15 books therapists “prescribe” all the time

Therapy is great, but it’s not the only place you can find expert insights and new perspectives that shake you to your core. Sometimes the right book at the right time can help you feel less alone, process emotions you’ve been burying, or even learn a new skill.

We asked therapists to share the books they find themselves recommending over and over to their patients. From classic self-help books to underrated gems, these recommendations may be just what you need to add to your mental health toolkit.

1. There’s a Hole in My Sidewalk: The Romance of Self-Discovery by Portia Nelson (2018)

This is by far one of my favorite books to read myself and that I recommend for clients of all ages. I have also used it in group therapy. It is a short, quick read but the impact can be so big. The poem “Autobiography in five short chapters” speaks volumes about recognizing patterns in our lives and learning there are ways to stop, change, and avoid those patterns with time.

– Tara Lineberry, licensed clinical social worker at Thriveworks

Portia Nelson’s “There’s a Hole in My Sidewalk” is available from Atria Books/Beyond Words.

2. Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents: How to Heal from Distant, Rejecting, or Self-Involved Parents by Lindsay C. Gibson (2015)

I recommend this book to patients who may describe their childhood as generally positive or loving, but recognize that their emotional needs, healthy attachment, or boundaries weren’t always fully supported. The book offers insight into why parents may have struggled to provide emotional support while also giving readers concrete tools to recognize and step out of old patterns, heal, and build healthier relationships.

– Jami Dumler, director of clinical programs and licensed clinical social worker at Thriveworks

Lindsay C. Gibson’s “Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents” is available from New Harbinger Publications.

3. Are You Mad at Me?: How to Stop Focusing on What Others Think and Start Living for You by Meg Josephson (2025)

This is one I recommend to chronic people pleasers, over-apologizers, and clients who are constantly scanning for signs that someone is upset with them. It helps readers understand how focusing so heavily on other people’s reactions can disconnect them from their own needs, preferences, and boundaries. I love that it gives clients language for patterns they may have lived with for years without realizing there was a reason behind them.

– Julie Newman, licensed mental health counselor

Meg Josephson’s “Are You Mad at Me?” is available from Gallery Books.

4. The Anatomy of Peace: Resolving the Heart of Conflict by The Arbinger Institute (2025)

Traditionally a leadership and business book, it does a better job than any other at helping people see their own forms of self-justification, rationalization, and how we subconsciously invite the very problems we say we wish others would change. It’s useful with relationships, anxiety and depression, and low self-esteem.

– Emma McAdam, licensed marriage and family therapist and creator of Therapy in a Nutshell

The Arbinger Institute’s fifth edition of “The Anatomy of Peace” is available from Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

5. A Feminist’s Guide to ADHD: How Women Can Thrive and Find Focus in a World Built for Men by Janina Maschke (2024)

I recommend this book a lot to both male and female identifying clients, as feminism benefits members of all gender identities and expressions. This book is a practical and informative way to learn strategies and more about ADHD as a whole.

– Alexandra Cromer, licensed professional counselor at Thriveworks

Janina Maschke’s “A Feminist’s Guide to ADHD” is available from Red Wheel Weiser and other retailers.

6. Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century edited by Alice Wong (2020)

The majority of my clients are disabled and this collection helps them to feel less alone in an ableist world. I recommend this book for anyone wanting to either work on their ableism or to heal some of their grief by knowing they’re not the only one going through disability issues.

– Briana Mills, licensed marriage and family therapist

Alice Wong’s “Disability Visibility” is available from Vintage.

7. Good Inside by Becky Kennedy (2022)

I recommend this to everyone I know—patient or not—who has children toddler to elementary age! I’ve read it three times and am about to start it again. It’s a great read or audiobook for anyone who is navigating parenting and values respectful conversations while enforcing firm boundaries. She walks through exactly what to do in situations where big feelings arise.

– Geralyn Fortney, licensed professional counselor at Thriveworks

Becky Kennedy’s “Good Inside” is available from Harper Wave.

8. Goodbye Ed, Hello Me: Recover from Your Eating Disorder and Fall in Love with Life by Jenni Schaefer (2009)

In this book, Schaefer explores finding joy and peace in one’s life and how being fully recovered from an eating disorder isn’t just breaking free from destructive behaviors with food. It is helpful to those navigating recovery from an eating disorder as Jenni provides an honest and vulnerable discussion about her relationship with Ed and gives the idea that life really can get better and move on.

