Spellbook Saturday: Set Boundaries, Find Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab

It’s time for another #spellbooksaturday reading recommendation, one inspired by the upcoming winter holiday season and, without a doubt, worthy of ★ ★ ★ ★!

Holidays seem to stir the cauldron of challenging family dynamics like few other events—avoiding the conversational minefields of money, politics, and religion; or dodging the intoxicated relative who persists in asking when you plan to finally get engaged/get married/have a child/more children, etc. Sometimes the challenges are much greater, the dynamics far more toxic, and the holidays bring everything to the forefront. Whatever the situation may be, it’s likely that this holiday season, you could benefit from some boundaries!

Enter Nedra Glover Tawwab, licensed therapist and NYT best-selling author. After discovering her through her very popular instagram, I was eager to read her best-selling Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself (2021). With a clear, compassionate voice accessible from the first pages, Tawwab builds the concept of healthy boundaries from the ground up, beginning with a definition: “Boundaries are expectations and needs that help you feel safe and comfortable in your relationships. Expectations in relationships help you stay mentally and emotionally well.”

Simple, right? I often found myself struck by how deceptively simple Tawwab’s premise is— her writing is so straightforward in tone and content, and yet there are great truths and essential life skills in these pages. Like the best therapists, Tawwab gives you the tools but it is on you to do the work. Admittedly, I have a bit of work to do myself (don’t we all!), and I so appreciate the tools provided from this book, and its accompanying workbook!

Wishing you all a peaceful holiday season!