What’s On Our Bookshelf? “Loud: Accept Nothing Less Than the Life You Deserve” by Drew Afualo

Do you ever wonder what your therapist is reading or recommending to clients? We’ve compiled a list of books that therapists at The Healing Group find helpful, just for you! Next up in our “What’s On Our Bookshelf” series is Loud: Accept Nothing Less Than the Life You Deserve by Drew Afualo. THG therapist Keeley Doyle, LCSW shares why she recommends this book to others:

Drew Afualo became internet famous through her advocacy for human rights. Her book is about her experiences with racism, fatphobia, sexism, and the impacts that violence has on our community and society. This book is a call to action in advocating for your rights, and how to do that. It discusses the practice of self-love and compassion and recognizing when social messaging is having a negative impact on your mental health.

I personally love Drew Afualo and the advocacy work that she does. I think that it is inspirational to read about other peoples' lives and how advocacy has impacted them and how it can continue to affect our communities for good. I loved the way that Drew spoke about the experience of being a woman of color in our society, and how harmful "isms" are.

A couple of the reasons I recommend this book are:

1) I think that this book is written in a very relatable way and is validating of what the experience of what it is like to be a woman in this society.

2) It gives some great tips on how to practice self love and compassion in an increasingly hostile world that uses the internet and other social platforms to spread misinformation.

One of my favorite quotes from this book is:

"Never feel bad for standing up for yourself or for standing up for others, because it's never in vain, even if it can feel like it at the time. You are worth the respect that you so freely give to others, so if someone refuses to give that to you as a fellow human, then offer it to yourself in the form of advocacy. I hope that people continue to come my way for the courage to truly allow themselves this freedom. I'll always be here to remind you: Being mean is not always required, but sometimes it's necessary. And there's nothing wrong with that!”

If you feel like you could use some support in finding your voice and courage, call or text The Healing Group at 801-305-3171 to schedule an appointment with a specialized therapist.

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