I get emails from INFJ writers and INFP writers all the time asking for recommendations for helpful books, supportive communities, and inspirational sources to help them along on their creative journey. I thought it might be a good idea to put all of my recommendations in one place and in one easy-to-peruse list so all you INF creatives out there can bookmark it and come back to it whenever you need it.
So, without further ado, here is my “best of” list for anyone of the INFJ or INFP personality type who’s looking for healing and/or creative help.
COMMUNITIES
INF Club is a community for people of the INFP and INFJ personality type who are looking for inspiration, community, and confirmation that they are not alone in the world. INF Club offers many different opportunities to get involved with other INFJ and INFP people in real time, from the newsletter (always helpful) to the podcast, to various groups such as Masterminds and silent writing sessions. INF Club always has something going on and it’s always good.
Renegade Creatives Support Group
The Renegade Creatives is a group “creating alchemy for empaths, intuitives, HSPs, INFJs and INFPs. In the words of the Renegade Creatives founder, “this is a place for the dreamers, poets, pirates, empaths, psychics, intuitives, healers, misfits, pioneers, mutineers, underdogs, outlaws, poets, writers, artists, heretics, heathens, painters, troubadours, and mystics to heal, grow and rekindle our own unique magic.”
In the words of founder Jae Hermann, “Show Up & Write is a women-only virtual meetup series where we show up to chat about our writing projects, hang out a bit, and then spend some time writing—no pressure, no stress. Show Up & Write events are typically held on the second Saturday of the month.” I personally love this idea because joining a group where we spent time writing together was the way I started (and finished) my first memoir, and how I’ve gotten many more creative projects done. It really does work!
The Neurodivergent Writers Book Club
The Neurodivergent Writers Book Club features books by neurodivergent authors and stories with mental illness. The intention is to raise awareness for authors who accurately explore neurodivergence or mental illness in their books. They especially love featuring independent and emerging authors and feature one book every quarter (January, April, August, December).
VIDEOS AND BLOGS
Lee Harris is an energy intuitive, a spiritual teacher, and a musician. He does a monthly forecast on the first of every month and it’s available free on Youtube. Lee takes the “energetic pulse” of the month coming up and it’s immensely valuable if you’d like to get an intuitive feel for what to expect. He also offers courses and classes that are wonderful for intuitive people, including his popular “Rebirth” event that happens every year.
It’s crazy how many INFJ and INFP people I’ve worked with who have past trauma related to narcissists and/or codependency. I discovered Lisa A. Roman’s channel while researching both topics and quickly realized that her teachings are GOLD. I totally love her and I recommend any INFJ or INFP who has a narcissist in their past or present check out her videos.
Mystical Bear is a blog that describes itself as “an experiment to help overcome PTSD, depression, and anxiety…a way to discover the voice lost years ago…a motivational tool to help write the novel that’s haunted me for years. Mystical Bear is all this and more. I invite you to join me on this journey. And I’m not promising an easy go of it, but hopefully you’ll find it worthwhile. And just maybe you’ll find ways to deal with some of your own darkness through the written word.”
I discovered Mystical Bear when the blogger reached out to tell me he was doing my latest video course, YOU Are A Writer. I checked out his experience here and when I saw the name “Mystical Bear,” I KNEW he had to be an INFJ or an INFP and I was soooooo in. What a beautiful title!
BOOKS
The Empath’s Journey by Ritu Kaushal
This is one of my favorite books EVER for INFJs and INFPs. I recommend it to all my clients and in all my classes. The author details her journey as a Highly Sensitive Person and empath as she relocates from her home country of India to the United States, and everything that comes along with that as an empathic person. It’s a beautiful memoir, but also contains so much good information on how to navigate the world as a sensitive, intuitive person.
The Creative Cure: How Finding and Freeing Your Inner Artist Can Heal Your Life by Jacob Nordby
I have loved Jacob Nordby’s stuff since I read his awesome book, Blessed Are the Weird, so I was super excited when he released this new one just a couple of weeks ago. The Creative Cure is for people who are struggling with their creativity and need a solution that goes deeply into the psychological roots of why they are so blocked and so stuck, and why nothing has seemed to help them up until now. Julia Cameron wrote the foreword for The Creative Cure as well, so you know it’s got to be good medicine for the writer’s soul.
The Creative Wound: Heal Your Broken Art by Mark Pierce
I recommend getting this book hand-in-hand with The Creative Cure, mentioned above, because the two books complement each other really well and help you to fit together all the missing pieces of why you procrastinate, fall prey to perfectionism, and have such a fear of putting your work out into the world. Rest assured, it’s not just you, and these fears are so very common. However, when we’re in the middle of experiencing them, we can feel extremely alone. If you’ve ever felt like an alien in a world that’s just not meant to fit with you, I definitely urge you to pick up The Creative Wound.
FREE GIFTS
Free Mindfulness Quickstart Guide
The Free Mindfulness Quickstart Guide is from J.A. Plosker, coach, trainer, speaker, teacher, author, and entrepreneur. He’s also an INFJ and an empath and specializes in personal growth and self-discovery. He’s all-around awesome and I do urge you to take a peek at his mindfulness tips because he really knows what he’s talking about.
This one is from Clare O’Sullivan, an INFJ and teacher who specializes in teaching the art of self-compassion. She’s excellent at coaxing out the small, shy child within you who still needs to be heard and loved. I highly recommend her teachings for anyone who has experienced abuse at the hands of a narcissistic or addicted parent.
This one is from Roxana over at Honestrox.com. Roxana is an INFJ and struggled with social anxiety for most of her life, a battle I know well, as I also am an incredibly anxious person and sometimes even just going to grocery store or making a phone call to an unfamiliar person can be hard for me. Roxana really gets the struggle and her tips are super helpful on how to get past it.
I hope any and/or all of these resources are helpful to all you INFJs and INFPs out there, and I challenge you to jump on at least one of them today. Take a chance and join a group, order a new book, or grab a free gift and see where it leads you.
The more INFJs and INFPs you connect with in life, the happier you will be, I can promise you that.
Lauren Sapala is the author of The INFJ Writer and The INFJ Revolution. She is also currently offering a free copy of her book on creative marketing for INFJ and INFP writers to anyone who signs up for her newsletter. SIGN UP HERE to get your free copy of Firefly Magic: Heart Powered Marketing for Highly Sensitive Writers.
