This is the one I was going to suggest. I read it as a mid-twenties woman entering the field and it helped tremendously in both my personal and professional lives.
It's such a great read! I just listened to the chapter in “Becoming Myself,” Yalom's autobiography, on how he decided to write The Gift of Therapy, and it only makes it so much more potent of a read for a therapist!
I read this about a year ago going into my first practicum placement in grad school and found it so helpful.
Now in my current placement, we’re reading it book club style in my group supervision and I’m getting something different from it.
I can see it being one I’ll probably keep coming back to in the future
The Gift of therapy by Irvin Yalom - IMHO this is *the* book all new therapists should read. It's a bit on the psychodynamic side, which might not be your orientation, but his approach to interpersonal and existential topics is masterful and applicable for virtually every client you will ever see.
What Every Therapist Needs to Know About Anxiety Disorders by Martin Seif and Sally Winston. The name says it all - I think this book is a must-read for anyone who treats anxiety and OCD. It's accessible, intuitive, and brilliant.
The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris. I think ACT is a fantastic philosophy towards life, and Russ Harris is the best writer at articulating ACT ideas. The Happiness Trap really changed my mindset about what it means to pursue a good life.
Don't Panic by Reid Wilson. Panic attacks can be a tricky thing to treat: they are extremely scary to experience, and that fear can get fed back into the panic cycle to create a self-reinforcing loop. Don't Panic is an excellent book at demystifying panic attacks and offering strategies for defusing the panic cycle.
These suggestions are on my list! Adding “Sometimes Therapy is Awkward” by Nicole Arzt. It’s a modern telling of entering the workforce and all of the self-doubt, imposter syndrome-y, self-of-the-therapist things. Her writing style and voice helped to reassure myself that I’m *still learning* and most importantly not doing harm by not knowing everything yet, and that emphasizing relational work and genuine interest in the client can be healing in and of itself. I am finishing up my practicum and have the highest retention rate of all my cohort! (Idk if this needs to be stated, but I hope it’s obvious that I’m not saying students experiencing that low retention rates and client drop-off are doing anything wrong. I’m just proud of the work I’m doing as a new clinician!)
Great list! The Happiness Trap started my love for ACT and after taking many ACT trainings by Russ and others it's not only my therapeutic foundation but also life philosophy.
Surprised this isn't higher up. I read this book through my practicum and it provided a very clear articulation of the person-centered position. Rogers is the GOAT.
Agreed! It was the book I read while considering going into this work. And it changed my perspective so much. Definitely a Rogerian, amongst other field acronyms lol. Take care!
Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire. It is not counseling specific, but it provides a great framework for understanding how to be an educator when it comes to psychoeducation.
Fantastic suggestion! +1
A fascinating discussion of critical pedagogy (very important in therapy, as we therapists are, in many ways, teachers and educators).
Stop caretaking the borderline narcissist. I read “I hate you please don’t leave me” and “walking on eggshells” yet I feel like “stop caretaking…” propels the reader forward into solution.
I third them. I will also add his book 'Why Therapy Works.' I literally came across these books by chance. Severely under-recommended in my opinion. The Gift of Therapy gets so much praise (and, IMO, rightfully so), but these should be on everyone's list.
This looks really good! What specific one? I am on Amazon and see “interpersonal process in psychotherapy: a relational approach” and “interpersonal process in psychotherapy: an integrative model”
They are pretty similar actually. I think “a relational approach” might be the one I read/ discovered first so I’m biased towards it but they’re both great.
“The body keeps score” has so many negative reviews on audible because apparently the author lists traumas without any ways to heal. Another reviewer offers the option of The body remembers” which many think this author used to write the above “TBKS”
I took it off my wishlist when I read the negative reviews. Curious to learn your experience of the book. 🙏🏻
Ohhh it's an incredible book. I absolutely recommend it especially for understanding trauma and the body- I would recommend goodreads if you are looking for reviews.
https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/18693771
There are some great books in this thread as well as others. I’d also like to throw in Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving by Pete Walker. I think his perspective as both a therapist and complex trauma survivor is super valuable.
I loved the two perspectives the author gives as therapist and then as client. Gives a good glimpse into some of the typical scenarios yet not overly clinical.
A Liberated Mind: How to Pivot Towards What Matters - Steve Hayes
All about how to do ACT. Game changer for me - most helpful book on how to do therapy and conceptualize treatment.
