7 Must-Read Books About Boundaries

Setting boundaries is a crucial part of any successful relationship. Boundaries serve as a means of protecting ourselves, our time, and our energy from others’ demands and expectations. Setting and keeping boundaries is difficult, especially for those of us who have always prioritized other people’s needs above their own health.

Thankfully, there are numerous enriching books accessible on various kinds of limits to assist us in comprehending their importance, ways to establish them, and effectively convey them.

Whether you are looking to improve your personal boundaries or your boundaries in the workplace, this list has got you covered. These self-help books provide valuable guidance, through practical tips, relatable case studies, and exercises, to help you increase your awareness of personal boundaries, bolster your ability to establish them, and ultimately boost your self-assurance.

Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life by Henry Cloud & John Townsend

If you’re looking to improve your personal growth and keep healthy relationships, you shouldn’t miss “Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life” by Henry Cloud and John Townsend, which is an essential read on setting boundaries, challenging self-doubt questions such as “aren’t boundaries selfish?”.

In this book, the authors address the ten laws of boundaries by offering practical and straightforward advice, answering common questions on how to develop healthy, biblical boundaries and maintain them. Learn about the importance of legitimate boundaries for your personal growth and relationships. Discover how to establish boundaries in key areas of both your real-world and digital life, such as work, family, and romantic relationships.

The book also examines common misconceptions surrounding the concept of boundaries and overcoming them. This book on boundaries is a rich source of practical information that provides readers with invaluable knowledge on how to live a happier and healthier life through the establishment and maintenance of healthy boundaries.

Recommended Reading

Boundaries Updated and Expanded Edition: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life

Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend help you learn when to say yes and know how to say no in order to take control of your life and set healthy, biblical boundaries with your spouse, children, friends, parents, co-workers, and even yourself.

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Setting Boundaries with Your Adult Children: Six Steps to Hope and Healing for Struggling Parents by Allison Bottke

Parents who are facing difficulties in establishing limits with their grown-up kids will greatly benefit from reading “Setting Boundaries with Your Adult Children: Six Steps to Hope and Healing for Struggling Parents” by Allison Bottke. Bottke provides practical-based guidance for parents who are feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, and disrespected.

She also shares her own personal experiences and the lessons she learned as a parent of a child struggling with addiction. This book offers six steps to help parents gain perspective, identify the root of the problem, and create healthy, loving boundaries with their adult children. It provides hope and healing for struggling parents to not only survive but thrive in their relationship with their grown-up children.

This book is a must-read for any parent who wants to learn how to set healthy boundaries with their adult children. In a world where boundaries are often overlooked, this book is a valuable resource for any parent looking to establish and maintain healthy boundaries.

Recommended Reading

Setting Boundaries with Your Adult Children: Six Steps to Hope and Healing for Struggling Parents

Setting Boundaries® with Your Adult Children offers practical hope and healing through S.A.N.I.T.Y.—a six–step program to help parents regain control in their homes and their lives.

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Safe People: How to Find Relationships That Are Good for You and Avoid Those That Aren’t by Henry Cloud and John Townsend

Henry Cloud and John Townsend’s book “Safe People: How to Find Relationships That Are Good for You and Avoid Those That Aren’t” has made a significant impact within the self-help genre. If you’re seeking guidance on how to establish healthy boundaries and foster empowering relationships, this read is an absolute necessity.

With years of experience working with individuals and couples as clinical psychologists, Cloud and Townsend provide valuable insights in their book on evaluating the security of your relationships and creating healthy boundaries that honor your personal needs as well as those of others. They offer effective, practical advice that can be put into practice.

“Safe People” provides valuable insights and strategies to create secure, rewarding relationships that promote personal growth, healing, and a sense of security; whether you struggle with trust issues, codependency, or fear of abandonment. In short, this book is a must-read for anyone looking to develop healthy limits and boundaries, and cultivate more fulfilling relationships in their lives.

Recommended Reading

Safe People: How to Find Relationships that are Good for You and Avoid Those That Aren't

Safe People will give you the tools you need to recognize what makes people relationally safe, form positive relationships, and even become a safe person along the way.

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Boundaries for Your Soul: How to Turn Your Overwhelming Thoughts and Feelings into Your Greatest Allies by Alison Cook and Kimberly Miller

If you’re looking to master the skill of setting boundaries, look no further than Cook and Miller’s book, “Boundaries for Your Soul: How to Turn Your Overwhelming Thoughts and Feelings into Your Greatest Allies.” This insightful read is a must for anyone who wants to learn how to make their thoughts and emotions work for them instead of against them.

This book is perfect for those struggling with overwhelming thoughts and emotions that are difficult to control. It provides practical and helpful advice to help you identify these negative thoughts and feelings and turn them into your greatest allies.

With their mastery in writing, Cooke and Miller excellently lead readers with exercises and techniques that include prayer and meditation, ultimately aiding in the establishment of healthy boundaries and achievement of inner harmony.