– Hallie Kritsas, licensed mental health counselor at Thriveworks

Jenni Schaefer’s “Goodbye Ed, Hello Me” is available from McGraw Hill.

9. Mother Hunger: Understand and Heal the Wounds of Lost Nurturance, Protection, and Guidance by Kelly McDaniel (2026)

I recommend the revised edition to my female clients who struggle with the loss of maternal nurturance and protection. It really puts into perspective how much the mother/daughter relationship shapes women’s self-worth, self-confidence, and future relationships. I have found that it gives a name to the loss women feel that they may struggle to identify.

– Tara Lineberry, licensed clinical social worker at Thriveworks

Kelly McDaniel’s “Mother Hunger” is available from Hay House.

10. The Ethical Slut: A Practical Guide to Polyamory, Open Relationships, and Other Freedoms in Sex and Love by Dossie Easton and Janet W. Hardy (2017)

Now in its third edition, this book is a detailed and supportive way to explore any type of nonmonogamous relationship. It’s both educational and funny and gives evidence-based and practical supports as you’re navigating and identifying your personal boundaries and preferences.

– Alexandra Cromer, licensed professional counselor at Thriveworks

Dossie Easton and Janet W. Hardy’s “The Ethical Slut” is available from Ten Speed Press.

11. The Assertiveness Workbook: How to Express Your Ideas and Stand Up for Yourself at Work and in Relationships by Randy J. Paterson (2000)

It’s surprisingly helpful for depression, anxiety, and relationships. Most people have no idea how low assertiveness plays into depression and anxiety, and this book makes it really practical to learn how to express your needs and set boundaries in a calm, kind, firm way.

– Emma McAdam, licensed marriage and family therapist and creator of Therapy in a Nutshell

Randy J. Paterson’s “The Assertiveness Workbook” is available from New Harbinger Publications.

12. Unsingle: How to Date Smarter and Create Love That Lasts by Amy Chan (2026)

I recommend this to clients who feel stuck in repetitive dating patterns, especially those who tend to be drawn to emotionally unavailable people, overthink early dating, or struggle to tell the difference between chemistry and compatibility. I like that Chan combines relationship psychology with very practical guidance, including her “dating funnel” that helps readers identify where they tend to get stuck in the dating process and what they can do differently to move forward. It helps readers build more self awareness around how and why they choose specific partners, rather than simply focusing on how to “find” one.

– Julie Newman, licensed mental health counselor

Amy Chan’s “Unsingle” is available from Abrams.

13. Two Homes by Claire Masurel (2003)

This picture book is about a young child who has two parents who live apart and is navigating finding comfort and safety in both unique homes and spaces. It would be helpful for children of separation or divorce to show that they can be loved by parents no matter where they are and is a great resource for children who are experiencing divorce in their family.

– Hallie Kritsas, licensed mental health counselor at Thriveworks

Claire Masurel’s “Two Homes” is available from Candlewick Press.

14. I Don’t Want to Talk About It: Overcoming the Secret Legacy of Male Depression by Terrence Real (1998)

I work with a lot of men, and I’ve prescribed this often through the years. A lot of men don’t know they’re depressed because they associate depression with tears, grief, and sadness. But for many men, depression manifests as anger, irritability, low energy, and an increase in avoidance behaviors like substance abuse, gambling, or porn. Real’s book speaks directly to men with these issues in clear terms, explaining how boys and men are conditioned to hide pain, which only makes their symptoms worse. The practical steps shared in this book help men deal with their trauma and heal with an approach that is neither coddling nor ultra tough-guy.

– Ryan Howes, licensed clinical psychologist

Terrence Real’s “I Don’t Want to Talk About It” is available from Scribner and other retailers.

15. Group: How One Therapist and a Circle of Strangers Saved My Life by Christie Tate (2020)

I often recommend this to high-achieving clients who look like they’re doing well on the outside but feel lonely, disconnected, or are deeply self-critical underneath. Tate’s memoir is such a compelling reminder that insight alone isn’t always enough and that healing often happens through vulnerability, connection, and allowing ourselves to be genuinely known by other people. I especially like it for clients who tend to intellectualize their emotions or believe they should be able to figure everything out on their own.

– Julie Newman, licensed mental health counselor

Christie Tate’s “Group” is available from Avid Reader Press and other retailers.