Books give us the gift of language to our own experiences, which serves to support our self-of-therapist development. I truly believe we are never done growing and we are ever-evolving, so it was meaningful to reflect on the books I most identify with as a professor, supervisor, and consultant to therapists and counseling students. As a passionate mental health leader, here are books that have had a profound impact on how I show up with the therapists (and clients) I serve.
Trauma Stewardship by Laura van Dernoot Lipsky (2009). An oldie but a goodie, this book was one I discovered only after I was in professional burnout for two years. I remember wishing someone had introduced this book to me in graduate school. Written compassionately, I felt so seen and hopeful that burnout recovery was possible.
Moving from ALERT to Acceptance: Helping Clinicians Heal from Client Suicide (2024). My own book, this was the hardest one to write out of the 11 (soon to be 12!!) published books out in the world. It was the book I needed in 2021 when my client died by suicide. I continue to lean into the abundant compassion and zero judgement woven throughout the content and although it’s life altering to be a clinician survivor, this work has helped me serve and build communities for other clinician survivors, which has brought another rich layer of meaning and purpose to the work I do.
For the Love of Therapy by Nicole Arzt and Jeremy Arzt (2024). This book celebrates authenticity in the therapeutic relationship which is a cornerstone of what I teach students in their clinical mental health education. A heartfelt, fast read, I love how the authors speak to the inevitability of rupture and the beauty of repair—the very thing students are most afraid of when they start working with their clients.
The Art of Money by Bari Tessler (2016). Engaging this book in my own money healing prior to becoming a Certified Financial Therapist was crucial prior to engaging other clinicians in the same emotional and vulnerable process. I love how Bari invites folks to slow down and notice what’s going on with their body when it comes to money, and I happily recommend this book to therapists coming into financial therapy work with me as a starting place of curiosity around the money beliefs and behaviors we each hold.
The Resilient Therapist by Ashley Charbonneau and Khara Croswaite Brindle (coming Fall 2026!). Another book I was seeking personally and professionally after several significant career traumas over the last sixteen years, this book is meant to support the healing process for clinicians to find resilience after career-altering events within our field. It is an invitation to feel seen in experiences of client violence, client sudden death, client suicide, professional betrayal, grievance, and subpoena (what we call Adverse Psychological Events) and feel validated for what you carry, alongside discovering the strength to continue forward.
What books have had a significant impact on how you show up in this field? I’d love to know!