5 Books that Changed the Way You Think - Founder Edition

1.

This book taught me that our brains are capable of so much, even after trauma and injury. Each chapter shares incredible stories of recovery and adaptation, showing how other parts of the brain can take over when one area is damaged.

It made me believe in the power of small, repeated actions and incremental progress. I applied that mindset to learning things I once thought were too difficult, whether that was statistics, music, or other skills that initially felt overwhelming. During difficult periods of my own mental health journey, it also gave me hope. It reminded me that change is possible and that the brain is remarkably capable of healing and growth.

2.

Melissa Febos is one of my favourite authors. She has an incredible ability to weave together memoir, mythology, psychology, and cultural commentary in a way that feels both poetic and deeply insightful.

In Abandon Me, she explores a consuming queer relationship—or a “maelstrom,” as she describes it—and connects it to the many forms of abandonment she experienced throughout her life. The book made me think deeply about attachment, longing, and the stories we carry from our earliest relationships. It’s one of those books that has stayed with me long after I finished it.

3.

As someone who has lived with anxiety, I felt incredibly seen by Sarah Wilson’s writing. She combines personal experience with research in a way that feels honest, comforting, and thought-provoking.

The book gave me language for experiences I had struggled to articulate and offered hope during periods when anxiety felt overwhelming. A lot of Sarah’s reflections resonated with my own experiences and made me feel less alone.

4.

A group of university friends gave me this book and I loved it so much that I read it twice in a row.

I return to Leonard Cohen’s poetry often. I love how he writes about romance, morality, spirituality, creativity, and the contradictions of being human. One of my favourite poems hangs framed in my home:

“Undeciphered
let my song
rewire circuits
wired wrong, 

and with my jingle
in your brain,
allow the Bridge
to arch again.”

Leonard reminds me that art can help us reconnect parts of ourselves that have become disconnected and the universality of music reminds me that we are never truly alone in our experiences. 

5.

I read this book during the pandemic and loved it. I’m a big fan of short essays and reflections, and a massive fan of Glorias. 

One of my favourite philosophies of hers is the idea that the people experiencing a problem are often the people who hold the answers to solving it. As someone interested in both psychology and sociology, that idea has stayed with me and influenced how I think about mental health and social change.

I also love how Gloria calls herself a “hopeaholic.” Despite everything she has witnessed throughout her life, she still has such a strong sense of hope. That perspective has always resonated with me.

More than anything, this book reinforced my belief in the power of women gathering, sharing stories, and supporting each other.