You Don’t Have to Love Yourself

What if you stopped trying to force self-love, and worked toward self-neutrality instead?

Self-help culture claims that the key to happiness is simple: just love yourself! However, to change course on the well-worn path of self-criticism and shame is easier said than done, especially if you've experienced complex trauma.

Clinical psychologist Dr. Heidi Green knows that the journey to self-love can feel unrealistic, even impossible, for some. That's why she has a different approach--an antidote to self-loathing she calls self-neutrality. Instead of trying to force platitudes like "love yourself" and "just focus on the positive," self-neutrality encourages you to be curious and compassionate toward yourself.

You Don't Have to Love Yourself doesn't offer pat solutions or toxic positivity. Rather, it guides you to accept yourself as you are now--with authenticity, humility, and compassion--and without judgment or the need to change. This book will teach you to navigate challenging situations, cultivate a healthier inner dialogue, and develop a more realistic and balanced relationship with yourself, leading with sensitivity for all you have been through.

If you've ever struggled with shame-based thinking or felt frustrated by the impossible standards of self-help culture, this book provides a realistic road map to peace, self-acceptance, and true emotional freedom.