5 books for mindset shifts (=improved mental health) in Motherhood
I love a good old visit to Chapters. Picking up the latest inspiring hard-cover book to add to my collection. Actually reading them? That’s another issue!😆But when motherhood cracked me open in ways I never expected - sometimes beautifully, sometimes like a dropped carton of milk on the kitchen floor - I got into listening to audiobooks. I needed more than coffee and nightly giant bar of Dairy Milk to stay sane. And it felt good to get the old brain cells firing again, and feel like I was doing some learning in between the identity crisis, sleep deprivation, and existential spiral during nap time. These five books? Total game-changers. They helped me feel seen, supported, inspired, and a little less like I was slowly losing my mind in a sea of Goldfish crackers.
1. The Postnatal Depletion Cure by Dr. Oscar Serrallach
I’m not even half way through this book, and already it’s been a wake-up call in the gentlest, most validating way. Something that isn’t talked about or educated on enough, Dr. Serrallach shines a spotlight on how depleted new mothers truly are - physically, emotionally, hormonally - and offers real, doable steps to start feeling human again. It’s not about “bouncing back,” it’s about rebuilding. If you’ve ever felt like your brain left the building, why you’re joints constantly ache, or an explanation for a variety of other random postpartum symptoms, this one’s for you. Can we send this to every family doctor in the province, please?!
2. Motherkind by Zoë Blaskey
Reading Motherkind felt like being seen for the first time in a long time. Zoë Blaskey gets how intense motherhood can be and writes with both tenderness and fierce honesty. Diving into the topic of Matrescence, she invites you to reflect on your own patterns, set boundaries, and stop abandoning yourself in the name of being “a good mom.” It’s part journal, part pep talk, part therapy session—without the scheduling hassle. A must-read for all moms.
3. Good Inside by Dr. Becky Kennedy
You know those moments where you’re parenting and you’re like, “What in the actual heck do I do right now?” Enter Dr. Becky. At a time when I was struggling with my wildly independent toddler, feeling like I was majorly failing, and constantly losing my temper (when EVERYTHING is a battle, it’s tough to stay cool for a whole day!), Dr. Becky makes you feel like you can actually do this. Good Inside helped me rewire my parenting brain. With some simple mindset shifts, not only did it give me tools to respond to my kids with more calm and confidence, it also radically shifted how I treat myself and my partner. Spoiler: being good inside doesn’t mean being perfect.
4. Power Pause by Neha Ruch
This one’s for every mom wondering, “When is it my turn?” Neha Ruch challenges the hustle culture and makes space for intentional pause—without guilt. Power Pause helped me reclaim time for reflection, dream-storming, and actually planning the next version of me (yes, she still exists). It’s the motherhood permission slip I didn’t know I needed.
5. Find Your Unicorn Space by Eve Rodsky
Oh, this book. This glorious, slightly sassy, wonderfully empowering book. Find Your Unicorn Space gave me the kick up the butt in shifting the belief that my creativity and passions had to benon the back burner. Eve Rodsky argues - convincingly - that carving out space for joy and self-expression isn’t selfish, it’s essential. So go ahead, find your thing, and do it unapologetically.
Motherhood is a wild transformation, and these books have helped me anchor my mind, reconnect with my identity, and breathe a little easier in the chaos. They reminded me that being a mom doesn’t mean losing yourself—it can mean becoming more of yourself.
Got a book that helped you survive the mental gymnastics of motherhood? Slide it my way. We’re all building this survival toolkit together.
