Are you just starting a career in counseling? Even if you have been in the counseling field for some time, do you want to increase your knowledge?
Whether you are a beginner or an experienced practitioner, books are a resource that will always be available, no matter where you are in the world.
You are reading: Best books for therapists
In this post, we list our 28 favorite counseling books (including audiobooks) across different disciplines, including marriage and couples, school, career, classroom, children, and grief.
Before we continue, we thought you might like to download our three positive psychology exercises for free. These science-based exercises will explore fundamental aspects of positive psychology, including strengths, values, and self-compassion, giving you the tools to improve the well-being of your clients, students, or employees.
top 3 advice books
While there are many books for counselors, Wake Forest University (N.D.) has created a list especially for those looking to enter the field.
three of them include:
1. Man’s Search for Meaning: The Classic Tribute to Hope Since the Holocaust – Viktor E. frank
Set against the backdrop of a prisoner’s determination to persevere in a Nazi concentration camp, this memoir by renowned psychiatrist Viktor Frankl offers insight into what drives human life.
Furthermore, it discusses how these impulses inform a life of service that can positively affect others and shows how human beings can overcome tremendous suffering.
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look for the book on amazon.
2. on becoming a person: a therapist’s view of psychotherapy – carl rogers
Carl Rogers, the American psychologist who founded client-centered therapy, wrote this collection of essays over a decade to share his findings with the world.
your findings? that a trusting and affirming relationship between counselor and patient is more sustainable than traditional power hierarchies and other conventional approaches.
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look for the book on amazon.
3. The Resilient Practitioner: Burnout Prevention and Self-Care Strategies for Counselors, Therapists, Teachers, and Health Professionals – Thomas M. skovholt
While the other books on this list place a greater emphasis on counseling practice, Thomas Skovholt writes about the potential danger if counselors do not engage in self-care.
identifies the essence of burnout and outlines expert-tested methods to help professionals stay healthy.
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look for the book on amazon.
books on marriage and couples counseling
the uk related counseling organization put together a list of relationship books for marriage and couples counselors (martin, 2020).
These are some of their recommendations:
1. adult attachment and couple psychotherapy: the ‘secure base’ in practice and research – christopher clulow
Although Christopher Clulow is the editor of many books dealing with marriage and couples counseling, this book stands out from the rest.
Specifically, it addresses romantic relationships and attachment theory within secure and insecure couples.
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look for the book on amazon.
2. systemic therapy and attachment narratives: applications in a variety of clinical settings – rudi dallos and arlene vetere
rudi dallos, professor of clinical psychology, and arlene vetere, deputy director of clinical psychology at the institute of family therapy in plymouth, england, are currently active in the field and provide a wealth of knowledge for those looking to make a start. on it.
In their book, they describe how to use the three main systems of psychotherapeutic practice through a new and integrated approach, with techniques that include systems theory, attachment theory, and narrative theory.
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look for the book on amazon.
3. attachment processes in couple and family therapy – susan m. Johnson and Valerie E. snort
editors susan johnson and valerie whiffen explore attachment theory but in a slightly different context compared to the other books discussed.
provide information about adult couple and parent-child interactions in what are called “distressed” and “satisfied” contexts.
describe ways that attachment-oriented interventions can help resolve family conflict and marital conflict.
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look for the book on amazon.
3 valuable school guidance books
teach.com (2017) is a resource for teachers and education professionals, including school counselors, for more information to help them in their careers, including helping school counselors and teachers better interact to help students.
They recommend three books for school counselors:
1. the 5 love languages of children: the secret to loving children effectively – gary chapman and ross campbell
the concept of the five love languages is that each of us express and feel love differently, and when others express their love in a way we understand, we feel valued and appreciated, which can lead to a better communication.
In their book, Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell use the idea of love languages as a way to motivate children to do their best.
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look for the book on amazon.
2. lost in school: why our kids with behavioral problems are falling behind and how we can help them – ross greene
In his book, Ross Greene outlines a step-by-step process that teachers and counselors can follow when working with students and their parents to decrease negative behaviors.
attempts to explain why a traditional system of discipline may not work for those who are constantly in trouble and offers alternative solutions.
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look for the book on amazon.
3. the energy bus: 10 rules to fuel your life, your work and your team with positive energy – jon gordon
In this book, Jon Gordon’s primary focus is on developing collaboration between school counselors and teachers, and he offers steps to help achieve this collaborative atmosphere.
