Thank you for visiting my list of the best self-help books. As a professional counselor, author and father, I’ve tied in the very best books that can really help create emotional, personal and professional change. The self-help books are resourceful, educational, and to the point.

One of my favorite Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) books to recommend is Feeling Good by David D. Burns. CBT in basic definition is a type of therapy that involves focusing on how you think and behave. This is a book that I continue to pull content from when supporting individuals struggling with depression and anxiety.

I strongly recommend this self-help book for anyone experiencing difficulties with mood disorders, desiring behavioral changes, self-improvement and/or habit change. The book can be used to support with problem solving, changing behavioral patterns and processing patterns.

Feeling Good, is also a great choice for therapist and psychologist that want a supportive self-help resource for their clients.

Hope that you enjoy the book as much as I have!

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The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman is a must have self-help relationship book. This book is beyond words in its effectiveness to help struggling couples, individuals seeking healthy relationships, and therapist or counselors that work with couples. As a couple’s counselor, I use this book because it helps couples I work with understand how they accept and give love. Understanding the five love languages provides individuals with the proper guidance to achieving a healthy loving relationship.

Even now, this book continues to be ranked extremely high. I personally think it’s due to the books simple and direct approach in creating clarity and understanding around love. The book evaluates the five languages of love. These include acts of service, quality time, physical touch, gifts and words of affirmation.

I strongly recommend this book if you are experiencing issues in your relationship.

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I read The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up about a month ago, so it’s still very fresh in my mind. My wife recommended it as we are working towards minimalizing certain aspects of our life. One including having more clothes then I would ever need. Personally, I love that after reading the book, I question if the item that I have or that I am about to purchase provides me value or meaning. This strategy helps to reduce stress or anxiety brought on by over spending or when feeling overwhelmed.

As a professional counselor, I found that this book speaks to individuals struggling with unhealthy or destructive habits. The book is written to help people de-clutter your home and mind. This message is pretty straight forward in respect to de-cluttering.

Therapeutically this book can really change unhealthy habits and behaviors as it provides readers with the platform to removing unnecessary habits/thoughts/behaviors from your life. 

A must read in my book shelf.

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This is one of those books that I only read because it was recommended by a fellow counselor-friend. And I am thankful to have done that!

The book, the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, is a very high-ranking book for personal and professional development which in my opinion directly impact emotional wellbeing.

The habits discussed in the book allow readers to build skills in the areas of productivity, processing, time management, proactive, and positive thinking. As a professional counselor, I found that the areas discussed in the self-help book support individuals struggling with depression, anxiety, and destructive habits and behaviors. For instance, the book can help persons experiencing lethargy and inactivity (symptoms of depression) through the practice of productivity and time management.

Enjoy the read friends!

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How To Win Friends and Influence People is at the top of my list as one of my favorite self-help habit changing books. This book is literally holding ready to use teachings in areas that include relationship building, personal awareness, self-help, self-improvement, public speaking and communication, and so much more.

People that are struggling with building relationships can benefit from chapters that focus on relationship building. One of my favorite lessons from the book helped me build relationships by encouraging me to present myself in a positive energetic open manner. Before the reading the book, I would for instance, enter public settings like grocery stores with focus on entering the store to get what I needed and leaving. After the book, I transitioned by physical behavior and mind to smiling more, increasing small talk, and eye contact. A simple and straight forward book that helps you build relationships and connect with people.

Can you tell I enjoyed the book… (smiley face!!!)

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The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business is a book that pulls in research and guides you in the healthy changing direction. If you are a fan of facts and habit changing strategies, I recommend this self-help improvement book. The author, Charles Duhigg, combines educational strategies and research to support readers in becoming a better version of him/herself.

As a person that struggles with hyperactivity and impulsive, I found this book helpful in that it provided me with insight to understanding how to change my current habits with healthier ones. This is a great book and resource for individuals wanting to create emotional change, self-improvement and/or personal development.

I also love the fact that this book is straight forward and not one that you have to read over and over just to understand the message.

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What I love about this book is that the author presents the process of change as one that can be achieved. Self Help books like this one, can really go a long way in the right hands. As a counselor, I find that in my line of work, this book has provided ample support in helping people gain skills and the ability to make healthy changes.

As a former athlete, I found myself relating to the authors writing style and manner of captivity. The book helps people struggling with doubt and insecurity through a coaching style aimed to enhance your spirit, desire and motivation.

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I found this book speaking directly to moments in my life that were stressful because of the people in my life and the complexities in the relationships. In the field of mental health, relationships tend to be one of the topics that can create emotional difficulties. For instance, conflict with family or disruptions at work due to feeling judged or affected by the opinions of others.

This book helps people address and overcome hurtful thoughts and feelings of guilt, judgement and/or shame. Lastly, the book opens readers to a can-do attitude. I like to look at this as a motivational attitude that guides us forward in the healthy positive direction. I also personally love that the author lives in the Dominican Republic, which is my native home.  

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This book is for anyone struggling with self-esteem and irregular mood changes. I’ve recommended it in the past to teens and adults.

The author, David Burns, does a fantastic job of speaking in plain English. This is great when it comes to focusing on the strategy rather than medical terminology. The self-help book can be considered as a tool for individuals struggling with anxiety, depression, self-esteem and/or self-confidence. The self help book, Ten Days to Self-Esteem, provides a ten-step self-esteem program that guides readers in understanding and addressing the issues leading to problems with self-esteem.

It’s a valuable resource for counselors and psychologist to use as well when supporting their clients. I’ve personally used this book as a homework tool for clients experiencing difficulties with negative or destructive thoughts and feelings. The book if used appropriately can line up with a typical counseling session or can be one for self-help.

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A great book for parents struggling to connect with their kids or to communicate lessons that create connection and understanding between a parent and child. I continue to recommend this book over and over due to what parents tell me.

How To Talk So Kids Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk, helps parents find the missing pieces. Much of what is discussed in the book, is taken from counseling sessions.

For instance, if you are struggling with understanding and coping with setting limits and boundaries the book helps you stick to it through application, education and strategy. The book highlights the following core areas of parenting: setting limits and boundaries, effective communication, positive talk, supportive talk, praise, cooperation with your child, and establishing parent-child relationship. Fun fact, these are some of the core areas that bring people to seek family counseling or parenting support.

Great self-help parenting book.

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Juan Santos (Santos Counseling PLLC) is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

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