What do you think?
Rate this book
A Therapeutic Journey: Lessons from The School of Life
Alain de Botton's redemptive volume charts a course from collapse to recovery with kindness, compassion and wisdom.
“Alain de Botton, one of our era’s most uncommonly perceptive, lyrical, and lucid existential contemplatives.” — The Marginalian
A Therapeutic Journey follows the arc from mental crisis and collapse, to convalescence and recovery. Written with kindness, knowledge and sympathy, it is both a practical guide and a source of consolation and companionship in what might be some of our loneliest, most anguished moments.
In this blueprint for enduring a period of mental anguish, Alain de Botton explores how we can cope with a variety of forms of mental pain and illness, from the mild to the severe. It considers how and why we might become ill; how we can explain things to friends, family and colleagues; how we can find our ways towards recovery; and how we can build resilience, so as to live wisely alongside our difficulties.
At heart this is a book about redemption—about regaining the thread of our lives, rediscovering meaning, and finding our way back to connection, warmth and joy.
An invaluable literary companion through the loneliness of mental illness.
“Alain de Botton, one of our era’s most uncommonly perceptive, lyrical, and lucid existential contemplatives.” — The Marginalian
A Therapeutic Journey follows the arc from mental crisis and collapse, to convalescence and recovery. Written with kindness, knowledge and sympathy, it is both a practical guide and a source of consolation and companionship in what might be some of our loneliest, most anguished moments.
In this blueprint for enduring a period of mental anguish, Alain de Botton explores how we can cope with a variety of forms of mental pain and illness, from the mild to the severe. It considers how and why we might become ill; how we can explain things to friends, family and colleagues; how we can find our ways towards recovery; and how we can build resilience, so as to live wisely alongside our difficulties.
At heart this is a book about redemption—about regaining the thread of our lives, rediscovering meaning, and finding our way back to connection, warmth and joy.
An invaluable literary companion through the loneliness of mental illness.
418 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 5, 2023
837 people are currently reading
3498 people want to read
About the author
Alain de Botton
165 books15.4k followersAlain de Botton is a writer and television producer who lives in London and aims to make philosophy relevant to everyday life. He can be contacted by email directly via www.alaindebotton.com
He is a writer of essayistic books, which refer both to his own experiences and ideas- and those of artists, philosophers and thinkers. It's a style of writing that has been termed a 'philosophy of everyday life.'
His first book, Essays in Love [titled On Love in the US], minutely analysed the process of falling in and out of love. The style of the book was unusual, because it mixed elements of a novel together with reflections and analyses normally found in a piece of non-fiction. It's a book of which many readers are still fondest.
Bibliography:
* Essays In Love (1993)
* The Romantic Movement (1994)
* Kiss and Tell (1995)
* How Proust Can Change Your Life (1997)
* The Consolations of Philosophy (2000)
* The Art of Travel (2002)
* Status Anxiety (2004)
* The Architecture of Happiness (2006)
* The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work (2009)
He is a writer of essayistic books, which refer both to his own experiences and ideas- and those of artists, philosophers and thinkers. It's a style of writing that has been termed a 'philosophy of everyday life.'
His first book, Essays in Love [titled On Love in the US], minutely analysed the process of falling in and out of love. The style of the book was unusual, because it mixed elements of a novel together with reflections and analyses normally found in a piece of non-fiction. It's a book of which many readers are still fondest.
Bibliography:
* Essays In Love (1993)
* The Romantic Movement (1994)
* Kiss and Tell (1995)
* How Proust Can Change Your Life (1997)
* The Consolations of Philosophy (2000)
* The Art of Travel (2002)
* Status Anxiety (2004)
* The Architecture of Happiness (2006)
* The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work (2009)
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 149 reviews
September 26, 2023
A Therapeutic Journey falls flat as a book that promises insight and connection. Unfortunately, it reads more like a dry essay than an engaging exploration. The lack of personal touch makes it difficult to connect with the material, leaving the reader disengaged and uninterested. The author's approach, while informative, lacks the charisma needed to sustain attention. The book's overly formal tone and lack of relatable anecdotes make it a tedious read, ultimately failing to deliver on its potential to truly connect with readers on a personal level. I read about a third of this book and just simply couldn't go any further.