These steps are intended to facilitate cooperative communication between the two professionals and help students as they navigate difficulties in what can be a hostile environment.
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look for the book on amazon.
interesting books on career guidance
forbes compiled a list of books that can help counselors help those who want to build their careers (garnett, 2020).
These are some of them:
1. more than enough: reclaiming space for who you are (no matter what anyone says) – elaine welteroth
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In this inspiring book, author and journalist Elaine Welteroth explains how she has challenged the status quo throughout her fashion and media career to break down barriers and reclaim space for herself.
Counselors are sure to enjoy the memoir and find insightful wisdom to pass on to their clients, especially those just beginning their careers.
See Also: The 10 Best Coffee Books Of All Time
look for the book on amazon.
2. determination: the power of passion and perseverance – angela duckworth
according to author angela duckworth, to feel fulfilled in a career, you need guts: the combination of passion and persistence.
In his book, he shares stories from leaders and CEOs in the worlds of sports and business, including Pete Carroll of the National Football League and Jamie Dimon, CEO of JP Morgan.
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look for the book on amazon.
3. presence: bringing your boldest self to your greatest challenges – amy cuddy
Amy Cuddy’s book acknowledges that while navigating a career, anxiety and stress can be ever present.
His book looks at how you can gain a powerful presence by harnessing your own personal power and caring more about what you think of yourself than what others do.
as reviewed by forbes, this book may be especially useful for those looking for a new job, career, or role.
See Also: The 10 Best Coffee Books Of All Time
look for the book on amazon.
4. Put Your Strengths to Work: Six Powerful Steps to Outstanding Performance – Marcus Buckingham
Identifying your personal strengths can be important and is the subject of this book by Marcus Buckingham.
However, is that enough? Buckingham offers a six-step approach for struggling workers to make these strengths work for them in their jobs.
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look for the book on amazon.
3 textbooks for your class
Not all textbooks are required reading, but some are highly recommended, especially for use in the classroom for either teaching or learning.
counselor nicole mclean (2018) from the counselors’ café recommended these three in particular.
1. Learning to Advise: Developing the Skills, Insight, and Knowledge to Advise Others – William Stewart and Jan Sutton
This text by william stewart and jan sutton, particularly useful if teaching students in the classroom, explains how to become an empathetic counselor, adhere to ethics, and avoid burnout.
This can be useful for both students and new professionals.
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look for the book on amazon.
2. reflective writing in counseling and psychotherapy – jeannie wright
During your counseling training, you may have been encouraged to keep a reflective journal to help you track and process your emotions and personal development.
jeannie wright guides counseling trainees and seasoned practitioners on how to start journaling and deal with obstacles. exercises, case studies, and ideas for self-directed learning are included.
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look for the book on amazon.
3. first steps in counseling – pete sanders
As you embark on the journey to becoming a counselor, it’s important to process what you’re learning from your training.
this book by pete sanders features activities to help students define their learning styles and includes topics such as the importance of self-development, ethics, and what comes after grading.
This book is recommended for those who are at the beginning of their academic careers or those who want to review what they learned at the beginning of their career.
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look for the book on amazon.
best picks for beginners
From classroom textbooks to counselors just beginning their careers, theranest (2019) counseling platform has provided great recommendations for beginning therapists.
1. beginning mindfulness: learning the path of awareness – andrew weiss
For those therapists interested in mindfulness, this book by Andrew Weiss may be helpful as it provides an approach to learning basic mindfulness.
This book is designed in a 10-week course format that offers mindfulness exercises that help patients of new therapists identify emotions, control them, or separate sensations in the body from arousals in the mind.
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look for the book on amazon.
2. a guide to the land of possibilities: fifty-one methods for conducting respectful brief therapy – bill o’hanlon and sandy bedle
This book by bill o’hanlon and sandy beadle is designed for beginning therapists as an easy-to-learn manual to help clients find solutions.
It is particularly useful for therapists who use short-term or solution-focused work. may not be as suitable for those involved in long-term therapy with clients.
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look for the book on amazon.
3. emotional intelligence: why it may matter more than iq – daniel goleman
Daniel Goleman’s book is one that can be found on the shelves of many therapists. this classic can be especially useful for beginning therapists.
provides an easy-to-understand overview of emotional intelligence and how less experienced beginning therapists can use it to improve their connection with patients and themselves.
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look for the book on amazon.
4. Love’s Executioner: And Other Psychotherapy Tales – Irvin D. yalom
This book by Irvin Yalom can be crucial for those just beginning to work as therapists.
