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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
dnf
October 11, 2025DNF @ 20%
Just couldn’t get into this. I really didn’t like the format of just reading interviews with various people and I found there was minimal unpacking of the interview afterwards. I just didn’t really get the point of it and couldn’t bring myself to continue reading.
Just couldn’t get into this. I really didn’t like the format of just reading interviews with various people and I found there was minimal unpacking of the interview afterwards. I just didn’t really get the point of it and couldn’t bring myself to continue reading.
October 6, 2025
This book is an absolute triumph. I didn't have any expectations before reading this as I have never read anything else by the author but I was blown away by the content of this book.
The book is a collection of interviews conducted by Katy with friends, colleagues and people within the Queer commuinity about their experiences of therapy and the mental health system and how being Queer affected their treatment.
The way in which each chapter is set out is perfect. Each chapter starts off with a bio of the interviewee, then a transcript of the interview and finished with Katy's closing thoughts on the interview. The interviews are conducted are very intriguring and interesting but also educational. I myself am part of the Queer community but I learned new terminology which I had never come across before such as allocishet and metamour.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking at attending therapy, especially anyone who is within the Queer commuinity but also just the Queer community/Allies in general. I found myself drawing on my own experiences and I could see myself in some of the interviewees.
An excellent book and is will definitely be looking jnto Katy's other books.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with the Advanced Review Copy of this book. The book is currently scheduled to be released on the 21st October 2025.
The book is a collection of interviews conducted by Katy with friends, colleagues and people within the Queer commuinity about their experiences of therapy and the mental health system and how being Queer affected their treatment.
The way in which each chapter is set out is perfect. Each chapter starts off with a bio of the interviewee, then a transcript of the interview and finished with Katy's closing thoughts on the interview. The interviews are conducted are very intriguring and interesting but also educational. I myself am part of the Queer community but I learned new terminology which I had never come across before such as allocishet and metamour.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking at attending therapy, especially anyone who is within the Queer commuinity but also just the Queer community/Allies in general. I found myself drawing on my own experiences and I could see myself in some of the interviewees.
An excellent book and is will definitely be looking jnto Katy's other books.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with the Advanced Review Copy of this book. The book is currently scheduled to be released on the 21st October 2025.
August 4, 2025
The realm of psychology and therapy has called a need for queer friendly spaces that addresses the various needs of the queer community – and that is where Katy Lees delivers insight into how these spaces look. At first, her therapy interview format was not my favorite – but after I read a few essays I cannot deny the effectiveness of understanding the individual’s needs through their interview non-fiction delivery. Katy Lee opens each chapter with insight into specific queer struggles, journal review, and an introduction to the individual we are being introduced to. I appreciated at the end of her conclusions that readers are introduced to the individual’s published works and social media spaces that we can learn more about their relevant work and information. A remarkable collaborative effort that truly shines queer lives and how spaces are maturing and still need to mature in other areas to address the complexity of socioeconomic issues that the Queer community faces.
The different approaches to therapy to address issues in the queer community begins with a trauma-informed space. Read this if you are interested in what it means to be properly trained in trauma informed care and how that radically helps both a community effort and therapy effort to aid the queer community for a stronger resilient future. This is why the interview style is so effective in Lee’s writing. The readers are given a dual perspective of writer and interviewee and how each aspect of the queer daily struggles are viewed from the therapist and person’s point of view. Please read this – this is truly a remarkable way to approach queer studies to advance the quality of queer lives.
As a lesbian and a gamer, I was absolutely in love with the segment we are introduced to queer gaming. Queer gaming is therapeutic but at the same time the heteronormative values within the sphere of gaming can impact the queer psyche. We are really given an introspective look as to what that means. I found myself agreeing with the way World of Warcraft creates a gateway into MMO’s (massively-multiplayer online game) and roleplaying games that really shapes the way we challenge gender norms and other self-actualization questions. There is something for every queer to resonate with in this book and I promise you this is very reflective. Beyond a pleasure to read and almost would love to see an expansion that looks into queer therapy and the psychology of gaming. Thank you Netgalley and Jessica Kingsley Publishing for an advanced digital copy.
Read more recommendations, reviews, and ARC insights at https://brujerialibrary.wordpress.com/
The different approaches to therapy to address issues in the queer community begins with a trauma-informed space. Read this if you are interested in what it means to be properly trained in trauma informed care and how that radically helps both a community effort and therapy effort to aid the queer community for a stronger resilient future. This is why the interview style is so effective in Lee’s writing. The readers are given a dual perspective of writer and interviewee and how each aspect of the queer daily struggles are viewed from the therapist and person’s point of view. Please read this – this is truly a remarkable way to approach queer studies to advance the quality of queer lives.
As a lesbian and a gamer, I was absolutely in love with the segment we are introduced to queer gaming. Queer gaming is therapeutic but at the same time the heteronormative values within the sphere of gaming can impact the queer psyche. We are really given an introspective look as to what that means. I found myself agreeing with the way World of Warcraft creates a gateway into MMO’s (massively-multiplayer online game) and roleplaying games that really shapes the way we challenge gender norms and other self-actualization questions. There is something for every queer to resonate with in this book and I promise you this is very reflective. Beyond a pleasure to read and almost would love to see an expansion that looks into queer therapy and the psychology of gaming. Thank you Netgalley and Jessica Kingsley Publishing for an advanced digital copy.
