Have you ever wondered what books mental health professionals actually read to help them in their work with clients?

Not the clinical or theoretical ones — but the books you could actually pick up, read, and find helpful.

Well you're in luck because I'm starting a new monthly series I’ll be doing this year called The Therapist’s Bookshelf.

Each month, I’ll read one book and then come on here to talk about it — what stood out to me, what challenged me, what I loved, what I didn’t love, and how I think about the ideas as both a therapist and a human. Most of these books are new to me, and a couple are ones I’m revisiting because they mattered that much.

Think of it like a laid-back book club — a space to talk honestly about ideas that help us understand ourselves, our relationships, and the hard parts of being human.

The books in this series touch on things like change, emotions, trauma, relationships, boundaries, habits, and meaning. Some are practical. Some are deeper. I’ve intentionally chosen a mix, knowing that different books will resonate with different people.

You’re welcome to read along each month — or not. You can simply listen to the episodes as they come out and take what’s helpful. Physical books, ebooks, and audiobooks are all welcome here.

The Therapist’s Bookshelf — Full Reading List

Here is the complete reading list for the series, in the order we’ll be moving through it:

January: Tiny Habits — BJ Fogg

February: How to Keep House While Drowning — KC Davis

March: Man’s Search for Meaning — Viktor Frankl

April: Maybe You Should Talk to Someone — Lori Gottlieb

May: Set Boundaries, Find Peace — Nedra Glover Tawwab

June: The New Rules of Marriage — Terrence Real

July: Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents — Lindsay C. Gibson

August: Running on Empty — Jonice Webb

September: The Gifts of Imperfection — Brené Brown

October: Atlas of the Heart — Brené Brown

November: Walking the Tiger — Peter Levine

December: No Bad Parts — Richard Schwartz

All of the books are listed here so you can follow along at your own pace — or simply use the episodes to decide which ones might be worth picking up.

If you’re enjoying the show, make sure to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss upcoming episodes.

Let's get reading!

This episode was created by Kristen Callaway, LMFT — a licensed therapist and the voice behind Let’s Sit With This.

If you want more therapy content that feels like a conversation, you can find me here:
Website: www.seekingpeaceok.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/seekingpeacecounseling

If you’re enjoying the podcast, following or subscribing helps more people find the show. And if an episode resonates, sharing it with someone you care about goes a long way.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and supportive purposes only. It is not therapy and does not replace individualized mental health care. If you are experiencing an emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number.

January has a way of turning change into pressure, noise, and unrealistic expectations. 

Today I’m joined by my friend and colleague Megan Secrest, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and the founder of Gift of Grit Counseling. Megan brings such a grounded, real-life approach to change—especially when it comes to health goals, identity shifts, and the emotional side of starting over. In this episode, we talk about New Year’s resolutions—but not in the usual pressure-filled way. We get into why resolutions often fall apart, how your nervous system plays a role, and how to set goals that actually fit your real life and energy. If you’re someone who’s tried to “get it together” every January… this one’s for you. 

We talk about: 

Why most resolutions fall apart (and it’s not because you’re lazy) 

The best time to start (hint: it’s not January 1) 

How to choose goals that fit your real life—not your fantasy life 

The mindset shift from vanity goals to “future me” goals (hello, the 70-year-old version of you) 

Megan’s 10 rules for sustainable changes.

About today’s guest: Megan Secrest, LCSW is the founder of Gift of Grit Counseling. She supports clients navigating anxiety, trauma, major life transitions, identity shifts, and grief—and she blends trauma-informed therapy, EMDR, polyvagal principles, and practical habit-building tools to help change actually last.

Connect with Megan: 

Website: https://www.giftofgritcounseling.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giftofgritcounseling

Thanks for sitting with us today. I’m really glad you’re here—and I’ll save you a seat for next time. 

This episode was created by Kristen Callaway, LMFT — a licensed therapist and the voice behind Let’s Sit With This.

