CGPS Library

Reading, Listening, Watching…

…can be a wonderful part of Couple Care &/or Personal Retreats

Couple Care and Personal Retreats (which you'll learn more about as you go) can be greatly enhanced through consistently reading or listening to books together and watching videos together (especially Hold Me Tight). Additionally, you will be personally strengthened in your path in taking in the principles and practices in this content.

Recommended Reading

1a) Couples GPS - “Basics" (John Canaan)

Most of these CGPS Basics appear ala cart in different course steps as you go, but are assembled here in one document for review as needed.
Couples GPS Basics

1b) Sue Johnson's "Hold Me Tight"

Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love
Hold Me Tight, especially, is fun to listen to on a walk (during Nightly Check-In) or on a drive. You can pause the recording (or look up from your Kindle, before tripping over something) to make comments and share breakthroughs. Please note that everything you ever read and share together is always about and for you, not your spouse. Never apply it to him or her, just to yourself. This is the secret to not only learning all you can but to avoiding war.

2) Dr. John-Lund - For All Eternity

Amazon.com : Time and Eternity - Dr. John Lund
The Kindle Version is only $1.99

3) The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook

The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook: A Proven Way to Accept Yourself, Build Inner Strength, and Thrive
These 1st two books lend themselves perfectly to "Write & Share." "The Mindful-Self Compassion Workbook" even includes writing questions you could use as subject lines for "Write & Share", especially on monthly Private Retreats.

4a) Scriptures (i.e. The Bible)

New Testament
It doesn't get much better than straight from God. In my mind, scripture can be the most helpful input we can receive, not matter what our situation is.

4b) The Great Divorce (which is NOT about Divorce)

Kindle version (which also lets you purchase the Audible for an extra $10.00)
Click below for Youtube
C S Lewis - The Great Divorce Full Audiobook on Youtube

5) The Path of Breakthrough

Breakthrough Book - Path of Peace
An extremely helpful handbook for breaking through difficult emotional states to peace, trust and hope. - Written by your favorite coach, me, John Canaan

6) Bonds that Make Us Free

Bonds That Make Us Free
I've read many books on consciousness and relationships. This is like the Bible of doing relationships right.

Meditating on the "9 Agreements" can balance some of your thinking and steady your path. This is the unedited version of a book that's coming soon. Forgive the mistakes - John Canaaan

11) Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself

Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself: How to Lose Your Mind and Create a New One

Meditation Apps

Narelle and I use all 3 of these (So helpful!)

Headspace World class traditional meditation. Paid version, highly recommended!
Abide Christian meditation. Great for going to sleep with.
Be Still My Soul Affirmations inspired by scriptures.

Helpful Recordings

9 Agreements - Affirmations recording
Current Breakthrough Recordings
Original Walk List (Take a walk. Come back later as the real you) ****
Be Still My Soul Affirmations inspired by scriptures (John Canaan)
Brendon Burchard

Important Movies (Highly Recommended)

Listed in priority of importance.

1) War Room

A powerful reminder that there's something more than your issues going on in the problems your experience and that a war, lightly treated, is a war that is lost.
Click here for “War Room”

2) Inception

A wonderful illustration of a singular and life changing truth: What we experience is not out there. It's in here. It's what, at some level, we "make up" in our own mind. There's the person, for instance, we're married to and there's who we imagine her to be, or who he or she should be.

In other words, there's a real person you could love or there's your disappointing version of him or her that you distance yourself from through your life. Or, there's the woman or man "of your dreams" (i.e. Hallmark movies) that you could long for or there's a real person, right beside you, that you could choose, serve and love.

What you end up experiencing then, has much more to do with you than him or her. What will you "make up" in your reality? What “idea” is planted in your mind. How’s it working out? What idea would you like to pant?
Click here for “Inception”

3) Groundhog Day

The results of moving from self centeredness to an outward mindset. In this, we can transform a marriage of frustration and chilliness into a life of bliss and peace. This is one of the most important movies ever made.
Click here for “Groundhog Day (4K UHD)

4) Karate Kid

An awakening into the world of "Wax on / Wax off"- how you do one thing is how you do everything. What you want isn't a matter of your dreams or wishes, or even your vision board. It's a matter of painting the deck and washing the cars. It's a matter of daily training, daily input and the deep character that "daily" creates.
Click here for “Karate Kid”

5) Coach Carter

All about Agreement 3 and 4 of the 9 Agreements. No one demonstrates the commitment you will need at times better than Coach Carter. "I'm here for you. I'm here for me. I'm here for us."
Click here for “Coach Carter”