Choosing Depth Over Volume: Books I’m Reading This Year
For many years, I’ve found myself with a long wish-list of books to read — only to see them still sitting on my shelf or in my cart years later. Thus, leaving me feeling like a failure yet again.
This year, I’m choosing depth over volume.
When I rush through content to check a box, I miss core truths. My brain dumps information to prepare for more. This year, my goal is to read, understand, and apply.
I’ll be working through the following three books over the next year and sharing reflections along the way. If you’re unsure what to read next or like having something to follow along with, these are here for you.
Core Reads
No Bad Parts — Richard C. Schwartz, Ph.D.
Affiliate links:
→ Paperback: [Get It Here]
→ Audiobook: [Get It Here]
As both a parent and a nurse, I’m interested in frameworks that help people make sense of themselves without labeling parts of them as broken — and this one asks for patience, honesty, and responsibility in equal measure.
Honestly, I started listening to this book a while ago and didn’t finish it — not because it wasn’t good, but because it takes time and intention that I wasn’t ready to commit to. The chapters play out like individual therapy sessions, so I prefer this one in audiobook form, processing through it in real time.
The Emotional Lives of Teenagers — Lisa Damour, Ph.D.
Affiliate link:
→ Paperback: [Get It Here]
Having two teens now, my goal is to remember what it was like back then — not to reminisce, but to remember the awkwardness, the pull to fit in, the desire to remain a kid while gaining independence. I want to be a better guide into adulthood and someone they run to when they mess up, not hide from.
Anxiety RX — Dr. Russell Kennedy
Affiliate link:
→ Paperback: [Get It Here]
I’ve listened to this podcast and recommended it many times. Dr. Kennedy explains different therapy modalities and why the right one matters, while describing the core of anxiety — what he calls alarm. Before recommending the book itself, I want to read it and sit with the material more fully.
Lived Experience
Understanding Girls with ADHD – Kathleen G. Nadeau Ph.D., Ellen B. Littman Ph.D., Patricia O. Quinn MD.
This is a book I’ve recently read that spoke deeply to me — both personally and professionally. I put it here because I wanted to invite you to experience the content before I write about it later. If you have a girl or woman you love — or if you are navigating ADHD yourself — this is an eye-opening, comforting, and challenging read.
Affiliate link:
→ Paperback: [Get It Here]
On My Radar (If Time Allows)
I’m learning to give myself permission to read differently — more intentionally, and without pressure to keep up.
These books are on my radar because they speak to areas that affect stability, stress, and daily capacity, even if I don’t get to them right away.
Money, Safety & Capacity
Make Money Easy – Lewis Howes
I Will Teach You to Be Rich – Ramit Sethi
Affiliate links:
→ [Get Make Money Easy Here]
→[Get I will Teach You to Be Rich Here and the Journal Here]
Money can be one of the most conflict-causing topics within ourselves and in relationships. Misunderstanding and misuse of money has contributed to divorces, family tension, and personal stress. These books appear to explore not just tactics, but the relationship we have with money — fear, urgency, control, and avoidance — and how to build something healthier.
Executive Functioning & Capacity
Smart but Scattered – Peg Dawson, Richard Guare, & Colin Guare
Affiliate link:
→ [Get It Here]
This book was recommended to me by a provider. I moved quickly through the insight portion and noticed myself pause when it came time for application — a pattern I want to return to and explore more intentionally. Because this book includes structured tools, I want the space to revisit it without rushing, especially as it relates to executive functioning, capacity, and parenting.
Parenting Through Adolescence
Untangled – Lisa Damour Ph.D.
Under Pressure – Lisa Damour Ph.D.
Affiliate links:
→ [Get Untangled Here]
→ [Get Under Pressure Here]
These focus on parenting girls through adolescence — a season that quietly shapes stress, regulation, and long-term stability. They offer language for staying connected through a season that often strains communication, especially when stress, expectations, and emotional load are high.
Closing
Whether your list is a mile long or you’re still unsure what you want to read next, I’d love to hear what’s been shaping you — or what’s been quietly sitting on your radar. If a book has helped you slow down, understand yourself better, or see something differently, feel free to share it.
If audiobooks are a gentler or more accessible way for you to engage with this material, many of these titles are available through Audible.
→ [AUDIBLE TRIAL]
You may also be interested in an earlier post where I shared books that helped me through different seasons.
→ The Books That Held Me
