How We Heal

This book takes you on a healing journey, the same four step process undertaken in the author's writing to heal workshops attended by thousands of participants. In Step 1, you tend to self doubt and make room for new beginnings so that you are preparing to walk the path ahead. In Step 2, you will work on learning how to befriend your fear so that it no longer claims you. Step 3 offers lessons in reclaiming your story with intention. And Step 4 focuses on leaning onto what feels good so that we can live with gratitude. There is nothing really new in this book; however, the interviews with and firsthand stories of participants about their healing journeys are interesting and enlightening. I liked the format with journaling and conversational prompts in shaded boxes and occasional graphics.

I recently discovered Alexandra Elle on IG and I'm so happy to have found her and her voice! She really makes you take a step back and focus on specific areas in your life that need some work and so I appreciate her and applaud her for this book, How We Heal. It was an eye-opener for me!

I’ve been following Alex Elle on Instagram for years so I was excited to see the arc of this book as an option for me to read and review! This book has so many keys to help those on a journey of growth and healing heal! So many mic drop moments for me within this book. I found myself rereading and really pondering/considering a lot of it. I wanted to take my time and really digest this book (I recommend you do too) because I know the content would bring another level of healing that I didn’t want to rush through. The chapters and exercises within them are so intentional! Please pick up this book. It is a life changing read. You won’t be disappointed! Bravo Alex! Choosing to be transparent about your journey through healing is really a key and green light for others to do the same! Thank you for this beautiful body of work!

This was a lovely, much needed read and handbook/guide on self-care and healing. Alexandra Elle infuses compassion, empathy, grace and hope into each of the sections of the book, while inviting readers to take the baby steps needed in order to heal.

Between chapters, you're given an interview with magical humans like Nedra Glover Tawwab (therapist, author, relationship expert), Nneka Julia (writer, photographer, podcast host), Chrishelle Lim (fashion stylist, lifestyle & beauty blogger, digital entrepreneur), Tabitha Brown (actress & social media personality), Dr. Yaba Blay (professor, scholar-activist, public speaker, cultural worker & consultant), and more! Alexandra asks them about their pillars of healing and self-care, and it's refreshing to read that though they are all such accomplished, admirable women, they may be going through similar internal struggles as us! They don't give watered down, overarching advice of "drink more water" or "treat yourself". It's not condescending or trivializing; it's empathetic and authentic.

In each chapter, Alexandra Elle poses activities through (a) journaling (b) breathwork (c) meditation. I noted each of these in my own notebook so I could revisit them. Some of them may be activities you have tried before if you're a seasoned "self-care researcher" like I am (not academically, but I am constantly looking for this type of information -- through articles, books, podcasts, movies, I'm overly committed to healing my inner child & unlearning the internalized misogyny/racism/general meanness to myself). However, I am excited to try the new ones and I am so appreciative of Alexandra providing these tools for us.

Even if you don't "believe" you need "healing" at this moment in time, I think this book is for you. If you're already a healing/self-love expert, it's a good reminder. If this is your first step in your healing journey, then it is PERFECT! Sending you love & light in the days ahead & I'm ever so grateful to NetGalley for providing the ARC & to Alexandra Elle for writing such a beautiful book.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advance reader's copy of this book.

I'm always a bit wary of self-help books, because they're full of a lot of words that feel utterly meaningless (I'm sorry, things like "hold space" just get on my nerves -- what does that really mean?) I will admit I found some of that here, even though I think the author's work is important (on social media, on her podcast about walking, and in this book). What I liked about the book was that she included interviews with other influential women on how they heal themselves, and there were some great concrete steps to take in those interviews. Much of this book is centered around journaling as a healing process, which can be great but can also not work as well for everyone as this book suggests. I did get some nuggets of wisdom in this book that I can carry forward, and I would recommend it to anyone doing some self-exploration and trying to work toward their best life.

I only knew Alex Elle from her poetry, but when I noticed this title, I had to check it out. I was pleasantly surprised to see all of the wisdom shared from a collection of women, some I've admired and others who are new to me and thus I'm excited to meet. The exercises and meditations that are also peppered throughout the book are very tangible takeaways and thus I plan to revisit this book for sure and am hoping that there may be a cool audiobook version, as well. What I loved most of all about this book is that, while I've read a lot about healing, this seemed like the one piece that really didn't talk about healing as having any sort of endpoint, but it focused a lot on how it's an ongoing process that requires time, breaks, letting go of things, finding joy, and more. I think that it's also universal enough that it could easily apply to the teens I serve as much as it does to older adults.

