The books and resources we frequently recommend in therapy
There are several books and resources that I often recommend to clients either to consult as part of the therapy process, or for some additional reading when formal therapy concludes.
Some clients are not keen on additional reading and prefer face-to-face therapy exclusively, and this is perfectly OK. But for those who enjoy reading and feel that a book might help them to expand on or reinforce ideas addressed in therapy, then please see my recommendations below.
This list is a work in progress. More recommendations will be added as I come across them.
The Happiness Trap - Russ Harris. This is a great easy read that addresses how sometimes it is the struggle against negative feelings that becomes the problem, less so than the negative feelings themselves. Russ Harris provides a good justification for developing the skill of mindfulness and values exploration, and incorporating into every day life in order to find more 'meaning' and minimise discontent.
Change Your Thinking - Dr Sarah Edelman. This book is fantastic for tackling anxiety in practical ways. Dr Edelman draws from several cases, making it a very informative and helpful resource for those battling their inner critical voice.
Power Over Panic - Bronwyn Fox. My hands-down go to recommendation for anyone struggling with panic attacks. A very short easy ready that gives the basics of dealing with panic attacks from a Cognitive Behavioural Perspective. Several clients have found this book to be a very helpful resource to complement therapy.
ADHD 2.0. An easily digestible mix of both information and practical strategies. A must-read for parents and partners of those with ADHD as well as individuals who suspect they have, or are recently diagnosed, with ADHD.
The Centre For Clinical Interventions - Workbooks. This website provides free downloadable self-help courses for issues such as Health Anxiety, Perfectionism, Depression and several others. All of the treatments are evidence-based, and all include educational material as well as practical exercises.
I Had a Black Dog - Matthew Johnstone. I had the pleasure of working with Matthew Johnstone at the Black Dog Institute, and this book is as beautiful as it is helpful. Not quite a self-help book, but a beautifully illustrated window into the experience of depression. Incredibly validating for sufferers, and informative for their carers.
Mind Over Mood - Dennis Greenburger & Christine Padesky. A comprehensive CBT-based book for tackling depression. This book follows the gold-standard treatment for depression, and is a great complementary resource for those struggling to manage their mood.
Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents. A must-read for anyone who, through therapy or otherwise, has come to realise that the origins of their own difficulties relate directly to the kidns of parenting they received growing up.
Reinventing your life. Based on schema therapy, this book provides a great framework for working through long-standing and unhelpful patterns of behaviour - such as behaviours that related to fears of abandonment and feelings of worthlessness.
I welcome any comments regarding the above list. If you have any feedback on these resources, or think that I should include something else, please contact me via the link below.
Article author:
Clinical Psychologist
B Psych (Hons), M Psych (Clin), MAPS
Elizabeth Talbot is a Clinical Psychologist and the Principal Psychologist at Clinical Therapy. Whilst Elizabeth enjoys her clinical work, she is also a lover of behavioural science and has a keen research interest in the psychology of decision making, moral reasoning, cognitive biases, magical thinking, and conspiratorial beliefs.
Content note: Unless otherwise labelled, all blog posts are intended as discussion pieces, and are not academic texts. Articles pertaining to research or making an academic argument will be labelled as such and include supporting evidence/references. All examples (including client names) are fictitious, to illustrate a point, and are not based on actual clients.
Disclosure: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links and our practice is compensated if you make a purchase. Please note that I link these books specifically because I am familiar with the content and genuinely recommend them for their utility and quality.