The message Yalom says new therapists can benefit from hearing is that the pain caused by psychopathology is fundamentally incapable of remedy. helping clients cope with this pain is a central theme.
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look for the book on amazon.
to advise children
The following books are useful for counseling and working with children (Safe Counselors, 2017):
1. the color monster: a pop-up book of feelings – anna full
Getting children to describe their feelings can be a challenge. Author Anna Llenas created a pop-up book that represents a new feeling on every page.
This book is especially aimed at children between the ages of six and eight.
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look for the book on amazon.
2. double feelings: stories to help children understand emotions – barbara cain
author barbara cain offers an interesting twist for the counselor and child reading this book.
On each page, the author describes a situation and then explains two opposing feelings that may arise as a result (eg, a child may feel both nervous and excited on the first day of school).
This has potential real-world applications for counselors who want to engage with otherwise struggling children.
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look for the book on amazon.
3. one – kathryn otoshi
Bullying is a difficult topic to discuss, especially for children.
author kathryn otoshi makes kids more aware of what bullying is and when it can happen. she shows how a student can stand up and make a difference in the lives of others.
This book can be useful in fostering self-esteem and empowerment in children.
See Also: The 10 Best Coffee Books Of All Time
look for the book on amazon.
3 readings for grief counseling
psychologists spoke to new york magazine (fariso, 2019) to give their book recommendations for those who struggle with grief.
here are three of them:
1. how to go on living when someone you love dies – teresa a. random
A pioneer in the field of grief counseling, Dr. therese rando provides a guide to grief and guides the reader through the essential and overlooked aspects of this process while still including different types of loss.
It is recommended because it covers both the practical and emotional steps necessary to recover from a major loss, ranging from managing funeral arrangements to learning to accept help from friends and family.
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look for the book on amazon.
2. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye: surviving, coping, and healing after the sudden death of a loved one – brook noel and pamela blair
noel and blair write about the assault on the inner and outer life of the mourner who experiences a sudden loss.
The book is notable for covering a wide range of material, from “treating the bereaved as if in intensive care” to debunking harmful myths.
Blair also takes the time to address her own experience of sudden loss at the beginning of the book to establish a sense of security and companionship with the reader.
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look for the book on amazon.
3. enduring the unbearable: love, loss, and the harrowing journey of grief – joanne cacciatore
While this book is described as general enough to apply to most types of loss, Joanne Cacciatore emphasizes the reality that grief takes time and works differently for specific people in specific situations.
It also teaches mourners how to eliminate the need to gain permission or approval from others while redefining life after loss.
See Also: The 10 Best Coffee Books Of All Time
look for the book on amazon.
a look at valuable advice audiobooks
If hearing useful words in your ear is more engaging than reading words on the page, this list has you covered. Audiobook company Audible (n.d.) has created a list of recommended audiobooks that can help counselors address anxiety.
1. feel good: the new mood therapy – david burns
psychiatrist david burns guides listeners in a step-by-step instructional guide to help build self-esteem.
david burns calls his method the new mood therapy and teaches listeners techniques they may not have known before.
burns does not narrate the audiobook himself, and reviews have touted award-winning narrator george newbern as a calming voice in this audiobook.
look for the audiobook on amazon.
2. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Techniques to Retrain Your Brain – Jason M. satterfield
While the previous book was written for the general public, this audiobook seems to be geared more towards counselors.
Created and narrated by Professor Jason Satterfield, it encompasses a series of half-hour lectures that teach the basics of cognitive behavioral therapy.
This audiobook can be particularly helpful for beginning therapists who want additional guidance on CBT topics they just learned about in school.
look for the audiobook on amazon.
There is not a great deal of research on whether audiobooks are effective in helping beginning therapists or seasoned professionals build their careers.
however, there are many to choose from, depending on the background of the practitioner and the modality of choice, and we hope this list will be a helpful starting point.
a message to take home
reading and listening to audiobooks can make a difference in the way professionals think, practice, train and help clients.
The books in this article will provide some knowledge to increase skills and develop new ones.
The number of books available to professionals is always growing, and the best way to embrace all new knowledge is to take the time to learn and appreciate what these books have to offer.
It can be useful for each professional to be aware of their interests and visions of how they want to work in the future. Knowing that there are books out there to help and learn more, whether it’s for continuing education purposes, to learn a new technique to use with clients, or for personal improvement, it’ll be hard to find an excuse not to pick the next one that piques your interest.
We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three positive psychology exercises for free.
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