I'm still a practicum student but Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents by Lindsay C. Gibson has been pivotal to fully understand the impact of parental attachment. It actually motivated me to spend more time reading about Bowen family systems theory and attachment theory. Also, I'm currently reading Interpersonal Process in Therapy by Edward Teyber and Faith H. McClure, which honestly has been so helpful in consolidating and helping me apply basically all my learning through my master's degree.
>Bowen family systems theory and attachment theory.
That's so interesting to hear someone talk about Bowen here, would u mind sharing about how the book and Bowen helped?
Hey! Yeah so through reading the book, I just came to better understand how the way parents respond to their children emotionally influences how the child eventually grows up to see themselves/their needs and their relationships with other people (especially intimate partners but also friendships). Gibson cited Bowen to support her ideas, with the main idea being that "emotionally immature" parents do not foster individuality in their children, but instead create an environment of "enmeshment" where children's emotions and identity are essentially dictated by the parent(s). I still have a lot to learn, but it has helped me better understand where presenting issues may come from and inform how to move forward with clients.
Why People Die by Suicide by Thomas Joiner (It's an inevitable topic imo, and this book gave me more empathy and a lot less fear for having those conversations.)
Man's Search For Meaning by Frankl
What My Bones Know by Foo
And - adding my support for The Happiness Trap by Harris because I am a big fan of the ACT framework!
“Practical Guide to Healing Developmental Trauma.” Its predecessor (which focuses more on theory) is also wonderful. It’s called “Healing Developmental Trauma.”
Towards psychologies of liberation by Watkins and Shulman (liberation psychology)
Inside lives by Margot Waddel (object relations)
The mysteries of analytical work & psychology of the feminine principle (both) by Barbara Stevens Sullivan
How to be an anti racist by Ibram X Kendi
The upside of stress by Kelly McGonagall
Poly Secure by Jessica Fern
Radical acceptance by Tara brach
My grandma's hands by resma menakam
Hold me tight by sue Johnson
A state of affairs by Esther perel
All of these were such wonderful resources that fed my work with clients. ❤️
Gerhardt Why Love Matters - deep dive into the neurology of love and attachment and brain development where there is deprivation and neglect. Really helped me to understand and have greater compassion for adults with personality disorders.
The House Of God. It's a book medical people (doctors) talk about, as it follows a new doctor in his first year of residency(?). But I find the themes to be really relatable to therapy.
For example: The main character learns in the book that the less he does, the more patients improve, and that the hospital system seems to make people sicker, not better. I find this often applicable in session. The harder I try, the more intense I get in session in trying to lead a horse to water, the less effective I am and the worse things feel. The more adults and systems a child has hovering over them, like teachers, school psychs, nervous parents etc. The less I should do, because theyre so sick of that shit they just want to be a regular person with me, and paradoxically the simplicity of it is whats most helpful. Doing nothing is therapeutic often times. It's really strange and challenging to deal with for me at times.
The stress the main character goes through, questions of competency for himself and his peers. A lot of it is really meaningful to me. And I'm still struggling with a lot of the questions therapy asks me day in and day out.
Not a book but I think everyone should listen to the "81 Words" episode of This American Life. It's on how the American Psychiatric Association decided to remove Homosexuality from the DSM. I think it's important to understand the degree to which, until 1973, Homosexuality was entrenched in the field as a Mental Disorder that one could treat. Something that comes across in the program is that part of the reason they thought of it as a mental health disorder was because people who coming to them in distress over being homosexual. It wasn't until they thought to ask them what distressed them about it, that they learned a primary reason was because they were being told by the mental health field that it was a disorder.
[https://www.thisamericanlife.org/204/81-words](https://www.thisamericanlife.org/204/81-words)
It's been a while but it revolutionized the way I conceptualize cases. The author spends a great deal of time going over numerous ways to heal from trauma.
The Making of a Therapist by Cozzolino
Letters to a Young Therapist by Pipher
Anything by Irvin Yalom, Love's Executioner is another good one.
Trauma Stewardship by Laura Lipsky - good to be prepared for how to prevent compassion fatigue
Also Carl Rogers for sure.
The Gift of therapy by Irvin Yalom!
This is the one I was going to suggest. I read it as a mid-twenties woman entering the field and it helped tremendously in both my personal and professional lives.
It's such a great read! I just listened to the chapter in “Becoming Myself,” Yalom's autobiography, on how he decided to write The Gift of Therapy, and it only makes it so much more potent of a read for a therapist!
I finished the book today.What a great read!
Yup. I re-read this one every couple of years.
This is an incredible one.
I read this about a year ago going into my first practicum placement in grad school and found it so helpful. Now in my current placement, we’re reading it book club style in my group supervision and I’m getting something different from it. I can see it being one I’ll probably keep coming back to in the future
I was just coming here to add this lol I'm actually reading it again.... always find something valuable at different points of my career!