May 12, 2024
This was like a philosophy picture book and I loved it. Some bite sized perspectives on love, art, loss and hope that I liked reading before calling it a day 🛌
December 19, 2023
It is not the first time that I read his book, and believe his "The school of life" series is his way to show the manual for living.
In this book, he points out:
1. Childhood matters
2. Get in touch with your true self. There are two selves: true self and full self. We are used to keep down our true selves yet let our full selves show all day long, yet we need to listen to the voice of our true selves to live a coherent life.
3. Listen to your body: all those suppressed feelings, emotions are buried into our bodies, thus your stomachache might be a scream to you - please have your voice heard.
4. Embrace therapy: therapy might be one of the few ways to help yourself to understand yourself. Finding a suitable therapist for yourself might take a while.
5. No one is normal. Most people are on the spectrum of being 100% normal and 100% abnormal. Reading the book and digesting the content in it have provided you with the tools to get back to your normal self, which is not always a fixed status. You might need our whole life to make the adjustment, but at least we know we have the tools to use and someone to rely on.
In this book, he points out:
1. Childhood matters
2. Get in touch with your true self. There are two selves: true self and full self. We are used to keep down our true selves yet let our full selves show all day long, yet we need to listen to the voice of our true selves to live a coherent life.
3. Listen to your body: all those suppressed feelings, emotions are buried into our bodies, thus your stomachache might be a scream to you - please have your voice heard.
4. Embrace therapy: therapy might be one of the few ways to help yourself to understand yourself. Finding a suitable therapist for yourself might take a while.
5. No one is normal. Most people are on the spectrum of being 100% normal and 100% abnormal. Reading the book and digesting the content in it have provided you with the tools to get back to your normal self, which is not always a fixed status. You might need our whole life to make the adjustment, but at least we know we have the tools to use and someone to rely on.
May 16, 2025
This is a book I really enjoyed reading. If anything, I did feel some inner calm when reading the essay like chapters. There is not mind blowing revelation in this book but definitely helps to put things into perspective.
I believe that I will keep on coming back to some of the chapters.
I believe that I will keep on coming back to some of the chapters.
November 29, 2023
This book completely changed how I look at my trauma recovery. Unbelievably inspiring, poetic , and meaningful.
September 14, 2023
As a person who has struggled with depression and mental health issues for decades, I thought this might shed some light on what is undoubtedly a fairly murky area for me. I am afraid it did not do that. Mostly I found myself feeling that these are the words of someone who has an enormous amount of privilege. That does not take away from the fact that the writer has clearly had some struggles of his own, and no matter how privileged a person is, suffering is suffering and I am extremely sorry that they have that to deal with. It does however, for me at least, make rather a nonsense of the things that the writer prescribes for wellness, many of which are out of reach for the vast majority of people, myself included.
July 7, 2025
I think it is a sufficient book to accompany your theraphy journey. As many have said it might lack of depthness (I dont even know what depthness means to every person) and sort of like a dry essay (I dont even know what is dry essay on creative writing). However as a person who undergo theraphy myself for almost 1,5 year, it is such a really good companion and guidance to reflect upon my own journey to understand my own context. I don't have to read it all at once instead fulfilling each session by expanding the narratives with my own context, slowly with enjoyment to reflect upon my processes. I think it is enough. Whenever I need to go deep, I will look up to other psychology academic writings cited on the references instead relying upon a pocket book like this.
.
.
October 9, 2023
I allways have high expectations when a new title from this particular author appears as "the course of love" was a spellbinding book.
This one however told me nothing new with prose that irritated me, reading this gave me the same reaction i had when i read Haig's Midnight Library, full of lazy cliche's that grate on me.
I cannot readily imagine a person that may find this book enjoyable.
Disappointing.
