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Real Self-Care

A Transformative Program for Redefining Wellness (Crystals, Cleanses, and Bubble Baths Not Included)

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Real Self-Care

Written by: Pooja Lakshmin MD
Narrated by: Pooja Lakshmin MD
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About this listen

National Bestseller featured by Good Morning America, NPR's Code Switch, The New York Times, and The Guardian

NPR's "Books We Love for 2023"

Forbes' "Greatest Self-Help Books of All Time"

"Realistic and trustworthy"InStyle

"This isn’t just another self-help book. It gives us a clear-eyed look at the way social systems drain our energy, and a concrete set of principles to rely on as we declare independence from these systems."—Martha Beck, New York Times bestselling author of The Way of Integrity

"This book is for anyone who’s ever removed a 'relaxing' sheet mask only to realize it hasn’t transformed you so much as your trash can.”—Jessica DeFino, The Unpublishable

From women’s mental health specialist and New York Times contributor Pooja Lakshmin, MD, comes a long-overdue reckoning with the contradictions of the wellness industry and a paradigm-shifting program for practicing real self-care that will empower, uplift, and maybe even start a revolution.

You may have noticed that it’s nearly impossible to go even a couple days without coming across the term self-care. A word that encompasses any number of lifestyle choices and products—from juice cleanses to yoga workshops to luxury bamboo sheets—self-care has exploded in our collective consciousness as a panacea for practically all of women’s problems.

Board-certified psychiatrist Dr. Pooja Lakshmin finds this cultural embrace of self-care incomplete at best and manipulative at worst. Fixing your troubles isn’t simple as buying a new day planner or signing up for a meditation class. These faux self-care practices keep us looking outward—comparing ourselves with others or striving for a certain type of perfection. Even worse, they exonerate an oppressive social system that has betrayed women and minorities.

Real self-care, in contrast, is an internal, self-reflective process that involves making difficult decisions in line with our values, and when we practice it, we shift our relationships, our workplaces, and even our broken systems.

In Real Self-Care, Lakshmin helps listeners understand what a real practice of caring for yourself could—and does—look like. Using case studies from her practice, clinical research, and the down-to-earth style that she's become known for, Lakshmin provides a step-by-step program for real and sustainable change and solace. Packed with actionable strategies to deal with common problems, Real Self-Care is a complete roadmap for women to set boundaries and move past guilt, treat themselves with compassion, get closer to themselves, and assert their power. The result—having ownership over one’s own life—is nothing less than a personal and social revolution.

* This audiobook includes a donwloadable PDF with The Real Self-Care Compass and Resources For Seeking Professional Help.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2023 Pooja Lakshmin (P)2023 Penguin Audio
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What the critics say

"Instead of pushing us to strive–or suggesting a cleanse–Lakshmin provides tools for boundary setting and treating yourself with compassion."—NPR’s Books We Love for 2023

"In her practical guide to self-care, psychiatrist Pooja Lakshmin points out that so many elements of life are out of our control—which makes her arguments so much more realistic and trustworthy. Regular massages and manicures are incredible, but if you’re wondering why you still feel so stressed and rushed despite indulging in soothing activities, Lakshmin has the answer."InStyle

"Lakshmin’s Real Self-Care is a self-help book that aims to offer self-care tips that go beyond telling individual people to buy more expensive face creams, and instead help readers both live within the systemic outrages of capitalism and find ways of changing the system."—Vox

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Must read for women and those who love and support women

This is a treasure of a book that I have connected with deeply. The case studies are relatable and I have a better understanding of what faux self care is and how to differentiate it from what will really benefit me (and that real self care will look different for all of us). I will be using the clear, useful and practical exercises for years to come. A bonus is that the author is the narrator for the audiobook. Thank you Pooja!

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