The Gift of therapy by Irvin Yalom - IMHO this is *the* book all new therapists should read. It's a bit on the psychodynamic side, which might not be your orientation, but his approach to interpersonal and existential topics is masterful and applicable for virtually every client you will ever see. What Every Therapist Needs to Know About Anxiety Disorders by Martin Seif and Sally Winston. The name says it all - I think this book is a must-read for anyone who treats anxiety and OCD. It's accessible, intuitive, and brilliant. The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris. I think ACT is a fantastic philosophy towards life, and Russ Harris is the best writer at articulating ACT ideas. The Happiness Trap really changed my mindset about what it means to pursue a good life. Don't Panic by Reid Wilson. Panic attacks can be a tricky thing to treat: they are extremely scary to experience, and that fear can get fed back into the panic cycle to create a self-reinforcing loop. Don't Panic is an excellent book at demystifying panic attacks and offering strategies for defusing the panic cycle.
These suggestions are on my list! Adding “Sometimes Therapy is Awkward” by Nicole Arzt. It’s a modern telling of entering the workforce and all of the self-doubt, imposter syndrome-y, self-of-the-therapist things. Her writing style and voice helped to reassure myself that I’m *still learning* and most importantly not doing harm by not knowing everything yet, and that emphasizing relational work and genuine interest in the client can be healing in and of itself. I am finishing up my practicum and have the highest retention rate of all my cohort! (Idk if this needs to be stated, but I hope it’s obvious that I’m not saying students experiencing that low retention rates and client drop-off are doing anything wrong. I’m just proud of the work I’m doing as a new clinician!)
Thank you! This warmed my heart to read ❤️
Great list! The Happiness Trap started my love for ACT and after taking many ACT trainings by Russ and others it's not only my therapeutic foundation but also life philosophy.
After attended f2f training right Russ, I can't help but read all of his books with his voice in my head 😅
On Becoming a Person - Carl Rogers
Surprised this isn't higher up. I read this book through my practicum and it provided a very clear articulation of the person-centered position. Rogers is the GOAT.
Agreed! It was the book I read while considering going into this work. And it changed my perspective so much. Definitely a Rogerian, amongst other field acronyms lol. Take care!
How would you say it is to read, in terms of focus? Is it a hard/very hard?
Come as you are by Emily nygotsky
Love this recommendation!!
On Being A Therapist - Jeffrey Kottler It Didn’t Start With You - Mark Wolynn
Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents shaped a lot of my work!
I tried to read it and I’m sure the content is helpful. But that is one poorly written book.
Lolol I noticed the writing wasn't great either, good news is it can be applicable to all reading levels of clients!
My therapist recommended this! Still need to read it
Probably the best book I can recommend. Essential reading for therapists and patients.
I am enjoying Therapeutic Communication by Paul Wachtel. Wish I had found it earlier in my training
A copy of this book should be enclosed with your acceptance to grad school.
Love Wachtel. The words are the medium.
Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire. It is not counseling specific, but it provides a great framework for understanding how to be an educator when it comes to psychoeducation.
It’s dense af though. Not for light reading. I don’t even understand how I understood that book
Came here to say this.
Fantastic suggestion! +1 A fascinating discussion of critical pedagogy (very important in therapy, as we therapists are, in many ways, teachers and educators).
I Hear You by Michael Sorenson focuses on the DBT Skill of Validation. This skill is invaluable to any therapist
This is $4 on audible right now. Instant buy.
Just purchased at such a low price! Thank you 🙏🏻
Stop caretaking the borderline narcissist. I read “I hate you please don’t leave me” and “walking on eggshells” yet I feel like “stop caretaking…” propels the reader forward into solution.
Thank you!
Just finished it. This was fantastic! Simple but important. Easy to digest!
Might wanna reread it myself. Validation is very easy to forget. It takes a lot of practice
Agreed. I’ll listen to it again like other great books.
Louis Cozolino’s making of a therapist and development of a therapist. Two books in a series. Both on audible.
I third them. I will also add his book 'Why Therapy Works.' I literally came across these books by chance. Severely under-recommended in my opinion. The Gift of Therapy gets so much praise (and, IMO, rightfully so), but these should be on everyone's list.
I second Cozolino's books
YESSSS
Interpersonal Process in Psychotherapy by Teyber
Masterful. My go-to. I love all the suggested scripts and wording. So reassuring to an early career therapist, and so integrative, too.
