Real Self-Care

Full of authenticity and compassion, Real Self-Care is a hands-on guide to true wellbeing for fans of Brene Brown and Elizabeth Gilbert.

Self-care has become a staple in women's lives. From juice cleanses to yoga workshops to luxury bamboo sheets, we are sold breezy fixes in pastel-coloured packages, and then made to feel at fault when they don't work, like there is something wrong with us. But we are not broken- the game is rigged against us. And if we set aside those activities that don't serve us, we can all reconnect with ourselves and become agents of change in our lives.

In Real Self-Care, psychiatrist and women's mental health specialist Dr Pooja Lakshmin will help you understand what a real and sustainable practice of caring for yourself looks like. Using case studies, clinical research and actionable strategies to deal with common problems, this book will help you set boundaries and move past guilt, treat yourself with compassion, live a life aligned with your values and assert your power. The result - having ownership over your life - is nothing less than a personal and social revolution.

Because real self-care is not a noun - it's a verb. And while it may not be as easy as buying that crystal-infused water bottle, the rewards are infinite.

About the Author

Dr Pooja Lakshmin, MD, is a board-certified psychiatrist, New York Times contributor and a leading voice at the intersection of mental health and gender, focused on helping women and people from marginalized communities escape the tyranny of self-care.

In 2020, Lakshmin founded Gemma - a physician led women's mental health education platform centering impact and equity. She maintains an active private practice, where she treats women struggling with burnout, perfectionism, and disillusionment, as well as clinical conditions like depression and anxiety. Having gone down the rabbit hole of extreme wellness herself, Real Self-Care is her answer to the juice cleanses, the gratitude lists, and the bubble baths - not only to care for ourselves for real but, in turn, to transform our broken culture.