers understand that ability can be developed with effort. Good for kids who have decided they are just not smart, or who give up when things get difficult.
Visit websiteBooks and websites for people working through anxiety, depression, or persistent low mood.
A genuinely useful book and a good introduction to ACT. Russ Harris challenges the idea that feeling happy is the goal, and gives practical tools for building a meaningful life even when things feel difficult. One of the most readable self-help books out there.
A neuropsychiatrist making the case for how understanding our own minds can change our brains. Siegel writes clearly about neuroscience without losing the human thread. Genuinely readable.
Stories about neuroplasticity and the brain's capacity to change and rewire. Hopeful and accessible. Good for anyone who has been told, or has told themselves, that they are just wired a certain way.
Hari argues that much of our suffering with depression and anxiety is rooted in disconnection from meaningful work, people, and values. Challenges the idea that it is primarily a brain chemistry problem. Worth reading even if you end up disagreeing with parts of it.
The book that brought emotional intelligence into mainstream conversation. Goleman makes a clear case for why emotional awareness matters as much as IQ, and how it can be developed rather than being fixed.
A guide to recognising and stepping beyond ego-driven patterns. Tolle writes about presence and purpose in a way that connects well with mindfulness-based therapy and ACT.
Online CBT programs for anxiety and depression, developed by the Clinical Research Unit at St Vincent's Hospital Sydney. I sometimes refer clients to use them alongside our sessions.
Visit websiteAn Australian Government platform that helps you find digital mental health resources. Useful if you are not sure where to start or want to find something specific for your situation or someone you care about.
Visit websiteAustralia's best-known mental health organisation for anxiety and depression. Good information on the website and a 24-hour phone and chat support line if you need to talk to someone.
Visit websiteAustralia's leading research institute for mood disorders. The website has solid resources on depression and bipolar disorder, plus self-assessment tools if you are trying to work out what is going on.
Visit websiteFree audio files and resources for learning ACT and mindfulness from Dr Russ Harris and his colleagues. Good if you want to practice between sessions or just explore the approach on your own terms.
Visit websiteThe peak professional body for CBT in Australia. Has a therapist directory and plain-language information about what CBT involves, which is useful if you are trying to work out whether it sounds right for you.
Visit websiteResources on relationships, communication, and grief.
The most research-backed couples book I know of. Gottman has spent decades studying what actually predicts relationship breakdown and what makes relationships work. This is his most practical distillation of all of that.
Sue Johnson's guide to Emotionally Focused Therapy for couples. She explains clearly why couples fight and pull away from each other, and maps a way back to genuine connection. One of the most important books in this field of the past 20 years.
What happens to relationships after a baby arrives and what couples can do to stay connected through the chaos. Research-based and very practical.
A compassionate look at pregnancy loss, infertility, and the kind of grief that often goes unacknowledged by the people around you. Useful for anyone who has experienced a loss that others have not fully understood.
Hugh Mackay's exploration of what actually makes a good life. His argument is that it is not happiness, it is meaning, connection, and contributing to others. Distinctly Australian in perspective and worth reading slowly.
The main international resource for understanding Schema Therapy. Worth visiting if you are curious about the approach or want a deeper look at the patterns that drive longstanding relationship difficulties.
Visit websiteBooks and podcasts on mindfulness, values, and how to live well.
A classic for good reason. Covey's framework for values-based living has held up over decades. Useful for anyone who suspects the way they spend their time and energy has drifted away from what actually matters to them.
Brene Brown's research on vulnerability and shame, turned into a practical guide for living with more courage and connection. The most readable entry point into her work, and widely loved for good reason.
A guide to letting go of who you think you should be and getting on with who you are. Good for people who are exhausted by perfectionism, self-criticism, or the pressure to keep it together all the time.
Long conversations with authors, thinkers, and spiritual leaders on meaning, purpose, and how to live. Highlights include episodes with Brene Brown, Eckhart Tolle, Shefali Tsabary on conscious parenting, and Thich Nhat Hanh on listening with real compassion.
Wide-ranging conversations on resilience, purpose, and performance. Broad in scope and accessible. Good for people who absorb things better through stories and interviews than through reading.
The full TED archive as a podcast. Talks worth seeking out include Brene Brown on vulnerability, Luvvie Ajayi on getting comfortable with discomfort, Tina Seelig on small risks and luck, and Dixon Chibanda on training grandmothers to treat depression.
Listen hereA small selection of apps I find useful. None of them replace professional support, but they can be good to have available between sessions or when you need something in the moment.
Guided meditation and mindfulness exercises, with an excellent section on the science of mindfulness. One of the most accessible apps for people new to meditation who want structure and guidance.
A free Australian mindfulness app developed by psychologists and educators. Programs for adults, teenagers, children, and workplaces. Particularly good for families wanting to explore mindfulness together.
Guided meditations, sleep stories, breathing exercises, and calming music. One of the most polished wellbeing apps available. Particularly good for sleep difficulties, anxiety, and stress.
A mindfulness and meditation app with a brief check-in that assesses your current emotional state and recommends relevant exercises. Good for people who want something responsive rather than a fixed program.
A free mindfulness app specifically designed to support mental and emotional wellbeing during pregnancy and the transition to parenthood. Developed with input from perinatal mental health specialists.
A breathing and relaxation app focused on heart rate variability training. Helps regulate the nervous system through guided breathing exercises. Simple, effective, and evidence-based.
If you are in distress right now, please reach out to one of these services. They are staffed by people who want to help, and making the call is the right thing to do.
24/7 crisis support and suicide prevention. Phone, chat, and text available.
NSW mental health triage, advice, and referral. Available 24 hours.
Anxiety, depression, and crisis support. Phone and chat, 24 hours.
For young people aged 5 to 25. Free, confidential, 24 hours a day.
For perinatal anxiety and depression. Monday to Saturday.
Information and referral for mental health services across Australia.
South Eastern Sydney Local Health District mental health service.
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 000.