Book Review: My Sh*t Therapist & Other Mental Health Stories, Michelle Thomas

Blurb: 'Well', my therapist said decisively, 'if you have a panic attack again...'.

Through the fog of my despair, I listening attentively. This is what I was hear for. She would show me the way out of this nightmare.

'...just have a cup of tea.'

Wait, what?

'And think about something else.'

The next time you're about to have panic attack, just don't. If only I'd thought about that before.

going mad,

having a breakdown,

quitting my job,

frightening my parents,

and forking out on hour more 'therapy'...

Book: My Sh*t Therapist by Michelle Thomas (2019)

Goodreads Rating: 3.86 stars

My Goodreads Rating: 3.5 stars

Price: £12.99 (hardback) or £3.99 (audiobook)

Audience:

This book is written for anyone who wants to understand more about mental health.

I personally read this book as I struggle with mental health, I know people who do and I work in a this field.

Style of writing:

This book is written in a very chatty way, from the perspective of the author Michelle. This gives the words personality that makes it very easy to relate and emphasise with what is being said.

At the end of each chapter, Michelle includes stories and experiences from other people. This provides perspectives that may differ to Michelle but also some which may be more relatable to you.

"An enjoyable and witty read jam packed with all of the emotions. At points it had me laughing, feeling sad, nodding in agreement and just stopping to think and relate." Goodreads User

What I liked about the book:

I liked how Michelle spoke about her mental health journey as well as inviting others to do the same. This really gave the reader a broad understanding of the issues raised and different perspectives. By doing so, the reader is bound to relate to at least one of the stories in the book. It also makes the reading experience very personable, and in some cases, humorous. The stories that Michelle and others share are a great addition!

Although the book is called 'My Sh*t Therapist', that title is only one of the chapters in the book, which describes an incident where Michelle received shockingly bad counselling. The other chapters covers a range of other topics and incidences in Michelle life, including 'My Sh*t Job', 'My Sh*t Body' and 'My Sh*t Meds'. This gave the reader an understanding to how mental health impacted Michelle, and others, in so many aspects of their lives.

"Funny, honest, very real, and raw account of Michelle's (and others) journeys with mental health." Goodreads User

What I didn't like about the book:

Overall I think this book is a great read for those who want to hear stories and experiences of those who have mental health problems. If I was to pick a couple criticisms, one would be that the writing of the book is informal and the information you get is solely from one perspective (and of course also from those who shared their stories) - but it is not an academic book, so if that what you're looking for this book may not be for you.

Another downfall, in my opinion, is that there is a lot of emphasis placed on medication. Although I believe that medication can be useful for those suffering with mental health disorders, and no person should feel stigmatised against using medication, I feel as though the book disregarded the use of other treatment methods. From my understanding medication is a good treatment method when used with other treatment methods, such as talking therapies. Obviously Michelle had a negative experience with talking therapies, but I felt worried that readers may also reject other forms of treatment. That being said - I support Michelle bravely and honesty in this book, especially surrounding her experience with medication as this is normally stigmatised.

Overview:

I really enjoyed this book. It was a cheerful and funny account of a usually sad and dark topic, which I found refreshing. If you are looking for a relatable book about mental health, that is not academic, then this is for you. It has 10 'Sh*t' chapters, ranging from diagnosis to habits, whereby at least chapter you will find something you agree with.

LET'S STRIVE FOR WELLBEING.