Mental Health Resources Your Therapist Wants You to Know About
4 minute read.
Hello again. As I love to tell you, therapy does not stop when you leave the office or your video chat.
As a client, you are typically encouraged to continue to seek out helpful resources to guide you along in your journey of healing and growth.
That’s why I have put together a list of my favorite books and podcasts that are aimed at helping clients understand themselves and their process better.
I also threw in the best therapist directories, so you can do more comprehensive searches for a therapist for you or someone in your life.
Books:
Getting Past Your Past by Francine Shapiro, PhD, 2012 - An introductory reader for those interested in receiving EMDR (eye movement desensitization reprocessing) therapy and for therapists who are starting out with the method of treatment.
The Gift of Therapy: An Open Letter to a New Generation of Therapists and Their Patients by Irving Yalom, MD - This book is made up of short chapters with language that is accessible for client and clinician alike.
With pieces of advice in each chapter, Dr. Yalom reflects on what he has learned through mistakes, taking risks and meeting with 1,000s of clients in individual and group settings.
For clients, it tells you what to expect in session, and it’s a great insight into why your therapists does what they do.
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel Van Der Kolk, MD, 2015 - The trauma therapist’s favorite quote is “your body holds trauma,” because it’s true, and because they’ve read this book.
It has some challenging/triggering stories in it, but it is worth the read. Learn why your body responds the way it does to both distressing and seemingly non-threatening situations.
Stop Walking on Eggshells by Paul T. Mason, MS and Randi Kreger - Gives tips for managing relationships with loved ones who suffer from borderline personality disorder.
The book aims at putting words to feelings you’ve had, giving you copious amounts of validation and tips.
The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts by Gary Chapman, 1992 (Most recent updates in 2015) - While the cases are pretty hetero-normative and there is a good amount of Christian language used throughout, but the message still rings true for everyone who reads it - “We all express and want to receive love differently.”
Love Languages gives a deep dive into mending even the most vindictive and resentful relationships.
Podcasts:
Terrible, Thanks for Asking - I first heard of Nora McInerny back when she was a guest on Just Between Us, another of my favorite irreverent podcasts. An author and widow, McInerny delves into the uncomfy conversations about grief that others routinely avoid. She does so unapologetically, which is my favorite way for a woman to do anything.
Therapy for Black Girls - Host and licensed psychologist Dr. Joy Harden Bradford talks mental health and personal development. She demystifies the therapy experience, revealing what really happens in the therapy room. She talks tips and habits that can help listeners become their best, happiest selves.
Therapists Next Door - This is my podcast! Started with my dear friend, former classmate and current therapist friend Johanna Dwinells, LPC. We interview therapists and individuals that work in therapy adjacent fields (copy writers and business coaches for therapists). We humanize therapists and make the whole process more approachable and accessible. We love interviewing therapists who represent historically underrepresented groups in the therapy world.
Very Bad Therapy - Cohosts and LA based therapists Ben Fineman and Caroline Wiita discuss a topic that many therapists shy away from, what happens when therapy goes bad, and as you’ll hear, terribly wrong. Their goal is to empower potential therapy clients to advocate for themselves while challenging therapists to never stop learning and growing.
The Hilarious World of Depression - While it no longer produces episodes, John Moe brought a much needed humorous take on the many ways depression can present itself. With off-beat comedians and improvisers (some of my favorites, S/O to Paul F. Tompkins!) telling their stories.
Therapist Directories:
Inclusivetherapists.com - An amazon hub for clients from historically and currently marginalized groups to find a therapist that gets them.
BI&POC individuals can find therapists who look like them or share similar cultural backgrounds. LGBTQIA+ folx can do the same!
It is a safe space in a field of service that has historically catered to white, cis, heterosexual and wealthy clients.
I stumbled upon them in early 2021 through an article published on their site about the inherent white supremacist, saturated culture of Psychology Today.
The site protects clients every step of the way from the first search to scheduling consultations with therapists.
When white therapist’s join the directory, they are required to submit a written essay explaining how their therapy practice is anti-oppressive in nature.
They put the work in and they provide an absolutely necessary service to those who need it.
Zencare.co - Zencare reached out to me in July of 2021 as they were wanting to expand their directory into Pennsylvania.
Similar to inclusivetherapists.com, their site aims to match clients with a therapist who is a good fit, rather than overwhelming clients with the saturated Psychology Today.
My favorite part about this service is that you can schedule a free consultation with your potential therapists directly.
Therapyden.com - Another therapist directory that prides itself on inclusivity. Therapists love it because you can have a basic profile for free, lightening the load of the cost of marketing.
Founder Jeff Geunther manages a popular blog that can also be found on the site, where different therapists can post as well. He has openly spoken out against Betterhelp for their exploitative practices towards both therapists and clients, so I am a fan.
Openpathcollective.com - Affordable counseling. Therapists on this site offer sessions that cost between $30-60 (up to $80 for couples counseling).
My favorite part about this site is their live chat, which can be utilized by clients to navigate searching for a therapist, which can be intimidating, annoying and triggering.
Thank you for reading!
Email contact@teletherapywithsarah.com with questions/comments/concerns.
Pennsylvanians - ready to start therapy? Click here, or reach out to contact@teletherapywithsarah.com for a free 20 minute consultation.Very Best,
—Sarah
*Disclaimer - This piece was written by a straight, cis, able-bodied, white woman. Intersectionality (coined by lawyer, civil rights advocate, scholar and philosopher Kimberlé Crenshaw) tells us that ethnicity, class, sexuality and gender that differ from the above identifiers encounter more hardship and oppression.*
Find a therapist:
includsivetherapists.com
therapyden.com
zencare.co
thrivingcampus.com
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Text “START“ to 88788
https://www.thehotline.org/