This one however told me nothing new with prose that irritated me, reading this gave me the same reaction i had when i read Haig's Midnight Library, full of lazy cliche's that grate on me.
I cannot readily imagine a person that may find this book enjoyable.
Disappointing.
November 22, 2023
یه کتاب از همه جا از همه رنگ و از هر موضوعی همراه با تصویر
از آلن دوباتن تا الان کتابای تخصصی توی یه موضوع خاص خونده بودم اما توی این کتاب به اصلاح از هر دری سخن گفته
در کل خوب بود و تصاویر و اطلاعات زیادی هم داشت
از آلن دوباتن تا الان کتابای تخصصی توی یه موضوع خاص خونده بودم اما توی این کتاب به اصلاح از هر دری سخن گفته
در کل خوب بود و تصاویر و اطلاعات زیادی هم داشت
September 17, 2025
Need Alain de Botton in my brain at all times. This book cracked open several things for me and helped life/living in this world feel like less of a struggle.
For example - it’s ok to lead a quiet life. Success isn’t all it seems and it’s ok to stop striving. Things are very tough sometimes and that makes you human. There are many companions throughout history that can comfort you. Remember longer time perspectives. Don’t drown your individuality and uniqueness in mass pop culture. School is over. And more.
His style is so unique and ineffable. Straightforward and depersonalized while extremely effecting and humanizing. A national treasure!
For example - it’s ok to lead a quiet life. Success isn’t all it seems and it’s ok to stop striving. Things are very tough sometimes and that makes you human. There are many companions throughout history that can comfort you. Remember longer time perspectives. Don’t drown your individuality and uniqueness in mass pop culture. School is over. And more.
His style is so unique and ineffable. Straightforward and depersonalized while extremely effecting and humanizing. A national treasure!
September 20, 2023
This is another gem from the School of Life series and from Alain De Botton.
The author has a very beautiful and descriptive way of writing about mental health which makes it relatable and interesting.
The flow of the writing is well written and really takes the reader through a journey to understand our thoughts, mental health, cultural expectations and the impact these can have on the individual.
I especially loved the chapter on childhood and parenting - I found the content interesting and thought provoking.
Although there are some hard hitting messages in this book, there was an overall sense of hope and that things can change.
A key important message was around the importance of recognising that we need to pay attention to what our minds and bodies are telling us in order to function as physically and mentally healthy human beings.
A great and informative read
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review
The author has a very beautiful and descriptive way of writing about mental health which makes it relatable and interesting.
The flow of the writing is well written and really takes the reader through a journey to understand our thoughts, mental health, cultural expectations and the impact these can have on the individual.
I especially loved the chapter on childhood and parenting - I found the content interesting and thought provoking.
Although there are some hard hitting messages in this book, there was an overall sense of hope and that things can change.
A key important message was around the importance of recognising that we need to pay attention to what our minds and bodies are telling us in order to function as physically and mentally healthy human beings.
A great and informative read
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review
November 19, 2023
I always found Alain de Botton's books thought provoking and a good way to change something in my life.
This one has some interesting idea but I found it a bit too dry to impact
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
This one has some interesting idea but I found it a bit too dry to impact
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
December 2, 2023
You owe it to yourself to read this book.
If I could give it ten stars I would
If I could give it ten stars I would
December 26, 2023
The ‘Challenge’ and ‘Hope’ sections were affecting in their pertinence, though the middle sections lost me a little. This book felt akin to a friend sitting beside you in your illness.
December 5, 2024
نثر روان کتاب هاب دوباتن رو همیشه دوست دارم.
این کتاب هم با این که تو ایران خیلی مطرح نیست به نظرم یکی از بهترین هاش بود
بعضی از فصل هاش رو ۲ دور خوندم
این کتاب هم با این که تو ایران خیلی مطرح نیست به نظرم یکی از بهترین هاش بود
بعضی از فصل هاش رو ۲ دور خوندم
December 12, 2023
It’s a gentle, kind book aimed at when people are at their lowest, a compassionate companion to hold your hand whilst you navigate the sadness and therefore, I’d recommend this book to anyone looking for an empathetic and sensitive paper friend to provide a little comfort. However I would have preferred the book to be more solution-focused, as whilst the focus on compassion would benefit many there were times when it felt a little defeatist in its nature.