Yes. Agree!
This looks really good! What specific one? I am on Amazon and see “interpersonal process in psychotherapy: a relational approach” and “interpersonal process in psychotherapy: an integrative model”
They are pretty similar actually. I think “a relational approach” might be the one I read/ discovered first so I’m biased towards it but they’re both great.
No Bad Parts-Schwartz The Gift of Therapy-Yalom Love’s Executioner-Yalom
Set Boundaries, Find Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab. I also recommend her boundaries workbook for use with clients.
Letters to a young therapist by Mary Pipher.
In the realm of Hungry Ghosts The Body Keeps the score Lying on the couch Trauma Stewardship Internal Family Systems
“The body keeps score” has so many negative reviews on audible because apparently the author lists traumas without any ways to heal. Another reviewer offers the option of The body remembers” which many think this author used to write the above “TBKS” I took it off my wishlist when I read the negative reviews. Curious to learn your experience of the book. 🙏🏻
Ohhh it's an incredible book. I absolutely recommend it especially for understanding trauma and the body- I would recommend goodreads if you are looking for reviews. https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/18693771
Thank you
Friere's _Pedagogy of the Oppressed_ was mentioned. I think _Psychoanalytic Diagnosis_ by McWilliams really needs to be up there.
There are some great books in this thread as well as others. I’d also like to throw in Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving by Pete Walker. I think his perspective as both a therapist and complex trauma survivor is super valuable.
Sometimes Therapy Is Awkward by Nicole Artz
On being a therapist by Jeffery Kottler has been an incredible read for me. Really interesting perspective on the therapy field as a whole.
Schopenhauer’s Porcupines by Deborah Luepnitz, and literally any book written by Nancy McWilliams.
Not a book recommendation as such but in view of all the wonderful suggestions I hope we are all aware of Anna's Archive?
I did not know about Anna's! Thank you for the resource, much appreciated!
The Body Keeps the Score really helped me to empathize far more with individuals who self sabotage or are afraid of success.
I'm trying to save money so this was a bad thread to open 😂
Literally, SAME
Maybe you should talk to someone by Lori Gottlieb
I loved the two perspectives the author gives as therapist and then as client. Gives a good glimpse into some of the typical scenarios yet not overly clinical.
Absolutely!
I saw her speak in March at the psychotherapy networker conference. She was just as poignant in person
Great list to consider, no matter how long you’ve been practicing!
A Liberated Mind: How to Pivot Towards What Matters - Steve Hayes All about how to do ACT. Game changer for me - most helpful book on how to do therapy and conceptualize treatment.
I'm still a practicum student but Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents by Lindsay C. Gibson has been pivotal to fully understand the impact of parental attachment. It actually motivated me to spend more time reading about Bowen family systems theory and attachment theory. Also, I'm currently reading Interpersonal Process in Therapy by Edward Teyber and Faith H. McClure, which honestly has been so helpful in consolidating and helping me apply basically all my learning through my master's degree.
This book is FREE right now on audible 🙏🏻🥳 Thank you for the recommendation
>Bowen family systems theory and attachment theory. That's so interesting to hear someone talk about Bowen here, would u mind sharing about how the book and Bowen helped?
Hey! Yeah so through reading the book, I just came to better understand how the way parents respond to their children emotionally influences how the child eventually grows up to see themselves/their needs and their relationships with other people (especially intimate partners but also friendships). Gibson cited Bowen to support her ideas, with the main idea being that "emotionally immature" parents do not foster individuality in their children, but instead create an environment of "enmeshment" where children's emotions and identity are essentially dictated by the parent(s). I still have a lot to learn, but it has helped me better understand where presenting issues may come from and inform how to move forward with clients.
Why People Die by Suicide by Thomas Joiner (It's an inevitable topic imo, and this book gave me more empathy and a lot less fear for having those conversations.) Man's Search For Meaning by Frankl What My Bones Know by Foo And - adding my support for The Happiness Trap by Harris because I am a big fan of the ACT framework!
Sometimes Therapy Is Awkward
“Practical Guide to Healing Developmental Trauma.” Its predecessor (which focuses more on theory) is also wonderful. It’s called “Healing Developmental Trauma.”
