Appendix E — Further Reading and Resources
A Note on the Included Classic Texts
From time to time, readers ask where the ideas behind this System first began. The honest answer is that no single book or theory holds the whole picture. What you have read here has grown slowly, through lived experience, careful observation, and many years of listening to children and families.
That said, there are a small number of early works that explored ideas we now recognise as familiar: the influence of inner language, the power of repetition, and the importance of gentleness rather than force. Two such works are included here as classic companions.
They are offered not as instruction manuals, and certainly not as replacements for the Foundation Routine, but as historical context for those who are curious.
Self-Mastery Through Conscious Autosuggestion — Émile Coué
Émile Coué was one of the first writers to articulate the idea that repeated, emotionally neutral language can influence inner experience over time. His famous phrase, “Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better,” has echoed through psychology, education, and self-help for more than a century.
What makes Coué’s work relevant here is not the wording itself, but the principle behind it: simplicity, repetition, and the absence of pressure. Coué understood that change cannot be forced, and that the subconscious responds best when it is not argued with or directed.
This book is included as a historical reference only. It reflects the thinking of its time and was written for adults, not children. Readers are encouraged to view it as background reading rather than guidance, and to remember that the Foundation Routine has been carefully designed to be ethical, non-directive, and appropriate for a child’s inner world.
As a Man Thinketh — James Allen
James Allen’s short book is often quoted, sometimes over-simplified, and occasionally misused. At its heart, however, it is a quiet reflection on the relationship between inner language, habitual thought, and emotional experience.
Allen was not writing about techniques or outcomes. He was writing about responsibility, self-awareness, and the long-term effect of repeated inner dialogue. Read gently and without literal interpretation, his work offers insight into how thought patterns shape perception over time.
This text is included as a classic reflection, not as a prescription. It should not be read as a method, a promise, or a rulebook. Like many early works, its value lies in the questions it raises rather than the answers it claims to give.
A Gentle Reminder
These classic texts are included for interest only. They are not required reading, and they are not part of the Goulding System itself.
If you choose to explore them, do so slowly and with discernment. The Foundation Routine already provides what most families need: calm reassurance, ethical language, and a secure emotional framework in which children can grow at their own pace.
Everything essential is contained in the pages you have just read.
Optional reading only.
These titles are not required in order to understand or use The Goulding System, but some readers may find them helpful for broader background and perspective.
1. The Power of the Subconscious Mind — Joseph Murphy
A classic exploration of how subconscious beliefs may influence behaviour, emotion, and wellbeing. Written for a general audience, Murphy’s work helped popularise the idea that repeated, emotionally congruent language can shape inner experience over time. Readers should note its inspirational tone and historical context, but it remains influential in discussions of subconscious processing.
2. Self-Mastery Through Conscious Autosuggestion — Émile Coué
Coué’s work laid important foundations for modern understanding of autosuggestion and the use of simple, repetitive affirmations. His emphasis on simplicity, repetition, and non-striving informs many later approaches. This book is best read as a foundational text rather than a technical manual.
3. Attachment and Loss — John Bowlby
Bowlby’s attachment theory provides a rigorous framework for understanding how early emotional bonds shape long-term emotional regulation and resilience. His work remains central to developmental psychology and helps explain why consistent, reassuring parental presence can have lasting impact.
4. The Developing Mind — Daniel J. Siegel
Siegel brings together neuroscience, psychology, and attachment theory to explain how relationships shape brain development. Particularly relevant are his discussions of integration, emotional regulation, and the role of attuned caregiving in fostering psychological stability.
5. Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers — Robert Sapolsky
A clear and accessible explanation of stress physiology and its effects on the body and brain. Sapolsky’s work helps explain why chronic emotional tension can interfere with wellbeing, and why calm, repetitive reassurance may support regulation rather than activation.
6. The Body Keeps the Score — Bessel van der Kolk
An exploration of how emotional experiences may be carried and expressed beyond conscious awareness. Although primarily focused on trauma, the book highlights the importance of consistency, safety, and non-verbal aspects of emotional support. Best approached as broader background reading rather than a direct guide to The Goulding System.
7. Thinking, Fast and Slow — Daniel Kahneman
Kahneman’s distinction between fast, automatic processing and slower, analytical thinking offers useful background for understanding why indirect, non-analytical language may be effective. Although not written for parenting, the framework provides helpful context for subconscious responsiveness.
8. How Children Learn — John Holt
A thoughtful, observation-based look at how children absorb information through experience rather than constant instruction. Holt’s work reinforces the idea that learning and emotional growth often occur indirectly, without pressure or over-explanation.
9. The Whole-Brain Child — Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson
This book translates neuroscience into practical insights for parents, with emphasis on emotional integration and calm connection. It aligns well with approaches that prioritise reassurance, consistency, and respect for a child’s inner experience.
10. The Polyvagal Theory — Stephen Porges
Porges’ work explores how the nervous system responds to cues of connection, safety, and regulation. More technical than some other titles in this list, it nevertheless offers a useful physiological framework for understanding why tone, rhythm, and relational calm can influence emotional state.
11. NurtureShock — Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman
A research based challenge to common parenting assumptions. This book encourages critical thinking about what truly supports healthy development and cautions against oversimplified or emotionally reactive approaches.
12. Mindset — Carol Dweck
Dweck’s research on growth and fixed mindsets highlights how language and interpretation shape self-perception over time. Her work supports the careful use of affirming language that encourages confidence without pressure or judgement.
13. Woman: the Carrier of Creation — Jim Goulding
An additional and optional title for readers interested in broader ideas about how human development and the mind may be understood. As Joane notes, it explores how we come to be what we are and suggests that we have a right to understand how the mind works.
A Note on Public Domain Status
The classic texts included here are believed to be in the public domain based on their original publication dates and the laws applicable in certain jurisdictions. Copyright rules, however, are not identical in all countries and may vary depending on where you live.
This material is provided for educational and historical interest only. Readers are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the copyright laws that apply in their own jurisdiction and to comply with those requirements. The inclusion of these texts is not intended to imply permission to reproduce, distribute, or use them in any way that would be unlawful where you reside.
Self-Mastery Through Conscious Autosuggestion — Émile Coué
Émile Coué’s work remains one of the clearest historical sources on autosuggestion and the quiet power of repeated, non-forced language. His emphasis on simple wording, gentle repetition, and the role of the subconscious provides useful historical context for readers who wish to understand one of the influences behind Joane Goulding’s early thinking.
The Psychology of Suggestion — Boris Sidis
A serious early psychological examination of suggestion, attention, and subconscious responsiveness. More academic than Coué, but valuable as background reading for professionals.
Habit — William James
Not a parenting book, but foundational. James’ discussion of habit, repetition, and automatic mental processes is remarkably modern. Short excerpts (rather than the full work) may be especially useful.
As a Man Thinketh — James Allen
A reflective, philosophical text about thought patterns and inner states. It should be framed as inspirational context, not method, but it resonates with the idea that inner language shapes experience.
The Mind and Its Education — G. H. Betts
An early educational psychology text discussing attention, memory, and learning. Of interest to educators and clinicians; less essential for parents, but solid and responsible.
Suggestion and Autosuggestion — Charles Baudouin
A more nuanced European take on autosuggestion than Coué, including ethical cautions. Slightly denser, but philosophically aligned with your emphasis on restraint and respect for the inner world.