What Local Therapists are Reading

While it has not been an easy Spring for riding bicycles or walking the boardwalk, there have been many good days to curl up with a good book. My colleagues and I are here to help you hold out until Summer with some titles we recommend. Some are heavier than others, but they are all intriguing...

​Staring at the Sun: Overcoming the Terror of Death is written by a therapist, Irvin D. Yalom, who treats therapists. Yalom, in his 80’s, deals with his own mortality, his clients’, and his clients’ issues with their own mortality. Very clear, kind, and insightful guidance are rendered in Yalom’s sensitive and intelligent words. You can connect with Tom Magnus, LPC. 
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The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg is worth reading. Although I can’t take credit for the impetus to read the book (I credit my local book club), Berg is one of my favorite writers. She often writes about the families we build in non traditional ways. This book is no exception. It’s short, lovely, and reminds you what you love about people. You can connect with Liz Walter, LCSW. 


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In Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, a non-fiction book that reads like a novel, therapist Lori Gottlieb's world turns upside down when she is faced with her own sudden crisis. The book toggles between her own experience in therapy and how she copes with the crisis and sessions with her own clients. It gives insight into themes like hope, despair, love, and loss as well as a behind the scenes look into life on the other side of a therapist's couch. To get a flavor for Gottlieb and her viewpoint, check out a New York Times interview with her here: What Your Therapist is Thinking About in that Therapy Session.
​You can connect with Dayna Stein, MST, MSW, LCSW. 

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The Fourth Trimester by Kimberly Ann Johnson is an excellent guide for women postpartum, including those with Perinatal Mood Disorders and birth trauma.  It examines postpartum healing on physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual levels.  As a social worker, I am always looking at the "person in environment" and providing treatment that is holistic. This book fits the bill. You can connect with Geraldine "Gerry" Viggiani, LCSW, LCADC, PMH-C. 

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A favorite book is "When things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times" by Pema Chodron.  It is about facing difficulties in life, regardless of what those difficulties are. It is written from a Buddhist point of view.  I actually prefer the audio book version which is read by Pema Chodron herself. You can connect with Marcella DiFedele, MS, LCSW. 

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The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van der Kolk, MD, a renowned trauma expert, talks about how trauma reshapes both the brain and the body. Trauma gets trapped in our memories and our bodies, and manifests in a physical way. Van der Kolk explains how body-brain therapies such as EMDR and yoga can activate the body's ability to heal trauma. The body is everything in healing! Some clients with eating disorders struggle with a history of trauma and use their symptoms to cope with unwanted thoughts, feelings, or body sensations. By becoming attuned to how the body manifests trauma, we can better heal the way the brain regulates the body. You can connect with Kimberly Kahn, LCSW.

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