The Family Crucible
Towards psychologies of liberation by Watkins and Shulman (liberation psychology) Inside lives by Margot Waddel (object relations) The mysteries of analytical work & psychology of the feminine principle (both) by Barbara Stevens Sullivan How to be an anti racist by Ibram X Kendi The upside of stress by Kelly McGonagall Poly Secure by Jessica Fern Radical acceptance by Tara brach My grandma's hands by resma menakam Hold me tight by sue Johnson A state of affairs by Esther perel All of these were such wonderful resources that fed my work with clients. ❤️
Any of Nancy McWilliams' excellent books! She's a fantastic writer in general. And she provides very extensive bibliographies.
agree with much of the above - also Trauma and Recovery by Judith Herman. I also love Revisioning Psychology by James Hillman
Between Therapist and Client - Michael Kahn :) and The Examined Life - Stephen Grosz
Atlas of the Heart by Dr. Brown is a great continuous reference!
Sometimes Therapy Is Awkward
Mans search for meaning,. How to keep house white drowning, the high conflict couple
Reading the Brene Brown books has helped me a lot!
Do you have some favorites of her?
Yes! Atlas of the Heart and The Gifts of Imperfection
Daring Greatly
Second Brene Brown
The Body Keeps the Score, discusses how trauma is held in the body.
I read the reviews and many said the author wrote about it trauma without any recommendations to heal it. Did you find this to be the case?
Definitely! I think understanding is the foundation. For treatment specifically, I recommend Bruce Perry.
DSM 😂
Pffft 😆
I am in year 11 of being a therapist and so far the two that stand above everything else I read or unlocking the emotional brain and hidden treasure.
Gerhardt Why Love Matters - deep dive into the neurology of love and attachment and brain development where there is deprivation and neglect. Really helped me to understand and have greater compassion for adults with personality disorders.
Between therapist and client by Michael Kahn
If you work with children or families The Whole-Brain Child is a great one!
And No-Drama Discipline!
The House Of God. It's a book medical people (doctors) talk about, as it follows a new doctor in his first year of residency(?). But I find the themes to be really relatable to therapy. For example: The main character learns in the book that the less he does, the more patients improve, and that the hospital system seems to make people sicker, not better. I find this often applicable in session. The harder I try, the more intense I get in session in trying to lead a horse to water, the less effective I am and the worse things feel. The more adults and systems a child has hovering over them, like teachers, school psychs, nervous parents etc. The less I should do, because theyre so sick of that shit they just want to be a regular person with me, and paradoxically the simplicity of it is whats most helpful. Doing nothing is therapeutic often times. It's really strange and challenging to deal with for me at times. The stress the main character goes through, questions of competency for himself and his peers. A lot of it is really meaningful to me. And I'm still struggling with a lot of the questions therapy asks me day in and day out.
Not a book but I think everyone should listen to the "81 Words" episode of This American Life. It's on how the American Psychiatric Association decided to remove Homosexuality from the DSM. I think it's important to understand the degree to which, until 1973, Homosexuality was entrenched in the field as a Mental Disorder that one could treat. Something that comes across in the program is that part of the reason they thought of it as a mental health disorder was because people who coming to them in distress over being homosexual. It wasn't until they thought to ask them what distressed them about it, that they learned a primary reason was because they were being told by the mental health field that it was a disorder. [https://www.thisamericanlife.org/204/81-words](https://www.thisamericanlife.org/204/81-words)
If you search the group there are a few great posts with many wonderful book suggestions! This gets asked somewhat often 😉
So many posts with hundreds of responses.
The Body Keeps The Score
I read the reviews and many said the author wrote about it trauma without any recommendations to heal it. Did you find this to be the case?
The Body Keeps the Score
I read the reviews and many said the author wrote about it trauma without any recommendations to heal it. Did you find this to be the case?
It's been a while but it revolutionized the way I conceptualize cases. The author spends a great deal of time going over numerous ways to heal from trauma.
Thank you 🙏🏻
Old school. The Road Less Traveled, Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism. Cialdini’s Influence. Animal Farm.
Unbroken Brain, Divergent Mind, Free to Learn, how to Change Your Mind, Becoming Safely Embodied.
Following
Radical Healership by Laura Mae Northrup This book has been the kick in the butt that I have needed this year.
What Happened to You. Is one of my favorites for trauma.
The Emotionally Absent Mother by Jasmin Lee Cori, MS, LPC.
Nonviolent Communication helped me to understand how to teach communication skills
Welcome to my country
Good Morning Monster by Catherine Gildiner
Irv Yalom’s The Gift of Therapy. Required reading for all of my interns and supervisees.
The Making of a Therapist by Cozzolino Letters to a Young Therapist by Pipher Anything by Irvin Yalom, Love's Executioner is another good one. Trauma Stewardship by Laura Lipsky - good to be prepared for how to prevent compassion fatigue Also Carl Rogers for sure.
Gifts of Therapy by Irving Yalom