The writing style is similar to Matt Haig’s and there are a lot of cliches and platitudes but this book was less heavy-handed in its execution of that but at times it was like reading a textbook as it was very dry and I struggled to find the motivation to continue reading. There is a heavy focus upon art as therapy.
The book is heavily focused on the idea that the childhood/formative years are to blame for any issues within our adult lives and whilst this is one school of thought it is not one that I completely subscribe to. The book does not advocate for taking responsibility for our own lives and instead pushes the idea that everything is not our fault, this is probably due to the heavy focus on compassion and I understand that acknowledging the origin of our issues is often the first step in overcoming them but the book lacks practical advice to overcome anything without the use of therapy.
Throughout the book there was a constant recommendation to use friends, family or partners as therapists or as people to seek reassurance from. Not everyone has friends or family or a partner so this may make them feel helpless in the face of the constant advocation for one in this book and if you do have them whilst they may be glad to offer support over-reliance on others is not a healthy behaviour and could lead to further issues. Friends, family and partners are friends, family and partners, not therapists. It is quite idealistic and reliant on others being receptive to its ideas. For example following the advice within this book and discussing issues within your relationships requires the other person being receptive to the conversation and to be operating from the same conversational level and perspective otherwise it will not work.
I have seen some reviewers who have said that the book assumes a certain level of financial status and I partially agree. The book is heavily focused on art and whilst the author advocates for many free methods such as appreciating the detail in the world around us and seeing the beauty and education within artworks which you could perhaps see for relatively cheap in a gallery or even for free on the internet there is also an assumption that everyone is financially secure. There is a section which discusses not being afraid of failure which loosely is good advice but the author continues to say that you should not be afraid to lose EVERYTHING as you could always live in a hut. I get the core idea behind it being that we could always downsize and live less extravagant lives and I agree with that but even that implies a level of financial security that many don’t have as “failure” could lead to actual homelessness, you can’t just build a hut on some land in the UK.
The book has moments of insightful comfort and I think some people might find it comforting however I wouldn’t recommend this book as I feel there are better books out there offering similar thoughts.
The writing style is similar to Matt Haig’s and there are a lot of cliches and platitudes but this book was less heavy-handed in its execution of that but at times it was like reading a textbook as it was very dry and I struggled to find the motivation to continue reading. There is a heavy focus upon art as therapy.
The book is heavily focused on the idea that the childhood/formative years are to blame for any issues within our adult lives and whilst this is one school of thought it is not one that I completely subscribe to. The book does not advocate for taking responsibility for our own lives and instead pushes the idea that everything is not our fault, this is probably due to the heavy focus on compassion and I understand that acknowledging the origin of our issues is often the first step in overcoming them but the book lacks practical advice to overcome anything without the use of therapy.
Throughout the book there was a constant recommendation to use friends, family or partners as therapists or as people to seek reassurance from. Not everyone has friends or family or a partner so this may make them feel helpless in the face of the constant advocation for one in this book and if you do have them whilst they may be glad to offer support over-reliance on others is not a healthy behaviour and could lead to further issues. Friends, family and partners are friends, family and partners, not therapists. It is quite idealistic and reliant on others being receptive to its ideas. For example following the advice within this book and discussing issues within your relationships requires the other person being receptive to the conversation and to be operating from the same conversational level and perspective otherwise it will not work.
I have seen some reviewers who have said that the book assumes a certain level of financial status and I partially agree. The book is heavily focused on art and whilst the author advocates for many free methods such as appreciating the detail in the world around us and seeing the beauty and education within artworks which you could perhaps see for relatively cheap in a gallery or even for free on the internet there is also an assumption that everyone is financially secure. There is a section which discusses not being afraid of failure which loosely is good advice but the author continues to say that you should not be afraid to lose EVERYTHING as you could always live in a hut. I get the core idea behind it being that we could always downsize and live less extravagant lives and I agree with that but even that implies a level of financial security that many don’t have as “failure” could lead to actual homelessness, you can’t just build a hut on some land in the UK.
