2024 the best memoirs review

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"Catherine Gildiner is nothing short of masterful - as both a therapist and writer. In these pages, she has gorgeously captured both the privilege of being given access to the inner chambers of people's lives, and the meaning that comes from watching them grow into the selves they were meant to be." (Lori Gottlieb, New York Times best-selling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone)

In this fascinating narrative, therapist Catherine Gildiner’s presents five of what she calls her most heroic and memorable patients. Among them: A successful, first-generation Chinese immigrant musician suffering sexual dysfunction; a young woman whose father abandoned her at age nine with her younger siblings in an isolated cottage in the depth of winter; and a glamorous workaholic whose narcissistic, negligent mother greeted her each morning of her childhood with "Good morning, Monster".

Each patient presents a mystery, one that will only be unpacked over years. They seek Gildiner's help to overcome an immediate challenge in their lives but discover that the source of their suffering has been long buried. As in such recent classics as The Glass Castle and Educated, each patient embodies self-reflection, stoicism, perseverance, and forgiveness as they work unflinchingly to face the truth. Gildiner's account of her journeys with them is moving, insightful, and sometimes very funny.

Good Morning, Monster offers an almost novelistic, behind-the-scenes look into the therapist's office, illustrating how the process can heal even the most unimaginable wounds.

Amazon.com Best Books of the Year - 2020

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press

"Good Morning, Monster allows one the privilege of seeing the therapist-patient relationship as an essentially human interaction." (JM Coetzee, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature)

Reviewer: Myx
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Entertaining book and couldn’t put it down.
Review: Really good stories about emotional recovery. I was amazed by each story shared. Some moments were hard to read but the stories are wow mesmerizing. I appreciate the book a lot. I was looking for a book to binge and read, this was it, every time I put it down I wanted to keep reading it.

Reviewer: Sarah B
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Fascinating and so many insights!
Review: I always enjoy reading these case stories and I certainly enjoyed this one. Its interesting to see which person I can relate to the most and I am always curious to see what the therapist says about the various incidents in the person's life. Because these problems do not come out of the blue you know. They are linked to your childhood and what was going on when you were very young. And if you pay attention and squint a bit, you may just see parts of yourself in these stories - and your parents too. Or maybe even other adults who were big parts of your life as a kid.First of all I want to say the thing in here about the gorillas was just astounding. Who would have thought?! But it certainly explains a lot. Apparently motherhood - that is the so called instinctive feeling to love a baby & to defend it - is not automatic if the mother herself was not bothered in a caring way... Because what these female gorillas do in here is very revealing. And not only to the newborn baby gorilla but to the male too. Its like they don't even understand the social cues. Maybe because they weren't raised with them. So then any "romantic advances" by the male gorilla is seen as a possible attack. And the baby is then some strange thing that moves...but its not a baby as they have no idea what a baby even is. I think this explains a lot.But its not only gorillas. Its humans too. And many parents cannot bond with their kids because they themselves had never bonded with their mother. Maybe they raise the kid but its all cold. No love. No feelings of protection. Or safety. Neglect and abuse happens. The child grows up with awful anxiety, fears, brainwashing that teaches them they are never good enough and that they don't deserve anything. Maybe they become workaholics like Madeline. Or they don't know how to have a relationship like Danny. The list of problems can be endless.And it can include multiple personalities like Alena. Did you know that if you have a high IQ, if you are creative and if you have complex PTSD you are at risk for that? I had no idea.But what I enjoy about these cases is that the author explains why people do the things they do. Because often people cannot connect the dots. You know, your mother treated you this way as a kid so now you do this...but you don't know why you always do that. The book is full of examples. And like the gorillas the parents themselves are broken too. From their bad unloving childhoods.Out of these five people, I think I can relate in some ways to Peter the most... Of how he was raised isolated. And then when he started school he was terrified of the other kids. That was me too. Never actually had contact with other kids my age before I started school. But that really messes you up. And as a kid you have no idea these things are abnormal. That is a common theme in here actually. These clients all thought their abnormal childhood was normal.But I think the story about the gorillas explains as a little kid why I had 0 interest in playing with those dumb baby dolls. I only liked stuffed animals. Or toy cars.This is definitely worth reading.

