75 Must-Read Books for Therapists

(Updated 8/29/22) This is a recommended list of 75+ “must-read” books for therapists and other mental health professionals.

The first section includes recommendations for both professionals and consumers. The next section includes suggested workbooks for therapy and/or self-help. The “Textbooks” section is comprised of required reading that I found valuable as a counseling grad student. In the “PracticePlanners Series” section, I included the planners I’ve relied on the most. The last section includes additional reads that have been helpful to me in both my professional and personal life.

For additional books and tools for therapists, see Resources for Mental Health Professionals and Group Therapy Resource Guide.


Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.


Must-Read Books for You & Your Clients

250 Brief, Creative & Practical Art Therapy Techniques: A Guide for Clinicians and Clients

Addictive Relationships: Why Love Goes Wrong in Recovery

Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Find – and Keep – Love

Betrayal Trauma: The Logic of Forgetting Childhood Abuse

Beyond Addiction: How Science and Kindness Help People Change

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma

The Complete Family Guide to Schizophrenia: Helping Your Loved One Get the Most Out of Life

Drinking: A Love Story

Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Wellbeing

The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (A Toltec Wisdom Book)

The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are

Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love

How to Heal Depression

How to Survive the Loss of a Love

Lost in the Mirror: An Inside Look at Borderline Personality Disorder

The Mind-Gut Connection: How the Hidden Conversation Within Our Bodies Impacts Our Mood, Our Choices, and Our Overall Health

Refuge Recovery: A Buddhist Path to Recovering from Addiction

The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work: A Practical Guide from the Country’s Foremost Relationship Expert

Staying Sober Without God: The Practical 12 Steps to Long-Term Recovery from Alcoholism and Addictions

Surviving Schizophrenia, 7th Edition: A Family Manual


Workbooks

The Addictions Recovery Workbook: 101 Practical Exercises for Individuals and Groups

The Addiction Recovery Skills Workbook: Changing Addictive Behaviors Using CBT, Mindfulness, and Motivational Interviewing Techniques

Antisocial, Borderline, Narcissistic and Histrionic Workbook: Treatment Strategies for Cluster B Personality Disorders

The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook

The Anxiety and Worry Workbook: The Cognitive Behavioral Solution

The Attachment Theory Workbook: Powerful Tools to Promote Understanding, Increase Stability, and Build Lasting Relationships

Building Motivational Interviewing Skills, Second Edition: A Practitioner Workbook (Applications of Motivational Interviewing)

The CBT Toolbox: A Workbook for Clients and Clinicians

The Cognitive Behavioral Workbook for Anxiety: A Step-By-Step Program

The Cognitive Behavioral Workbook for Depression: A Step-by-Step Program

The Complex PTSD Workbook: A Mind-Body Approach to Regaining Emotional Control and Becoming Whole

DBT® Skills Training Handouts and Worksheets, Second Edition

DBT® Skills Training Manual, Second Edition

The Depression Workbook: A Guide for Living with Depression and Manic Depression, Second Edition

The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook: Practical DBT Exercises for Learning Mindfulness, Interpersonal Effectiveness, Emotion Regulation

The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook for Anxiety: Breaking Free from Worry, Panic, PTSD, and Other Anxiety Symptoms

The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook for PTSD: Practical Exercises for Overcoming Trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Healing the Trauma of Abuse: A Women’s Workbook

The PTSD Workbook: Simple, Effective Techniques for Overcoming Traumatic Stress Symptoms

Relapse Prevention Counseling Workbook: Practical Exercises for Managing High-Risk Situations

The Relationship Workbook

The Self-Esteem Workbook

The Shyness and Social Anxiety Workbook: Proven, Step-by-Step Techniques for Overcoming Your Fear

The Wellness Lifestyle Workbook – Self-Assessments, Exercises & Educational Handouts (Mental Health & Life Skills Workbook Series)

The Wellness Workbook: How to Achieve Enduring Health and Vitality

A Woman’s Addiction Workbook: Your Guide to In-Depth Healing


Textbooks

Clinical Mental Health Counseling in Community and Agency Settings

Exercises in the Art of Helping

Family Therapy: An Overview

Foundations of Addictions Counseling (The Merrill Counseling Series)

Learning the Art of Helping: Building Blocks and Techniques

Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy

The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy


PracticePlanners Series

The Addiction Treatment Planner: Includes DSM-5 Updates

Addiction Treatment Homework Planner

The Complete Adult Psychotherapy Treatment Planner

Adult Psychotherapy Homework Planner

The Complete Anxiety Treatment and Homework Planner

The Complete Depression Treatment and Homework Planner

The Couples Psychotherapy Treatment Planner with DSM-5 Updates

Couples Therapy Homework Planner

The Crisis Counseling and Traumatic Events Treatment Planner with DSM-5 Updates

The Family Therapy Treatment Planner with DSM-5 Updates

The Personality Disorders Treatment Planner: Includes DSM-5 Updates

The Severe and Persistent Mental Illness Treatment Planner

The Suicide and Homicide Risk Assessment and Prevention Treatment Planner


Additional Reading

86 TIPS (Treatment Ideas & Practical Strategies) for the Therapeutic Toolbox

127 More Amazing Tips and Tools for the Therapeutic Toolbox

103 Group Activities and Treatment Ideas & Practical Strategies

150 More Group Therapy Activities & TIPS

100 Interactive Activities for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Recovery

101 Trauma-Informed Interventions: Activities, Exercises and Assignments to Move the Client and Therapy Forward

Attachment: 60 Trauma-Informed Assessment and Treatment Interventions Across the Lifespan

Diagnosis Made Easier, Second Edition: Principles and Techniques for Mental Health Clinicians

Encyclopedia of Counseling: Master Review and Tutorial for the National Counselor Examination, State Counseling Exams, and the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination

Essential Assessment Skills for Couple and Family Therapists (The Guilford Family Therapy Series)

Essentials of Clinical Supervision (Essentials of Mental Health Practice)

Group Exercises for Addiction Counseling

Motivational Interviewing: Helping People Change (Applications of Motivational Interviewing)

Motivational Interviewing and CBT: Combining Strategies for Maximum Effectiveness (Applications of Motivational Interviewing)

The Therapeutic “Aha!”: 10 Strategies for Getting Your Clients Unstuck

Trauma Treatment Toolbox: 165 Brain-Changing Tips, Tools & Handouts to Move Therapy Forward


must-read books

Author: Cassie Jewell

Cassie Jewell has a Master's degree in counseling and is a licensed professional counselor (LPC), licensed substance abuse treatment practitioner (LSATP), and board-approved clinical supervisor in Virginia.

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