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Filed under 9 contributors
Rod MitchellRegistered Psychologist · Emotions Therapy CalgaryHello,
I'm Rod Mitchell, a Registered Psychologist and the Clinical Director at Emotions Therapy Calgary.
My recommendation is "Change" by Watzlawick, Weakland, and Fisch. It's a classic from 1974 that most modern psychologists have never read.
Most therapists collect modalities like tools in separate toolboxes, never realizing they're all variations of the same mechanism. "Change" taught me that whether you're using EMDR's bilateral stimulation, CBT's thought challenging, or somatic experiencing, you're actually leveraging the same paradox: real change happens when we stop forcing it.
The authors' concept of "second-order change" explains why sometimes we need CBT's logical approach, other times EMDR's unconscious processing, and sometimes somatic work's body wisdom. Once you grasp this meta-framework, you stop switching between modalities and start flowing through them.
Reading "Change" is like getting the source code for psychotherapy - suddenly you understand why all our different approaches work and, more importantly, when each one won't.
Let me know if you have any follow-up questions. If you quote me, please backlink to my private practice Emotions Therapy Calgary (https://www.emotionstherapycalgary.ca).
Best Regards,
-Rod
Dr. Maria Grace WolkPsychotherapist · TEDx Speaker, Author, Rooted & RewiredOne psychology book I always recommend is "The Myth of Normal" by Dr. Gabor Maté.
This book changed the way I see health, trauma, and what we've come to accept as "normal." It's honest, human, and deeply validating. Here's why I love it and how it shows up in both my work as a psychotherapist and my life as a Filipino American woman, mother, and entrepreneur:
1. Trauma isn't what happens to you—it's what happens inside you.
Dr. Maté teaches that trauma is not defined by the event, but by the disconnection from the self that results. In my therapy practice, I see this every day—clients who seem "functional" on the outside but are emotionally numb or chronically anxious inside. This concept gave language to what many of my clients have long felt but couldn't name.
2. Chronic stress is normalized, but it's not healthy.
I see this in my clients, and I've lived it. We praise people for pushing through and getting things done, even if they're falling apart inside. For me, this book gave me permission to slow down and actually care for myself, especially after becoming a mom. It helped me realize that healing isn't about doing more; it's about doing differently.
3. Authenticity is more important than attachment—but we often sacrifice it.
It helps you understand why so many of us lose our voice. One of the most powerful takeaways is how we often trade authenticity for attachment. As children, we learn to quiet our needs to stay safe or loved. That stuck with me. I've done it in my own life, holding back to avoid conflict or to be "easy" to love. And I see it in my clients all the time. This book helped me meet those patterns with compassion instead of shame, and now I help others reclaim their voice from that place of compassion.
"The Myth of Normal" is grounding. It's the kind of book I go back to, not just as a therapist, but as a human trying to show up with more truth and grace.
Elyse BensusanClinical Psychologist · Bensusan Psychological ServicesOne book I often recommend to colleagues and parents is "The Drama of the Gifted Child" by Alice Miller. It's not about giftedness in the traditional sense—like high IQ or academic talent—but rather about children who become attuned to others' emotional needs at a young age, often at the expense of their own feelings. The book really underscores how a child's early environment shapes their sense of self.
I find it valuable because it's both deeply compassionate and insightful. In my clinical work, I see how easy it is for sensitive, perceptive children to become disconnected from their own needs while trying to please others. Miller's writing helps us remember to see beyond the surface—whether we're parents, teachers, or psychologists—and to hold space for what children might not be saying aloud.
Mona Kirstein, Ph.D.Researcher & Consultant | Language · Psychology & Information Systems, The Wholehearted PathOne resource I often recommend is "The Source" by Dr. Tara Swart. She's a neuroscientist and psychiatrist who bridges cutting-edge brain science with the principles of manifesting—without losing the integrity of either.
What makes it valuable to me is how it explains, with clarity and evidence, that what we visualize, affirm, and emotionally invest in can literally reshape our neural pathways. It's not wishful thinking—it's applied neuroplasticity. And it aligns deeply with what I see in my work: when people start using emotionally congruent language and intentional focus, their nervous systems regulate, their behavior shifts, and their lives begin to reflect the new internal reality.
It's rare to find a resource that honors both intuition and data. This one does.
Andy DanecOwner · Ridgeline Recovery LLCOne psychology book I find myself recommending over and over—both to colleagues and clients—is "The Body Keeps the Score" by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk. It's not just a book I respect professionally—it's one that reshaped the way we approach healing at Ridgeline Recovery.
In addiction treatment, we often focus on the behavior: the drinking, the drug use, the relapse cycle. But this book helped reinforce something I've seen time and again in our work: underneath almost every addiction is unresolved trauma. And that trauma doesn't just live in memory—it lives in the nervous system, in the body, in the way someone walks through the world.
What makes this book so valuable is how it bridges science and humanity. It explains the neuroscience of trauma in a way that's deeply compassionate, and it highlights modalities—like EMDR, somatic work, and yoga—that go beyond talk therapy to help people actually feel safe in their own bodies again. That's powerful.
We've integrated a lot of the principles from the book into how we design our programming. It reminded us that healing doesn't happen on a whiteboard—it happens in relationship, in rhythm, in safety. We now train all new staff with trauma-informed care as a baseline, and we approach every client interaction with the understanding that behavior is communication.
If you're in healthcare, mental health, or leadership of any kind, "The Body Keeps the Score" will challenge you—in the best way. It's not always an easy read, but it's an essential one. It taught me that recovery isn't about fixing people—it's about helping them reclaim what trauma stole.
Steve OllingtonADHD Researcher · ADHDworkingI have found myself recommending this particular book to many people regularly. It seems to have helped many of them, just as it helped me when I went through a period of intense anxiety and panic attacks.
The book is: "Rewire Your Anxious Brain: How to Use the Neuroscience of Fear to End Anxiety, Panic, and Worry" by Catherine M. Pittman and Elizabeth M. Karle.
There is something to be said for learning how to recognize the signals of anxiety early on, and then understanding what's actually happening in your brain, and how to counter it before it escalates.
Nikita SherbinaCo-Founder & CEO · AIScreenOne psychology book I highly recommend is "Thinking, Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman. I first picked it up a few years ago, and it completely changed the way I think about decision-making. The book dives into the two systems of thought—one fast and intuitive, the other slow and deliberate—and helps you understand how these processes affect the choices we make every day. What I love about it is how it combines psychological theory with real-world applications, making it incredibly useful for both personal and professional decision-making. It's helped me become more aware of cognitive biases and how they influence my judgment, which has been invaluable in both my work and personal life. It's a fascinating read for anyone interested in understanding how the mind works, and I find myself returning to it time and again for fresh insights.
David NathanLicensed Psychologist · Allina Health and David Nathan PsyD, PLLCI believe the Good Inside Podcast is the best parenting podcast available. Dr. Becky Kennedy does an excellent job of addressing parenting issues, such as helping parents understand the needs and desires of their children and providing appropriate advice for parents based on their children's developmental ages.
Aarti JerathPsychiatrist · Miami Counseling CenterThe resource Headway is highly recommended for its ability to condense books on psychiatry, psychology (including positive psychology), and various therapeutic approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy into 10- to 15-minute summaries. This is particularly valuable for individuals balancing demanding work, family, and personal commitments, as it allows them to efficiently absorb multiple book summaries during commutes or brief periods of downtime.
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