IN-PERSON AND TELEHEALTH THERAPY & MEDICATION MANAGEMENT IN VIRGINIA

Come As You Are

By Emily Nagasoki

While the cover of this book generalizes its content to your overall sexual wellbeing, it’s really about female empowerment, female sexuality, self-acceptance, and the science behind the interconnectedness of our brain and bodies. It’s unfortunate that the concept of sexuality and feeling confident in your body with all of its parts has become taboo; people often are afraid to discuss challenges they are experiencing or even joyful moments, too. I have frequently heard a recurring theme of shame in women who have had the full spectrum of experiences regarding their sexuality, and many don’t have knowledge of how their nervous system and stress response impact their physiology. This book uses a blend of science and compassionate psychoeducation to assist readers in gaining insight and understanding into their instinctual stress responses and drives that can influence desire, confidence, and sexual and physical wellbeing. Emily Nagoski does an excellent job in destigmatizing awkwardness or shame in the dialogue surrounding sexual health and reminds readers that female sexuality - which can go hand in hand with self-love and self-acceptance - deserves to take up space in the mental health world and the societal landscape at large. Regardless of your sexual health, preferences, orientation, or levels of curiosity, this book offers a great amount of knowledge and education as well as open-ended reflections to guide you in expanding your self-awareness and confidence, which hopefully can lead to a restored and trusting nervous system and overall improved relationship with your body.

Find Me There 

by Sara Rian

After a significant loss, many people search for something that will help them understand what they are experiencing. However, grief can also make it difficult to concentrate or even finish a chapter of a book. After a loss, so much energy goes toward trying to understand and adjust to a new reality, which can make reading feel much harder than it once did. Because of this, traditional grief books can sometimes feel overwhelming when someone is already carrying so much.

This is one of the reasons I appreciated Sara Rian’s Find Me There. Through short, thoughtful poems, Rian creates space for the many emotions that come with grief, including love, pain, longing, and memories that can be difficult to put into words. For someone who may not have the energy or focus for a traditional grief book, this collection offers a gentle way to connect with grief in small moments. Rather than explaining grief, Rian offers something many grieving people need: the feeling of being understood. One poem that has stayed with me challenges a phrase many grieving people hear: “They wouldn’t want to see you cry.” Rian gently reminds readers that grief is a natural expression of love. Our tears reflect the depth of our love, not a failure to heal.

Reading this collection reminded me that grief is both universal and deeply personal. Some poems made my throat tighten, brought tears to my eyes, or gave me chills. Others did not resonate with me in the same way. That experience reminded me of something I often share with my clients: there is no single “right” way to grieve, and not every story or resource will speak to every person. Sometimes the greatest comfort is not finding answers, but finding words that reflect our own experience. I appreciate that Find Me There does not try to fix grief or tell readers how they should grieve. Instead, it offers companionship, reminding readers that their grief is valid, their love endures, and they are not alone.