The book has moments of insightful comfort and I think some people might find it comforting however I wouldn’t recommend this book as I feel there are better books out there offering similar thoughts.
October 26, 2024
This book can be read in a number of ways. You could read it in sections. You could dip into it. In my case I read it cover to cover realizing that I will go back to it & read it again maybe in the other ways I have described.
Mental illness of any kind is somewhat mysterious. It is difficult to grasp its nature. Never mind see, touch or feel it. Our doctors especially of the general sort are getting better in my experience. They didn't used to be not so long ago. Society too is becoming more understanding.
This book is aimed at the general reader serving as a great introduction to the subject of mental health. Reading it has encouraged me to read more from this author. I had known about him for some time. I had found him intriguing. I am now glad I have taken the plunge by reading one of his works.
I could say that everyone should read this book. I could put it stronger than that but I don't want to be too prescriptive.
Mental illness of any kind is somewhat mysterious. It is difficult to grasp its nature. Never mind see, touch or feel it. Our doctors especially of the general sort are getting better in my experience. They didn't used to be not so long ago. Society too is becoming more understanding.
This book is aimed at the general reader serving as a great introduction to the subject of mental health. Reading it has encouraged me to read more from this author. I had known about him for some time. I had found him intriguing. I am now glad I have taken the plunge by reading one of his works.
I could say that everyone should read this book. I could put it stronger than that but I don't want to be too prescriptive.
January 30, 2025
I really enjoyed the first half of the book however the second half fell a bit flat. The overuse of anecdotes, whilst informative, made it hard to stay engaged and felt forced at times, making it hard to connect to as a reader. But overall, there are good takeaways which are explained in accessible ways.
November 10, 2024
A quirky little book that I loved dearly. I bought it at Daunt Books in London (not to brag). I treated this one as a devotional and would read small bits every morning. It is more of a collection of thought-provoking essays than a true arc of a healing journey. I think enjoyment of this book relies on a few important presuppositions:
a. that you are bought into Alain de Botton’s entirely unique voice and style of writing from the outset.
b. that you are ok with a bit of bleakness — a big part of the message here lives in the Buddhist camp of “life is suffering but we all suffer together so let’s laugh.” Instead of attempting to triumph over your personal despair, the message here is to realize that we are small, finite, transient, depraved, perverse, and lonely. The sooner we can make peace with that the more beautiful the flowers on the road of life become. It’s not a message that’s for everyone!
c. that you enjoy having obscure art pieces explained to you in terms of life lessons.
4.5/5
a. that you are bought into Alain de Botton’s entirely unique voice and style of writing from the outset.
b. that you are ok with a bit of bleakness — a big part of the message here lives in the Buddhist camp of “life is suffering but we all suffer together so let’s laugh.” Instead of attempting to triumph over your personal despair, the message here is to realize that we are small, finite, transient, depraved, perverse, and lonely. The sooner we can make peace with that the more beautiful the flowers on the road of life become. It’s not a message that’s for everyone!
c. that you enjoy having obscure art pieces explained to you in terms of life lessons.
4.5/5
November 18, 2024
This book is a true remedy for all the noise and all the unnecessary advices that keep floating around social media. It offers a rich array of perspectives on Love, Art and Freedom along with a calm, embracing tone from the writer.
Each chapter is usually accompanied by unique examples and references that emphasize the author’s point. For me stumbling upon these felt like discovering hidden Easter eggs; they made reading the book all the more worthwhile.
That said I found at times the division of chapters into multiple essays somewhat distracting.
Having this book by my side for the last month has been beneficial. It not only helped calm my anxiety but also guided me toward meaningful conclusions and decisions about my life.
Each chapter is usually accompanied by unique examples and references that emphasize the author’s point. For me stumbling upon these felt like discovering hidden Easter eggs; they made reading the book all the more worthwhile.
