The 13 Best Self-Help Books for Women for a More Fulfilling Life in 2022
Self-help is a huge field that can touch on anything, from our most intimate desires for sex and love, to how to become a boss in the business world. While a lot of these wants and needs are universal, we live in a world where not everything is created equal. Whether it’s due to social conditioning, institutional sexism, or simply different biology, a woman’s path to fulfillment often looks slightly different than a man’s. So do the tools she needs to get there.
So we’ve made a list of 13 self-help books to help women get what they want – whether it’s a better relationship with their body and their partner, or to become a self-made millionaire. Some of these books are psychological deep-dives written by highly qualified doctors and experts, and others offer perspective and inspiration based on the author’s own life experience. Many fall somewhere in between.
Most of these books are specifically meant for women but a couple of them are written for a more general audience, though they deal with topics women will certainly find relevant. Importantly, we’ve only selected books written by women, which means a woman’s perspective is central to how it came to be and the guidance that it gives.
Best Self-Help Books on the Body, Sexuality, and Pleasure
In the Flo by Alisa Vitti
In the FLO
- 21 min reading time
- audio version available
We live our whole lives in our bodies, so getting in harmony with our physical selves is one of the most important things we can do to boost our overall wellbeing. In The Flo gives women a comprehensive guide to the female hormonal cycle and the many processes that depend on it – as well as the myriad ways modern life can disrupt your biology and cause you misery. By learning to work with your hormones, rather than against them, Vitti contends that you can harness a biological advantage that will benefit your health, relationships, and your work.
Come as You Are: The Surprising New Science That Will Transform Your Sex Life by Emily Nagoski
Since it was first published in 2015, Come as You Are has becomethe essential book for understanding female sexuality and pleasure – and what can stop it in its tracks. Thinking of women’s sexuality in terms of men’s is scientifically misguided, she argues and leaves many women feeling defective, robbing them of the satisfaction they are capable of. Her mission is to give women (and men) the tools to understand female sexuality on its own terms, so they can create the conditions that will lead them to the greatest pleasure and joy.
Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good by Adrienne Maree Brown
Pleasure Activism
- 20 min reading time
- audio version available
Somewhere between a political manifesto and a guide to better living, Pleasure Activism argues that seeking pleasure, joy, and fulfillment is in itself a political act. Part of the purpose of oppression is to deny marginalized people these things, so reclaiming them can be empowering and even subversive. Brown, an activist and doula, blends her own essays with the wisdom of other Black feminists, giving us a guide to pursuing our emotional and erotic needs as we work for a better world.
Best Self-Help Books for Better Relationships
Hold Me Tight by Dr. Sue Johnson
Hold Me Tight
- 15 min reading time
- audio version available
Rooted in attachment theory and drawing on the widely practiced Emotionally Focused Therapy model Dr. Johnson developed in the 1980s, Hold Me Tight is a guide to understanding yourself (and your partner) better so you can build better relationships. Using case studies and practical exercises, Johnson brings her program straight to the reader so they can reestablish safety and trust with their partner, and create the richest possible emotional bond.
Fair Play by Eve Rodsky
Fair Play
- 19 min reading time
- audio version available
Inthe bestselling Fair Play, Eve Rodsky explores how the gender-based breakdown of domestic labor is harmful to mothers and offers radical solutions on how to address these inequalities in heterosexual relationships. The pandemic has newly exposed how housework and caregiving drives women out of the workforce at higher rates than men, so there’s no better time to take steps towards equality at home, so we can see more of it in the world.
Best Self-Help Books for a More Creative Life
Find Your Unicorn Space by Eve Rodsky
Taking some of the ideas in Fair Play a step further, Find Your Unicorn Space is all about how making space for creativity leads to a more fulfilling life. Balancing the domestic workload may ease the burden on women, but all that new “free time” can get eaten up fast, leaving little time for pleasure and play – and our mental health suffers for it. In this new book, Rodsky offers tips on how to set aside some “Unicorn Space” to pursue the things that make you feel like you.
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
The Artist's Way
- 14 min reading time
- audio version available
Tania Strauss is a writer and editor who’s done all kinds of things – from the content strategy for tech companies, to story development for film companies. She’s a born-and-raised New Yorker, a current Berliner, and can often be found roaming the streets of some city with a coffee or a camera in hand. In her spare time, she writes fiction, goes to the movies, and/or does other things while fretting because she’s not working on her fiction.
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