What About Reading Books?

There are lots of good books out there to read! Unfortunately, there are also some books that are "not so good." Since you're here on the internet you have an advantage. If you're interested in reading a book on a particular topic, do a word search on the internet and look for a book that is mentioned over and over. That usually means that it's at least popular. If you're looking at the home page of a respected source (National Institute of Mental Health, for example) it's also probably a very good book.

Read slowly, take notes at times, and talk over what you read with others. You may want to journal some of your thoughts and feelings. All of it can help.

However, reading about a place, or even how to get to a place, is not the same as going there. Growth is a journey, and often requires a personal guide. I often compare being a psychotherapist with being a mountain climbing guide. I must teach, train, encourage, and help my climbers. I must take into account their native abilities and limitations. You will not get all of this through reading a book--though reading can help quite a bit.

Here is a list of my favorite recommendations for reading.

David C. Bissette, Psy.D. Alexandria, VA 703-705-6161