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As a passionate professor to counselors-in-training, I’m frequently asked by students what books they should read as part of their self-of-therapist development. Of course there are so many options out there on specialty topics, including things like private practice, IFS parts work, EMDR, and attachment theory. But there are a handful of books I think of again and again as a clinical supervisor, confidential grief specialist, and consultant to therapists. Here are ten books I continue to recommend, not to mention they are books I wish I’d had when I started in this field 15 years ago!
Full of authenticity and humor filled moments, this book serves to normalize that being a therapist comes with it’s own unique challenges, like clients ghosting sessions, client suicide, and sticking our professional foot in our mouth on occasion because we are human too.
By the same author as the above book, this book speaks to the power of relationship rupture and repair in the mental health field. I love the emphasis that we all make mistakes, and it’s how we repair that makes us stellar therapists!
A book from a seasoned therapist on compassion and humanness in therapy, how can I not recommend a book that celebrates authenticity as the key ingredient to quality mental health care?
Can we normalize the edges and mistakes made within our field? I believe this book serves that purpose, and it's been on my reading list for years.
Maybe you Should Talk to Someone
Beautiful storytelling full of heart, this book serves as a glimpse into the day-to-day life and client interactions a clinician can have in private practice. Read by the masses, this book gives an inside look at what it’s like to be a therapist.
A classic, this one is often recommended in graduate programs. I have to admit I haven’t read it personally, but I’ve heard from many colleagues how impactful it was to their journey of becoming a therapist.
Moving from ALERT to Acceptance: Helping Clinicians Heal from Client Suicide
My own book baby, this resource not only teaches clinicians to engage in compassionate suicide assessment within their therapy practice, it normalizes the prevalence of client suicide and how we heal after it happens.
An oldie but goodie on how we are at higher risk for vicarious trauma and burnout as professional caregivers, this book should be in every grad school curriculum!
Burnout, the Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle
A beautiful blend of conversation, curiosity, and science, this book puts language to the cycle of stress and burnout that is a significant part of our self-work for therapists to remain in the mental health field.
The Resilient Therapist: Healing from Career-Altering Adverse Psychological Events in Mental Health (Bloomsbury, Spring 2026)
Coming soon! This book is a love letter to therapists who’ve experienced career-altering traumas like client violence, client suicide, grievance, and professional betrayal. These events are happening to clinicians around the world, so not only do we need to talk about them, we need to explore how to heal and how leadership can help!
So there you have it, ten impactful books for clinicians both new to the field and seasoned! I hope you’ll reach out to share other favorites and the impact these books have on your practice. Happy Reading!