Love the inside, embrace the outside.

As the mantra goes, and in this book Dr Kimeron Hardin reminds us again and again that this is what we need to do. This is a self book for the help yourself generation and although I should declare my general dislike of this genre and it’s subtle ‘blame yourself’ snake oil obviousness I was slightly charmed by Dr Kim and his clear, helpful and un-quackery suggestions for sorting yourself out a little, and loving your queer self a lot more. 

Along with its well thought out exercises and tools to understanding there is an clear setting out of the cultural underpinnings of where problems for self esteem in the LGBT population actually come from, (the usual suspects, family, religion, social institutions).

Dr Kim explains it very clearly and this is a very practical starting point for anyone wishing to explore issues of self esteem and how they impact on their life. The book is split into three parts, the first concentrates on learning to recognise negative messages, the second starting to stop their effect and the third teaches ways of expanding, accepting and loving your whole self. He comes across as a patient, thoughtful and (more importantly) as somebody’s who’s been there himself. A veteran. He is also the author of ‘Queer Blues: The Lesbian and Gay Guide to Overcoming Depression’

Check out Dr Kims blog here:

This updated and compassionate guide delves in to the unique problems of self-esteem in the gay community, and how understanding your own self-worth can allow you to function better in this complex world. With advice and good chapters on LGBT youth, Queer Parenting, Aging and Self-esteem, Trans and Bi sexuality this has a thorough grasp of the issues facing LGBT folk today.

Dr. Kimeron Hardin is a clinical psychologist and Director of Functional Restoration and Behavioural Medicine in California.

Out now £9.99

From the publishers website here:

Or from all good bookshops