My top 5 books I recommend as a therapist

As an avid reader, I've read dozens of self-help, memoirs, psychology and adjacent books to help me soak up information. I've always been so curious about other people's perspectives, and what it's like to be in their shoes, and memoirs have really satiated that curiosity. I believe all the reading I've done over the years (both fiction and non-fiction!) have helped me to become a more compassionate, understanding and curious therapist, because I can really see things your point of view. Here are the top 5 books that have shifted my mindset the most:

Group by Christie Tate- A wonderful memoir about the power of group therapy and the messy beauty of healing in connection with others. Perfect if you’ve ever wanted to know the POV from what therapy really looks like when walls come down.

No Bad Parts by Richard Schwartz- A life-changing introduction to Internal Family Systems (IFS)- which is the therapeutic modality I use most often in my practice! This book helps you understand that every part of you (even the ones you try to hide)  has a purpose and deserves compassion. A must-read for anyone on a self-healing journey.

The Center Cannot Hold by Elyn Saks- I had to read this one for grad school and I couldn’t put it down! A powerful memoir by a law professor living with schizophrenia, offering profound insight into a diagnosis that carries a lot of stigma and fear attached to it.

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb- This is the book that inspired me to become a therapist and finally take the leap! Its a therapist-turned-client memoir that shows how therapists are flawed humans, just like anyone else.

You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay- This is a classic for anyone interested in mind-body healing. As therapist who specializes in chronic health issues (from autoimmune, to chronic pain, to stomach problems), I truly believe in the connection between the emotional mind and how it shows up as symptoms in the body. She talks about how physical health and mental health cannot be separated, and it truly all comes down to self-love for healing to really take place.