Alexandra Elle is one of my favorites follows on Instagram and a must follow for all those who are trying to heal and move on post tough seasons of life. She is a breath of fresh air and her words leave you feeling like you are healing and able to continue to move forward instead of backward. Great read and highly recommend!

Lyrical and heartfelt book. It felt like I was speaking with a friend at the kitchen table. Filled with hard earned wisdom and beautifully written.

If “After the Rain” was a testament to individual resilience and a love letter to one’s self, “How We Heal” is a love letter to community. Yes, this is a book about individual healing. But in these pages the author underscores the ways individual growth also invariably provides more strength collectively. Overflowing with simply profound (and profoundly simple) life lessons from her own lived experience, along with riveting insights from influential voices across industries, this second work from Alex Elle is somehow even more life-changing than the first. Part memoire, part guidebook, part interactive journal, “How We Heal” is both a warm hug and a deep-dive therapy session, and truly a transformative resource guiding the healing of our hearts and minds—and thereby the world.

I first heard of Alex Elle on Instagram and have been a fan ever since so I was excited to find that she had a new book coming out. This is the first book that I've read by her and it was amazing. How We Heal was a much-needed book and it came at the perfect time for me. I really enjoyed reading the mini-essays and interviews of other writers, artists, activists, etc. It was really interesting to read stories about healing and the different ways that Alex as well as the other individuals mentioned in the book practice healing. The journaling prompts, and meditation techniques were so good. I found myself highlighting so many pages especially the journaling prompts.

I feel this was organized how I’d hoped it would be, which is huge for books such as these. You have Journal prompts and questions to ask yourself — things to reflect on and then the author goes into some beautiful stories about their life that ultimately feeds that understanding.

This is absolutely motivational and so helpful in shadow work/healing. I’d recommend this to everyone, really.

I received this ebook free for a genuine review.

I've been following Alex on Instagram for awhile, devouring her words whenever I needed a boost. I was delighted to see I was accepted to read her new book, How We Heal. It was truly a masterpiece and made me feel as though my best friend was sitting next to me, offering all of the best advice. I felt very seen throughout this book, almost as though I was reading my journal with some of the situations she shared. What a wonderful book for anyone who feels as though they need to heal -- and quite honestly, we all need a little bit of healing. I'll definitely be recommending this book to friends and family!

Alexandra Elle is one of my favorite authors and this book did not disappoint. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who struggles with anxiety and other mental illnesses. This book is like a warm hug.

I truly loved this book. The book does not focus solely on the importance of healing. It's about so many things. Things that I can actually learn about in real life. This book as well as another book and also a podcast “The Morning Walk” with another host are amazing and quite helpful.

I wanted to say thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a review.

This book was my introduction to Alexandra Elle and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I think the journaling exercises and words of encouragement will help a lot of people.

Self book bothers me a lot but standing on despair I would forcibly make myself read one and so I chose this.This did not disappoint me at all.Specially how it explained having triggers on page 23 mesmerised me.But at the middle I kind of found the book advising in an typical manner not like the way it started with grace. For some people like me, it kind of triggers and so I think a little different narration would be comfortable but again it's fine as everyone has a different healing style.I appreciate this book bringing me comfort.Thanks author.

What can I say except order this one asap. Alex Elle has a gift in the way that she shares her healing process in such an authentic, vulnerable, and accessible way. I have loved her previous works, participated in her online workshops, enjoyed her meditations online. This lovely book is another extension of all of those things. I can’t wait to gift this to many friends this holiday season.

Thank you so much Alex for sharing your gift with us.

Alex Elle teaches us that there is no end point to the healing journey. To heal is to accept and integrate our pain and our experiences into the whole of who we are. She also teaches us that we don’t have to reside in the pit of our pain and how to use writing practice to process what ails us and set ourselves free.

Alex offers us a four step healing process to make room for new beginnings:
Tending to self-doubt
Befriending our fear
Reclaiming our power and rewriting our narrative
Leaning in to joy

She provides readers with writing exercises, journal prompts, meditations and breath work practices to support our journey through the four steps.

My favorite aspect of the book are the interviews woven throughout with influential women sharing their experiences with healing and their own creative and expressive practices. As an expressive arts therapist, it was so encouraging and energizing to read other women share what brings them joy in daily life!

Thank you to the author and publisher for the E-arc copy!