Reviewer: AMauer
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Therapeutic techniques can make a vast difference in the worst cases
Review: This book was well written with good character development and an unbelievable amount of trauma that was difficult to read. All of the stories were told well, mistakes that were made and clients who left and came back, but it is a genuine triumph in the name of the people it was written about. Also kudos as well to the author who did a magnanimous job tell us the story as objectively as possible. I was intrigued about the use of various techniques and even dream therapy, which resonates with me . The last story, that bears the title of the book, is a very difficult read and hard to know how the person came out of it ok. The works of such sadistic creeps made my skin crawl. The uplifting parts could not fully balance the pain and sufferings that person endured.

Reviewer: Wendy Deaton
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: A refreshing look at how, when properly conducted, psychotherapy transforms lives.
Review: . As I come to the end of my 40 plus years of practice as psychotherapist, I have viewed with devastating sadness the deterioration of the therapeutic profession, with fewer and fewer practitioners investing themselves in the deeply personal and professional work required to be a skilled and dedicated “Sherpa” who guides the client through the treacherous parts of the self discovery journey. I view the loss in the context of our materialistic, quick fix culture. What has been lost is not only the opportunity for clients lives to be truly transformed, but also the sense of magic experienced by the therapist as she sees the value of her work. It has been refreshing and inspiring to read of Gildiner’s experience and to know there are still, like myself, “old school” therapists. Thank you, Dr Gildiner, for the breath of fresh air!

Reviewer: Gia
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: An Amazing and Educational Read
Review: Had to purchase this book as part of one of my college courses for required reading. I was not expecting how eye-opening and captivating it would be. If you are interested in counseling or becoming a therapist, or if you just want a heart-touching read, I highly recommend this book. It won't disappoint.

Reviewer: Amazon Customer
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: A Psychological Read
Review: Whoa boy, I did not know what I was getting into with this book. I was fascinated by the idea of psychological and emotional heros, that I perhaps was underprepared for what I was about to face. It took me a while to finish this book. I would read a section. Then re-read it. Think. And read it again. I found myself identifying and inspired by different parts of each person's narrative. It also made me want to be a positive change in the world. Even with my own trauma. Please read this book. It's interesting, scientific, and, best of all, real/attainable/empathetic tales of heroism.

Reviewer: Bonkers for Books
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Horrifying but inspiring
Review: Absolutely tragic what these heroes withstood at such young ages. Inspiring that they were able to overcome what no human should have to endure. Puts your own troubles in perspective.

Reviewer: LC
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: a deeper look into the human psyche
Review: I have always been fascinated by the human mind, the human experience, and our vastly different stories. This is a hard read full of trauma. It contains accounts of abuse, endurance, and resilience. And a desire to be loved. I so appreciated Gildiner’s honesty, bravery, and willingness to share her mostly successful and at times flawed approach to helping her clients find a light in the darkness.

Reviewer: Kennedy
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: This book is so good! The stories are hard to pull away from.

Reviewer: SG
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Difficult to get through but at the same time un put downable.Brought tears to my eyes, ache to my heart and joy at the transformative journeys.Well worth a read.

Reviewer: Ozzy
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Not an easy read, but one of my favorite books

Reviewer: Brissa Moriel
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Un libro que con cada paso de pagina te hace sentir algo. Te mueve la mente y el corazón al ser testigo de las vidas de estos 5 heroes.Llega un punto en donde parece irreal todo lo que han sufrido y aún más irreal que hayan sobrevivido a semejantes situaciones en sus vidas.Ademas de sus historias he agradecido y disfrutado que la autora nos guíe en sus diagnósticos, citando estudios y teorías, así como explicaciones que facilitan el entendimiento de las experiencias de sus pacientes y de ella misma.Un libro que volvería a leer sin duda y que me ha inspirado.

Reviewer: ChHe
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Finished the book in 2 days. One of the most interesting books I have read recently. Narration is amazing, even thought the topic is heavy, the author leaves the reader hopeful. Anyone interested in psychology should read the book.