4 Best Therapy Books to Read for Therapists

Madhuleena Roy Chowdhury, BA 5

best therapy booksIt is not just the clients who benefit from attending therapy sessions.

Most mental health professionals agree that the process of therapy itself is rewarding and a
great learning experience for them.

The way therapists listen to their clients and empathize with them becomes their second
nature and an essential aspect of their personality.

Irvin Yalom, one of the most celebrated authors who have published several valuable assets
for psychotherapists, said that therapists could identify and successfully work through their
conflicts during the therapy sessions. Therefore, succeeding as a therapist is also partly
about flourishing as a human being.

There are plenty of literary works that therapists can choose for upgrading themselves. This
article outlines some of the most popular and recommended resources that can help
psychotherapists and counselors at all levels. From general therapy guides to more specific
forms of interventions and audiobooks, this article is a compilation of resources you wouldn’t
want to miss.

4 Best Therapy Books for Therapists

A survey on the best psychotherapy books that professionals read in the last three years
showed some interesting statistics. The experiment was conducted on a large sample of
over 2000 therapists and non-therapists in North America.

Out of the many deductions from the analysis, one finding was a list of the ten best books on
psychotherapy that the majority of the participants agreed to be true. Some of them are
discussed below.

1. Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder – Marsha Linehan

Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Borderline Personality DisorderTreating Borderline
Personality Disorder has been a challenge for therapists for years. This book highlights the
best CBT practices when it comes to identifying and managing BPD.

Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder follows an integrative and

inclusive approach that therapists can use.

Author Marsha Linehan talks about the recent developments in CBT and DBT (Dialectical
Behavior Therapy) and explains how therapists can combine the two approaches to ensure
better prognosis.

The book is simplified and highly recommended for therapists who deal with Borderline
clients or wish to know more about the interventions.

Find the book on Amazon.

2. The Developing Mind, Second Edition: How Relationships and the Brain Interact to Shape
Who We Are – Daniel J. Siegel
The Developing Mind, Second Edition: How Relationships and the Brain Interact to Shape
Who We AreThe Developing Mind has been a bestseller with over 100,00 readers all over
the world. Author Daniel Siegel has structured this book with the new concept of how
interpersonal relationships play a crucial role in shaping our thoughts, actions, and emotions.

The book introduces human relationships to be as strong as nature and nurture concepts
that therapists have been following for years now. There is a bunch of scientific evidence
and real-life examples that Siegel has used to add more substance to his findings.

The Developing Mind opens a whole new dimension to the science of human connections
and its relevance in psychotherapeutic interventions.

Find the book on Amazon.

3. The Gift of Therapy: An Open Letter to a New Generation of Therapists and Their Patients
– Irvin Yalom
The Gift of Therapy: An Open Letter to a New Generation of Therapists and Their
PatientsIrvin D. Yalom has been a practitioner for over 35 years. His valuable experience
and understanding of the client-therapist relationship are beautifully portrayed in the book
The Gift of Therapy: An Open Letter to a New Generation of Therapists and Their Patients.

The book is a collection of the most insightful case studies and over 80 essential tips for
beginner psychotherapists.

With valuable insights on crucial therapy topics such as identifying personal biases, doing
home visits, and individualizing the process of therapy each time, this book is an excellent
read for professionals who are starting their journey and for experienced therapists who wish
to keep themselves relevant to the current time.

Find the book on Amazon.

4. Motivational Interviewing: Helping People Change (Applications of Motivational

Interviewing) – William R. Miller and Stephen Rollnick
Motivational Interviewing: Helping People Change, 3rd EditionMotivational Interviewing is a
powerful concept and a beneficial positive intervention, especially for professional setups.

Authors William Miller and Stephen Rollnick have put forth their years of research findings
and explanations on the aspects of MI and how therapists can include them in their
practices.
The book follows an easy-to-read approach and touches almost all aspects of Motivational
Interviewing. Besides facilitating psychotherapy, this book is also a recommended read for
professionals working as leaders, managers, or corporate recruiters.

Find the book on Amazon.