Welcome to a new episode of The Bibliotherapists.
This week Tanya and I were joined by coach, author and life design expert, Selina Barker, whose work has had a huge impact on how we both think about energy, burnout and what it really means to thrive.
Selina is the author of Burnt Out, Time to Thrive, and the much-loved Goodbye Hello journals, a nourishing self-development New Year ritual for so many in our communities.
And everything she does is designed to help people move from exhaustion to alignment, and JOY.
In this conversation, we explored the books that have shaped her, how she rebuilt her energy from the ground up, and why so many of us feel unexpectedly depleted at the start of Spring (this was a real 💡💡💡 moment for us!).
Selina reminded us that we are not machines, and that how we live, work and even read needs to reflect that.
She shared how discovering the concept of managing our energy, not our time became a turning point, not just for her own life, but for her work and writing too.
We also spoke about the reality of burnout, including the permission to stop consuming altogether when your nervous system is overwhelmed, and how books can act as both medicine and mirror at different stages of life.
“If you’re really burnt out… close the book and come back when you feel like yourself.”
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In this conversation we spoke about:
* Why burnout isn’t a failure, but often a natural response to modern life
* The difference between gentle recovery vs forced productivity (even with things like exercise)
* The five energy zones: physical, emotional, mental, motivational and spiritual
* Designing your week (and year) around energy, not output
* How reading habits change depending on your capacity, focus and emotional state
* The books that shaped Selina at different life stages, from childhood to career pivots and how certain books created a somatic shift, not just intellectual understanding
* Why we need to hear the same self-help messages again and again to integrate them
* The power of journaling as a tool for self-inquiry and life design
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📖 Selina’s Reading List
Written by Selina
* Burnt Out
* Time to Thrive
Self-help / Personal Development
* The Book of Forgiving by Desmond Tutu & Mpho Tutu
* The Power of Full Engagement – Jim Loehr & Tony Schwartz
* Falling Upward by Richard Rohr
* The Success Myth by Emma Gannon
* Women Who Work Too Much by Tamu Thomas
* Purpose by Jessica Huie
* Steering by Starlight by Martha Beck
* Be a Free Range Human by Marianne Cantwell
* Zen and the Art of Falling in Love by Brenda Shoshanna
* Goddesses in Every Woman by Jean Shinoda Bolen
Memoir / Narrative Non-fiction
* All the Way to the River by Elizabeth Gilbert
Fiction / Classics
* The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
* Circe by Madeline Miller
* Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
* Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
Other
* Normal Women by Philippa Gregory
* The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton
More from Selina
🌐 https://selinabarker.com/
🖥️ Another Way on Substack
⚡ The free 5-Day Energy Reset starts on Monday 23rd March
📺 @selinabarker
About The Bibliotherapists
The Bibliotherapists is hosted by Toni Jones, founder of The Shelf Help Club, and Tanya Lynch, therapeutic journalling coach and founder of Ease Retreats.
Each week, we speak to a writer or creative about:
* The books that shaped them
* How reading supports their wellbeing
* Their writing practice and reading habits
* How they use Substack as part of their creative ecosystem
We believe words heal. And we love asking other word nerds questions that get beneath the surface (as well as taking a tour through their book shelves).
New episodes recorded live on Substack every week. Join us at The Bibliotherapists.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebibliotherapists.substack.com
