Real Self Care, Hardcover Book, By: Pooja Lakshmin

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" "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 readers 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. About the author Dr. Pooja Lakshmin MD is the author of the national bestseller, Real Self-Care, which has been featured by Good Morning America, NPR's Code Switch and 1A, The New York Times, The Guardian, Talks at Google, and has been translated into 6 languages. Pooja is a board certified psychiatrist and author specializing in women's mental health and a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at George Washington University. She is a leading voice at the intersection of mental health and gender, focused on helping women and other marginalized communities escape the tyranny of faux self-care. 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. As a frequent contributor to the The New York Times, Pooja's viral essays on the betrayal of burnout have changed the national and international conversation about women's mental health. Pooja's virals Instagram posts have resonated with millions of women. Her advice has been featured on the Today Show, Good Morning America, The Drew Barrymore Show, NPR, and in Glamour, Marie Claire, Self, Shape, Harper's Bazaar and other media outlets. In 2020, after noticing a gap in accessible science-based digital resources tailored to women's emotional well-being, Pooja founded Gemma, a physician-led education platform dedicated exclusively to women's mental health, impact, and equity. Gemma provides expert taught virtual courses to support women's mental well-being and is building an innovative approach to online learning and women's mental health. Pooja frequently speaks, advises and consults for organizations on mental health, well-being, and real self-care for employee wellness and for brand social impact initiatives. Her recent partners include LinkedIn, Therapy for Black Girls, Google, The New York Times, 23andMe, Edelman, Pearson, McKinsey, and Memorial Sloan Kettering. Pooja studied at the University of Pennsylvania where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude in Women's Studies and Biological Basis of Behaviour. She received her MD from Jefferson Medical College. She did her internship and PGY2 year of psychiatry residency tr