71 of the Best Books for Therapists in 2026

Looking for new perspectives on mental health treatment? You’re bound to find something new on this big list of the best books for therapists in 2026.

From case studies to personal stories, self-help books to whole new ways to look at human behavior, these books for mental health professionals spark your curiosity, help you and your clients feel more seen, and support you in your professional growth.

💁 In this guide, you’ll discover the best books for therapists (and clients, too):

• Mental health memoirs
• Therapy books for therapists
• Relationship counseling books
• Books for new therapists
• Eating disorder books
• Trauma books
• Art therapy books
• Therapist-recommended books
• Self-care books for therapists

Mental health memoirs

1. Good Morning, Monster by Catherine Gildiner
2. I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
3. In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado
4. Because We Are Bad by Lily Bailey
5. The Liars’ Club by Mary Karr
6. Sure, I’ll Join Your Cult by Maria Bamford
7. What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo
8. Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
9. An Unquiet Mind by Kay Redfield Jamison

Learn more: 9 Must-Read Mental Health Memoirs for Therapists

Therapy books for therapists

1. On Becoming a Person by Carl Rogers
2. Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life by Steven C. Hayes
3. The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller
4. Motivational Interviewing in Health Care by Stephen Rollnick, William R. Miller, & Christopher C. Butler
5. Mindsight by Daniel J. Siegel

Learn more: 5 Therapy Books for Therapists’ Professional Development

Relationship counseling books

1. Say What You Mean by Oren Jay Sofer
2. Is That Clear? by Zanne Gaynor, Kathryn Alevizos, & Joe Butler
3. The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman
4. Polysecure by Jessica Fern
5. Come as You Are by Emily Nagoski
6. Desire by Lauren Fogel Mersy & Jennifer A. Vencill
7. Mating in Captivity by Esther Perel
8. Codependent No More by Melody Beattie
9. Too Good to Leave, Too Bad to Stay by Mira Kirshenbaum
10. Hold Me Tight by Sue Johnson
11. All about Love by bell hooks
12. Be Not Afraid of Love by Mimi Zhu
13. Platonic by Marisa G. Franco

Learn more: The 13 Best Relationship Counseling Books for Therapists

Books for new therapists

1. Listen Like You Mean It by Ximena Vengoechea
2. Therapeutic Improvisation by Michael Alcée
3. The Performing Art of Therapy by Mark O’Connell
4. The Fear of Doing Nothing by Valery Hazanov
5. Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown
6. Self-Care for Clinicians in Training by Leigh A. Carter & Jeffrey E. Barnett
7. The Gift of Therapy by Irvin D. Yalom

Learn more: 7 of the Best Books for New Therapists

Eating disorder books

1. Not All Black Girls Know How to Eat by Stephanie Covington Armstrong
2. Empty by Susan Burton
3. What We Don’t Talk about When We Talk about Fat by Aubrey Gordon
4. Belly of the Beast by Da’Shaun L. Harrison
5. Intuitive Eating by Elyse Resch & Evelyn Tribole
6. Anti-Diet by Christy Harrison
7. Decolonizing Wellness by Dalia Kinsey

Learn more: 7 Recommended Eating Disorder Books for Therapists

Trauma books

1. My Grandmother’s Hands by Resmaa Menakem
2. Getting Past Your Past by Francine Shapiro
3. Our Polyvagal World by Stephen W. Porges
4. Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness by David A. Treleaven
5. In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts by Gabor Maté
6. No Bad Parts by Richard C. Schwartz
7. Trauma Stewardship by Laura van Dernoot

Learn more: 7 of the Best Books on Trauma for Therapists

Art therapy books

1. The Art Therapy Sourcebook by Cathy Malchiodi
2. Healing Trauma with Guided Drawing by Cornelia Elbrecht
3. Art Therapy with Transgender and Gender-Expansive Children and Teenagers by Kelly Darke & Shannon Scott-Miller
4. Art on Trial by David Gussak
5. The Creative Connection by Natalie Rogers
6. The Big Feelings Survival Guide by Alyse Ruriani
7. The Trans Self-Care Workbook by Theo Nicole Lorenz

Learn more: 7 of the Best Art Therapy Books for Therapists

Therapist-recommended books

1. Unmasking Autism by Devon Price
2. Wherever You Go, There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn
3. It's OK That You're Not OK by Megan Devine
4. The Myth of the Untroubled Therapist by Marie Adams
5. Permission to Come Home by Jenny Wang
6. The Year I Met My Brain by Matilda Boseley
7. Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb

Learn more: 7 Mental Health Books Therapists Recommend

Self-care books for therapists

Manage and prevent burnout with this these self-care book recommendations:

1. The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh
2. How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis
3. Simple Self-Care for Therapists by Ashley Davis Bush
4. Help for the Helper by Babette Rothschild
5. Beyond Self-Care for Helping Professionals by Lisa D. Hinz
6. Creativity as Co-Therapist by Lisa Mitchell
7. The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron
8. The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown
9. Real Self-Care by Pooja Lakshmin

But why limit yourself to only books in the pursuit of prioritizing your own mental health? Get some bonus recommendations for podcasts and assorted online resources, too.

Learn more: 25 Self-Care Resources for Therapists

What’s Orchid anyway?

Hi there! Orchid is an affordable all-in-one private practice management platform that prioritizes the success of mental health clinicians.

If you’re curious about finding a therapist or running your practice on Orchid, you can learn more about us and our mission here: Orchid FAQ

If you’re looking for more mental health book recommendations, check out: 71 of the Best Books for Therapists.