If you want more therapy content that feels like a conversation, you can find me here:
Website: www.seekingpeaceok.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/seekingpeacecounseling

If you’re enjoying the podcast, following or subscribing helps more people find the show. And if an episode resonates, sharing it with someone you care about goes a long way.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and supportive purposes only. It is not therapy and does not replace individualized mental health care. If you are experiencing an emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number.

On this special episode, Kristen was recently a guest on the podcast Therapist's Take, where they explored the complex and often invisible realm of ambiguous and non-traditional grief. They discussed the many ways this kind of grief shows up—through infertility and disrupted visions of family, through the slow unraveling of relationships and the loss of safety within them, through the painful recognition of family dysfunction, and through the moral injuries carried by those in military or first responder roles. You will learn how to name these experiences (07:26), understand their emotional impact, and take meaningful steps toward healing when closure isn’t straightforward.

You can find more about Therapist's Take with Carrie and Josh here: https://familysolutionsok.com/fsc-podcasts/

This episode was created by Kristen Callaway, LMFT — a licensed therapist and the voice behind Let’s Sit With This.

If you want more therapy content that feels like a conversation, you can find me here:
Website: www.seekingpeaceok.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/seekingpeacecounseling

If you’re enjoying the podcast, following or subscribing helps more people find the show. And if an episode resonates, sharing it with someone you care about goes a long way.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and supportive purposes only. It is not therapy and does not replace individualized mental health care. If you are experiencing an emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number.

Listen to hear Kristen's update about her experience of running a marathon, and the lessons she learned.

This episode was created by Kristen Callaway, LMFT — a licensed therapist and the voice behind Let’s Sit With This.

If you want more therapy content that feels like a conversation, you can find me here:
Website: www.seekingpeaceok.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/seekingpeacecounseling

If you’re enjoying the podcast, following or subscribing helps more people find the show. And if an episode resonates, sharing it with someone you care about goes a long way.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and supportive purposes only. It is not therapy and does not replace individualized mental health care. If you are experiencing an emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number.

You’ve named the tricky relationships. You’ve thought through your boundaries. But what happens when setting those boundaries doesn’t go the way you hoped? In this final episode of Navigating the Holidays with Tricky People, Kristen walks you through how to prepare for pushback—emotionally, mentally, and practically. She helps you explore the gap between the boundaries you want to set and the ones you’re actually ready for, and reminds you that quiet internal boundaries are still real boundaries. You’ll learn five ways to ground yourself ahead of time, how to spot manipulative guilt trips, and why even tiny steps forward still count.
This is your prep talk before you head into hard rooms—so you don’t go in unanchored. 

This episode was created by Kristen Callaway, LMFT — a licensed therapist and the voice behind Let’s Sit With This.

If you want more therapy content that feels like a conversation, you can find me here:
Website: www.seekingpeaceok.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/seekingpeacecounseling

If you’re enjoying the podcast, following or subscribing helps more people find the show. And if an episode resonates, sharing it with someone you care about goes a long way.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and supportive purposes only. It is not therapy and does not replace individualized mental health care. If you are experiencing an emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number.

In this second episode of Navigating the Holidays with Tricky People, we’re talking all about boundaries—what they are, what they aren’t, and why they can feel so dang hard to set, especially around family. Kristen breaks down a simple metaphor that helps make boundaries more concrete, names common boundary myths, and offers practical examples for setting limits around your time, your body, your kids, and your space.
Whether you're thinking about leaving early, skipping the drama, or just quietly opting out of hard conversations—this episode will help you prepare for whatever gatherings lie ahead. 

This episode was created by Kristen Callaway, LMFT — a licensed therapist and the voice behind Let’s Sit With This.

If you want more therapy content that feels like a conversation, you can find me here:
Website: www.seekingpeaceok.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/seekingpeacecounseling

If you’re enjoying the podcast, following or subscribing helps more people find the show. And if an episode resonates, sharing it with someone you care about goes a long way.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and supportive purposes only. It is not therapy and does not replace individualized mental health care. If you are experiencing an emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number.