With its clear and accessible writing style, Boundaries for Your Soul is highly recommended for anyone looking to improve their emotional well-being and mental health. Overall, it is an excellent addition to any bookshelf of books about boundaries.

Recommended Reading

Boundaries for Your Soul: How to Turn Your Overwhelming Thoughts and Feelings into Your Greatest Allies

Gathering the wisdom from the authors' twenty-five years of combined advanced education, biblical studies, and clinical practice, this book will set you on a journey to become the loving, authentic, joyful person you were created to be.

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Boundaries: Where You End and I Begin – How to Recognize and Set Healthy Boundaries by Anne Katherine

If you aim to establish healthier relationships, you must read Anne Katherine’s book, “Boundaries: Where You End and I Begin”. It provides valuable insights on how to recognize and establish healthy physical and emotional boundaries. Katherine offers practical guidance on how to recognize and set healthy boundaries in all areas of life, from work and family to friends and lovers.

The author emphasizes the crucial role of internal boundaries in safeguarding our mental and emotional health, and offers valuable insights on recognizing and expressing our individual boundaries effectively.

Katherine’s book is an invaluable resource for anyone wanting to learn more about boundaries and how to set them in a healthy and respectful manner. This book provides valuable guidance through insightful tips, practical instances, and clear-cut directions that allow the reader to comprehend the concept of emotional and physical boundaries and implement them effortlessly into their personal life.

Recommended Reading

Boundaries: Where You End and I Begin - How to Recognize and Set Healthy Boundaries

Drawing on decades of personal and professional experience as a therapist—as well as stories from others who have learned how to heal from serious boundary violations—Anne Katherine, MA, brings us an invaluable, foundational guide on the who, what, and why of boundaries.

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Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself by Nedra Glover Tawwab

As a licensed therapist and counselor, and one of the most influential therapists on Instagram Nedra Glover Tawwab addresses the idea of boundaries in “Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself“. In this book, Tawwab offers a compassionate and comprehensive approach to setting and maintaining healthy boundaries. Tawwab draws from her experience as a licensed therapist to provide practical strategies for recognizing unhealthy boundaries and taking steps to establish healthier ones.

She explores various areas of life where boundaries are commonly needed, such as relationships, work-life balance, and self-care. Tawwab emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and self-compassion in the boundary-setting process, guiding readers towards reclaiming their sense of self and finding inner peace.

One of the standout features of “Set Boundaries, Find Peace” is Nedra Tawwab’s empathetic and non-judgmental tone. She understands that setting boundaries in all aspects of life can be challenging and even intimidating for some, and she approaches the topic with sensitivity and encouragement.

Whether you’re struggling with saying no, dealing with toxic relationships, or simply looking to create a healthier balance in your life, “Set Boundaries, Find Peace” is a book that will guide and support you every step of the way.

Recommended Reading

Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself

Licensed counselor, sought-after relationship expert, and one of the most influential therapists on Instagram Nedra Glover Tawwab demystifies this complex topic for today's world.

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Boundaries in Marriage: Understanding the Choices that Make or Break Loving Relationships by Henry Cloud and John Townsend

In “Boundaries in Marriage: Understanding the Choices that Make or Break Loving Relationships,” authors Henry Cloud and John Townsend delve into the intricate dynamics of boundaries within the context of marriage. This book offers practical guidance and insights for couples who want to establish healthy boundaries and overcome common relationship challenges.

Cloud and Townsend explore various topics, such as setting appropriate limits, managing differences, resolving conflicts, and balancing individual needs within the relationship. They emphasize the importance of understanding one’s own boundaries and respecting the boundaries of your partner to create a harmonious and thriving partnership.

One of the strengths of “Boundaries in Marriage” is the authors’ use of real-life examples and case studies, which help readers relate to the concepts and apply them to their own relationships. They also address common misconceptions about boundaries in marriage and provide guidance for overcoming obstacles that may arise during the boundary-setting process.

Whether you’re newly married, struggling in your relationship, or simply want to enhance the quality of your marriage, “Boundaries in Marriage” offers valuable insights and practical strategies to help couples build stronger and healthier unions.

Recommended Reading

Boundaries in Marriage: Understanding the Choices That Make or Break Loving Relationships

In Boundaries in Marriage, Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend, counselors and authors of the New York Times bestseller Boundaries, will show you how healthy marriages are marriages with boundaries.

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Learning About Boundaries

These books about boundaries can help you improve your relationships, reduce stress, and live more authentically by providing practical tools and valuable insights on setting boundaries.

They offer a diverse range of guidance on how to create and sustain healthy boundaries in daily life, including but not limited to mastering the art of saying “no” without remorse, asking tough questions, and setting personal limits with toxic people in the professional environment.

Using the ideas and tactics recommended in these books can be challenging, but the benefits of better relationships and greater self-esteem make it worthwhile.

Keep reading to learn more about neurodiversity!