That said I found at times the division of chapters into multiple essays somewhat distracting.
Having this book by my side for the last month has been beneficial. It not only helped calm my anxiety but also guided me toward meaningful conclusions and decisions about my life.
May 4, 2024
Another great book by Alain Botton and his School of Life. The gist of this publisher is that we don’t really learn any of the most important lessons that are required to live a productive, sane and happy life in school (and many don’t get it from parents especially uneducated ones). This is another book that was very similar to others (didn’t enjoy as much) that, in a humanist vein, introduces lessons from various philosophies and personal insights including the importance of culture (i.e. great music or calming or though-provoking art work) to help cope with our lives which are inevitably replete with episode of agony and suffering.
July 27, 2025
من بهش ۳ ستاره دادم چون هم خوبه هم بد، آخه انگار خلاصه ای از کل کتاب های الن دو باتنی بود که خوندم. شاید بشه گفت برای مرورشون خوب بود اما واقعا خوندن این کتاب چیز زیادی به آدم اضافه نمی کنه. از طرفی هم اگر کسی بخواد برای شروع با این کتاب شروع کنه مدرسه ی زندگی رو بخونه سود زیادی براش نداره چون موضوع رو به اندازه کافی باز نمیکنه. کتاب همچنین به اسم خودش وفادار نیست هیچ انسجام خاصی نداره که بخواد مسیری برای ما بکشه تا بهتر بشیم. درکل محتوای بدی نداره فقط نوشتن این کتاب رو درک نمیکنم
February 11, 2025
This book isn’t the most pleasant to read, as it’s quite philosophical. The author’s intelligence is very evident in the way he discusses history and art. Each sub-chapter ends with words of wisdom, but reaching them requires navigating through a lot of dense context.
I absolutely love the conclusions because they bring together the book’s biggest insights! However, getting there means powering through some deep philosophical reflections on life.
I absolutely love the conclusions because they bring together the book’s biggest insights! However, getting there means powering through some deep philosophical reflections on life.
February 24, 2025
Grateful that a man like Alain De Botton exists, and that I am privileged and lucky enough to read his books.
For anyone going through a winter season in their lives, this book will give you hope, support and reassurance that you will make it through.
For anyone going through a winter season in their lives, this book will give you hope, support and reassurance that you will make it through.
March 2, 2025
A Therapeutic Journey is a beautiful and tender book. It’s a beautifully written meander through what it’s like to struggle mentally and how we can help others who are struggling. It asks us, more than anything, to be measured in what we ask of ourselves and expect or hope for from others.
The first half was, for me, richer than the second which drifted a bit with a series of short essays. The first half touched my heart. The second only made me smile a little.
The first half was, for me, richer than the second which drifted a bit with a series of short essays. The first half touched my heart. The second only made me smile a little.
May 19, 2024
Carefully written creative ways to think past our usual sequence of thoughts by relating to history, art and natural science. Alain de Botton writes fleshy, pillowy phrases, almost as if we are toddlers yet with great vocabulary, but that is exactly the point he's making. His forms are filled with witty twists, but consistently so, making his reading rather predictable. Nevertheless a good read.
August 10, 2024
A truly fantastic book! Every living being needs to read this...a reminder of the hilarity of life, the autonomy we have and the all important lesson of authenticity and fuck the rest (but in a balanced empathetic way of course 😉)!
Read
February 20, 2025کتاب خیلی زیبایی بود. تصور میکردم کمی زرد باشه اما نبود، حال خوب کن بود. جای چند جلسه تراپی رو میگیره.
March 23, 2025
A truly life-affirming read about the importance of staying well.
April 15, 2025
One of the hardest aspects of mental illness is the sense of isolation—feeling misunderstood or unable to clearly express what’s happening in your mind. The author succeeds in articulating what so many of us struggle to put into words—and does so with kindness and grace. An excellent reference book to keep on your bedside table, for whenever you need a shift in perspective.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 149 reviews