It’s race week, and Kristen is feeling both confident and nervous—and that feels exactly right. In this episode, she reflects on what it means to sit in the moment and trust 18 weeks of training. She shares her mix of excitement and nerves, her practical prep for race day (including the Vaseline bath and backup headphones), and her plan to soak in the experience rather than rush through it.

Whether you’re training for something big or simply preparing for a major life moment, this episode is a reminder to pause, breathe, and trust what you’ve built.

This episode was created by Kristen Callaway, LMFT — a licensed therapist and the voice behind Let’s Sit With This.

If you want more therapy content that feels like a conversation, you can find me here:
Website: www.seekingpeaceok.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/seekingpeacecounseling

If you’re enjoying the podcast, following or subscribing helps more people find the show. And if an episode resonates, sharing it with someone you care about goes a long way.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and supportive purposes only. It is not therapy and does not replace individualized mental health care. If you are experiencing an emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number.

Some challenges feel like marathons—long, exhausting, and full of moments where you just want to stop. In this week’s Monday Growth Moment, I’m talking about how to mentally pace yourself through the hard stuff, both on the road and in life.

I share how I break down my long runs (and tough seasons) into smaller, manageable goals, and why it’s so important to focus on what you’ve already accomplished instead of how far you still have to go.

If you’re tired, overwhelmed, or in the middle of your own “mental marathon,” this episode is for you.

This episode was created by Kristen Callaway, LMFT — a licensed therapist and the voice behind Let’s Sit With This.

If you want more therapy content that feels like a conversation, you can find me here:
Website: www.seekingpeaceok.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/seekingpeacecounseling

If you’re enjoying the podcast, following or subscribing helps more people find the show. And if an episode resonates, sharing it with someone you care about goes a long way.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and supportive purposes only. It is not therapy and does not replace individualized mental health care. If you are experiencing an emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number.

In this first episode of Navigating the Holidays with Tricky People, we’re starting with something foundational: getting clear on the relationships in your life.

Therapist Kristen Callaway walks you through a simple but powerful framework—green flag, yellow flag, and red flag relationships—to help you notice where you feel safe… and where you don’t. We talk about why your nervous system may already be signaling something your brain hasn’t caught up to, how to tell the difference between discomfort and actual danger, and why it’s okay (and necessary) to honor what’s true for you—even if that means acknowledging hard things about people you love.

We’ll also gently explore the guilt that often shows up when family members fall into the “tricky” category, and why naming a pattern doesn’t make you mean or disloyal. It makes you honest—and that’s where boundary work begins.

This episode was created by Kristen Callaway, LMFT — a licensed therapist and the voice behind Let’s Sit With This.

If you want more therapy content that feels like a conversation, you can find me here:
Website: www.seekingpeaceok.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/seekingpeacecounseling

If you’re enjoying the podcast, following or subscribing helps more people find the show. And if an episode resonates, sharing it with someone you care about goes a long way.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and supportive purposes only. It is not therapy and does not replace individualized mental health care. If you are experiencing an emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number.

Sometimes doing the hard thing means accepting that it didn’t go the way you planned. In this week’s Monday Growth Moment, I’m talking about disappointment — the kind that hits when you’ve worked so hard for something, only to have it fall apart.

From a freezing, rain-turned-snow 20-mile run to cutting my long run short because my body gave out, I’m sharing what it looks like to sit with frustration, name your feelings, and refocus on what really matters.

This one’s for anyone who’s had to admit, “I’m disappointed… and I’m still going.”

Find my favorite feelings wheel here: https://feelingswheel.com/

This is not an ad nor sponsored by this website in any way, just a free share.

This episode was created by Kristen Callaway, LMFT — a licensed therapist and the voice behind Let’s Sit With This.

If you want more therapy content that feels like a conversation, you can find me here:
Website: www.seekingpeaceok.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/seekingpeacecounseling

If you’re enjoying the podcast, following or subscribing helps more people find the show. And if an episode resonates, sharing it with someone you care about goes a long way.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and supportive purposes only. It is not therapy and does not replace individualized mental health care. If you are experiencing an emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number.