Carry Your Heart: Indigenous Helping Wisdom and the Science of Psychological Flexibility

From Cree psychotherapist Louis Busch comes a transformative and insightful journey toward self-discovery and personal growth—integrating Indigenous teaching wisdoms and Western psychology, perfect for fans of What Happened to You? and Braiding Sweetgrass

With an introduction by Steven C. Hayes, PhD.

We all come into this world with hearts wide open, but somewhere along the way, life’s difficulties stack up. We set our hearts down, hide them away, and place heavy stones around to keep us safe from pain.

What if we instead chose to move through life carrying our hearts—our joys, sorrows, fears, griefs, and hopes?

Drawing from principles embedded within Cree worldview, and the author’s two decades of clinical expertise, Carry Your Heart walks readers through teachings from several prominent Indigenous Knowledge Holders from across Turtle Island to reveal how suffering—whether physical or emotional—can foster both personal insight and communal strength. This holistic approach blends Western psychological knowledge and Indigenous cultural teachings, and allows everyone to personalize their journey as they read and work through even the most tender discomforts and stressors with balance and clarity. Through this tapestry of ancestral Teachings, Busch reminds us that even our deepest wounds carry the potential to transform us, and that within our suffering lies a profound connection to the world around us.

Using Indigenous Wisdoms as therapeutic inspiration, Carry Your Heart calls us back to our truest selves—showing that pain, when embraced with compassion, can become the bridge to resilience, strength, and ultimately, wholeness. Beyond a meditative journey, Carry Your Heart equips readers with practical tools to address trauma, cultivate psychological flexibility, and foster lasting well-being.