Summer offers a natural pause — a chance to slow down, soak up the sun, and reset mentally. For some, it offers a chance to explore a challenging subject that requires a little extra time and space. Whether you’re stretched out on a beach towel or curled up in a quiet corner, the right book can bring comfort, clarity, and even healing. This season, we’ve rounded up a list of compelling reads that explore mental health.
The Deepest Well
by Dr. Nadine Burke
“The Deepest Well by Dr. Nadine Burke Harris explores how childhood adversity — especially adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) — can have profound and long-lasting effects on physical and mental health. Drawing from her work as a pediatrician and public health advocate, Dr. Burke Harris explains the science behind toxic stress and its impact on the brain and body, and offers a hopeful vision for healing through early intervention, trauma-informed care, and compassionate systems. Her compelling storytelling makes complex medical and psychological concepts accessible. This is a powerful, eye-opening read for anyone seeking to better understand the lifelong impact of early trauma. Highly recommend her TedTalk too for a condensed version of the book!“
Recommended by:
Emma Little
Eli’s Place Peer Advisor
DSM: A History of Psychiatry’s Bible
by Allan V. Horwitz
“I am currently reading an interesting book called DSM: A History of Psychiatry’s Bible by Allan V. Horwitz. It is an overview of the history of how mental illness is diagnosed, and those diagnoses have become a major part of popular culture. I think it’s important to understand how people came to the current definitions of mental illness, and also how those definitions affect people’s lives and experiences.“
Recommended by:
Joel Shapiro
Eli’s Place Board Member
Think Again
by Adam Grant
“I recently read a book which was recommended to me by my Mom: Think Again by Adam Grant. This book reminds the reader to stay curious and open to how others see things. This kind of mindset helps me with my own mental health by making it easier to let go of fixed ideas and reduce stress. Being open to new perspectives feels freeing and really supports how I handle challenges!“
Recommended by:
Jordyn Rotheisler
Friend of Eli’s Place
And Then She Fell
by Alicia Elliot
“Among the many factors which can be life changing are motherhood, mental stability, self-identity and the perception of others. Alicia Elliott deals with all of that in her book And Then She Fell. The story is told in the context of a young Indigenous woman who marries off the reservation. Using the Indigenous Creation story as its base, Elliott leads Alice through the various pitfalls of mental anguish and illness. Elliott’s conclusion is that healing comes through community and support. I found the book, set in Toronto, to be a fascinating read.“
Recommended by:
Marilyn Herbert
Friend of Eli’s Place
Broken (in the best possible way)
by Jenny Lawson
“Broken spans a wide range of emotion. It feels like doing laps in a pool—starting in the deep end with depression, anxiety, and chronic illness, swimming to the shallow end to laugh, then a flip turn back into the depths. This collection of essays is raw, funny, and strangely comforting. I’d recommend it to anyone facing mental health challenges—it doesn’t shy away from the hard stuff but makes it feel less isolating.“
Recommended by:
Mike Greenspan,
Eli’s Place Fundraising Committee Member
The Monster and the Mirror:
Mental Illness, Magic And The Stories We Tell
by K.J. Aiello
“Toronto writer Aiello’s book is a unique blend of memoir and social-literary critique. Aiello dives deep into her past through memory and medical records leading her to a castigation of our mental health system and a vision for a more empathetic way forward in systems of care for those in need.
Come for the fascinating exploration of mental illness in popular culture, and stay for the vulnerable personal revelations.“
Recommended by:
Kate Kostandoff
Eli’s Place Board Member
Eli’s Place Communications Team
Our Eli’s Place blogs are developed & written by the Eli’s Place Editorial Team — a collaboration between staff and volunteers committed to raising awareness about serious mental illness in Canada. We aim to inform, inspire, and engage with readers who care about mental health and recovery.
- Eli’s Place Communications Team#molongui-disabled-link
- Eli’s Place Communications Team#molongui-disabled-link
- Eli’s Place Communications Team#molongui-disabled-link
- Eli’s Place Communications Team#molongui-disabled-link
