Books From Your Therapist

In this episode, Tara and Amanda dive deep into the theme of love — all kinds of love — through the lens of two iconic books: All About Love by bell hooks and Just Kids by Patti Smith. From radical self-love and friendship to art, grief, and romantic longing, they reflect on how these works have shaped their understanding of what it means to love and be loved. It’s an honest, layered conversation about how we give and receive love — and the stories that stay with us.You can find us:Instagram, Threads, TikTok & YouTube: @booksfromyourtherapistPodcast: Acast, iTunes, Spotify, wherever you listen!Work with Amanda (California residents)Follow Tara on Substack

In this episode we’re talking with Haley Graham, licensed clinical social worker. The books we chat about are I Don’t Want To Talk About it: Overcoming the Secret Legacy of Male Depression by Terrence Real and Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser-Akner.A bestseller for over 20 years, I Don’t Want to Talk About It is a groundbreaking and hopeful guide to understanding and destigmatizing male depression, essential not only for men who may be suffering but for the people who love them. Long Island Compromise is an exhilarating novel about one American family and the dark moment that shatters their suburban paradise, from the New York Times bestselling author of Fleishman Is In Trouble.You can find us:Instagram, Threads, TikTok & YouTube: @booksfromyourtherapistPodcast: Acast, iTunes, Spotify, wherever you listen!Work with Amanda (California residents)Follow Tara on Substack

In this episode, we’re talking to Jonah Bayer, LMHC. Jonah is a writer, podcaster, musician and Licensed Mental Health Counselor. We talked to him about his career change from working in music journalism to becoming a therapist, which he wrote about in this great article. The books we discuss are The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle and Band People by Franz Nicolay. The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, is a spiritual self-help book that emphasizes the importance of living in the present moment to achieve inner peace and enlightenment. The book suggests that much of human suffering stems from dwelling on the past or worrying about the future, and that by focusing on the "now," one can transcend these negative emotions and connect with their true self.Band People offers a close look at the lives of working musicians who aren’t the center of their stage. Through interviews and incisive cultural critique, writer and musician Franz Nicolay provides a portrait of the musical middle class. Artists talk frankly about their careers and attitudes toward their craft, work environment, and group dynamics of being in a band. You can find us:Instagram, Threads, TikTok & YouTube: @booksfromyourtherapistPodcast: Acast, iTunes, Spotify, wherever you listen!Follow Tara on SubstackWork with Amanda (California residents)Also check out How Did We Get Weird with Vanessa Bayer and Jonah Bayer

In this episode, we’re talking to licensed social worker, Nicholas Rissone. We talked to him about the books It's Not Always Depression by Hilary Jacobs Hendel and Decolonizing Therapy by Dr. Jennifer Mullan. In It’s Not Always Depression, Hilary Jacobs Hendel tells stories of patients who came to her seeking treatment for depression but in fact none of them were chemically depressed. Instead, she found that they’d all experienced traumas in their youth that caused them to put up emotional defenses that mvasqueraded as symptoms of depression. Jacobs Hendel writes about how she used the Change Triangle to help lead these patients toward more joyful and fulfilling lives.Decolonizing Therapy is an essential work that centers colonial and historical trauma in a framework for healing. This book illuminates that all therapy is—and always has been— inherently political. To better understand the mental health oppression and institutional violence that exists today, we must become familiar with the root of disembodiment from our histories, homelands, and healing practices. Only then will readers see how colonial, historical, and intergenerational legacies have always played a role in the treatment of mental health.You can find us:Instagram, Threads, TikTok & YouTube: @booksfromyourtherapistPodcast: Acast, iTunes, Spotify, wherever you listen!Follow Tara on SubstackWork with Amanda (California residents): https://www.amandathrockmorton.com/Resources mentioned in this episode:Pat Radical TherapistDr. Raquel Martin5hahem

In this episode, we sit down with psychologist, scholar and author Dr. Thomas Vance to discuss book: My Pocket Therapist Journal: Dating & Relationships. Dr. Vance brings his insights and culturally responsive approach to mental health to our conversation, sharing the inspiration behind his 7-week guided journal designed to help people heal from heartbreak, build self-awareness, and foster healthier, more authentic connections. We also discuss Financial Feminist by Tori Dunlap, a book that blends financial literacy with activism. We chat about how emotional well-being and money are deeply connected, particularly for women and marginalised communities, and what it means to build financial independence as a radical, empowering act.Together, we unpack emotional patterns in dating, the importance of aftercare and how money can be both a source of stress and a tool for liberation. If you’d like to reach out with your own recommendations or are a mental health practitioner interested in coming on to share, you can email us at booksfromyourtherapist@gmail.com.You can find us:Instagram, Threads, TikTok & YouTube: @booksfromyourtherapistPodcast: Acast, iTunes, Spotify, wherever you listen!Follow Tara on Substack

This month, it's Amanda and Tara talking about the topic of burnout and ways to prevent it. We're discussing the book Burnout by Emily Nagoski, PhD, and Amelia Nagoski, DMA. We dive into the stress response cycle, what this is and how essential it is to completing the cycle. The second book we talk about is My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh. This book features a protagonist struggling with burnout who is trying to escape the world. It was fun discussing both books and finding the commonalities between them.If you’d like to reach out with your own recommendations or are a mental health practitioner interested in coming on to share, you can email us at booksfromyourtherapist@gmail.com.You can find us:Instagram, Threads, TikTok & YouTube: @booksfromyourtherapistPodcast: Acast, iTunes, Spotify, wherever you listen!Follow Tara on Substack.

This month we’re talking to Tamar Hurwitz-Fleming, author of How to Have a Happy Birthday. We chatted about why it's important to honour your birthday and celebrate yourself. The second book we discuss is Elizabeth Gilbert's inspirational Big Magic. If you’d like to reach out with your own recommendations or are a mental health practitioner interested in coming on to share, you can email us at booksfromyourtherapist@gmail.com.You can find us:Instagram, Threads, TikTok & YouTube: @booksfromyourtherapistPodcast: Acast, iTunes, Spotify, wherever you listen!

This month we’re talking to Christina Taylor, Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor. Christina helps teens and young adults in North Carolina overcome their self doubt, perfectionism, anxiety and negative experiences, allowing them to embrace and love who they truly are. We talk to Christina about the books What Made Maddy Run by Kate Fagan and The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath.If you’d like to reach out with your own recommendations or are a mental health practitioner interested in coming on to share, you can email us at booksfromyourtherapist@gmail.com.You can find us:Instagram, Threads, TikTok & YouTube: @booksfromyourtherapistPodcast: Acast, iTunes, Spotify, wherever you listen!