Read more recommendations, reviews, and ARC insights at https://brujerialibrary.wordpress.com/
January 4, 2026
Katy Lees' previous book is a self help book that I still open from time to time. So I was very curious to see where this second book of theirs would take me. It ended up being a lovely celebration of queer people and their minds and was just such a lovely read.
The first chapters of this book felt quite intense to me. There was a lot of deep talk with a lot of queer trauma. It was really interesting to see all these different people talk about the issues they experienced as a queer person but it made it not a light read. There is a lot of harm done to queer people and this book showed that raw and true. But at the same time all the people interviewed were living on all the same and in this resilience a lot of hope was to be found. So even though some interviews were really about dark topics, there was always something light to be found in them as well.
This book interviews a lot of therapists and as a person who had continuous therapy since age 6, seeing this other side of the conversation was really interesting. It definitely reminded me again that all the therapists I talked to are also just people. I had never thought much deeper about how the therapy field is not a place where marginalized people easily can come into, but this book really showed me that reality. It also just made me incredibly grateful for my current queer therapist that has helping me immensely while holding my own identities with care. In that same way it also showed me explanations why I never felt safe with most of my therapists as that was never the case.
The chapter that stayed with me the most was the chapter with Lucy. In that interview I read the story of a incredible woman who deserved the world. It was a story that touched me deeply, and even after finishing the book some time ago it still stays really close to me. I hope that by recommending this book and thus her story I can help keeping her memory alive.
I received an eARC and this was my honest review.
The first chapters of this book felt quite intense to me. There was a lot of deep talk with a lot of queer trauma. It was really interesting to see all these different people talk about the issues they experienced as a queer person but it made it not a light read. There is a lot of harm done to queer people and this book showed that raw and true. But at the same time all the people interviewed were living on all the same and in this resilience a lot of hope was to be found. So even though some interviews were really about dark topics, there was always something light to be found in them as well.
This book interviews a lot of therapists and as a person who had continuous therapy since age 6, seeing this other side of the conversation was really interesting. It definitely reminded me again that all the therapists I talked to are also just people. I had never thought much deeper about how the therapy field is not a place where marginalized people easily can come into, but this book really showed me that reality. It also just made me incredibly grateful for my current queer therapist that has helping me immensely while holding my own identities with care. In that same way it also showed me explanations why I never felt safe with most of my therapists as that was never the case.
The chapter that stayed with me the most was the chapter with Lucy. In that interview I read the story of a incredible woman who deserved the world. It was a story that touched me deeply, and even after finishing the book some time ago it still stays really close to me. I hope that by recommending this book and thus her story I can help keeping her memory alive.
I received an eARC and this was my honest review.
October 27, 2025
‘If there's anyone who's reading this who feels like they can't do it, take heart - I have been through hell and back and I have found my nirvana. It is possible, whatever comes your way. Always try to hold true to who you are, and to keep your heart open. Even if it feels like your community is hidden in the shadows, we're out here for you.’
**
Reading this book Feels more like listening to a podcast, I think I would have preferred listening to it rather than just reading the transcript.
It’s much more casual than I expected and I didn’t find it as interesting as I had hoped.
It was uplifting and hopeful, a heartwarming show of community and support. I liked some of the insights and comments both from the guests and author.
**
Rory: Mental health doesn't have to be hopeful - sometimes, it's just shit. But, sometimes, I feel like there's a lot of hope to hold on to. Even while things are really crap, I'm hopeful. I'm hopeful for others. Anybody can survive. People can do it. Especially if you can find a good place, and good people, to support you, you can do it.
**
Reading this book Feels more like listening to a podcast, I think I would have preferred listening to it rather than just reading the transcript.
It’s much more casual than I expected and I didn’t find it as interesting as I had hoped.
It was uplifting and hopeful, a heartwarming show of community and support. I liked some of the insights and comments both from the guests and author.
**
Rory: Mental health doesn't have to be hopeful - sometimes, it's just shit. But, sometimes, I feel like there's a lot of hope to hold on to. Even while things are really crap, I'm hopeful. I'm hopeful for others. Anybody can survive. People can do it. Especially if you can find a good place, and good people, to support you, you can do it.
October 19, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
⭐️⭐️⭐️
I mean this respectfully, but I think this book might have worked better as a podcast. The interview-style format often read like a transcript, and I found myself wishing I could hear the voices instead - it likely would’ve felt more dynamic that way.
While I appreciate that Lees amplifies voices from a range of backgrounds and gives space to share their experiences, the book wasn’t quite what I expected. I was hoping for more concrete insights I could apply to my own work as a therapist, rather than primarily anecdotal stories - though these were still interesting, just less directly applicable.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
I mean this respectfully, but I think this book might have worked better as a podcast. The interview-style format often read like a transcript, and I found myself wishing I could hear the voices instead - it likely would’ve felt more dynamic that way.
While I appreciate that Lees amplifies voices from a range of backgrounds and gives space to share their experiences, the book wasn’t quite what I expected. I was hoping for more concrete insights I could apply to my own work as a therapist, rather than primarily anecdotal stories - though these were still interesting, just less directly applicable.
October 20, 2025
The topic is super important - mental health in the queer community (and in general) needs more advocacy and support. I think I expected this to be more about ways mental health intersects with queerness and how to implement advocacy and therapy with queer people in mind. This book focuses instead on individual experiences of queer people and mental health, which is still important!
I thought I'd love the interview format, but it ended up reading like a transcript and was less enjoyable that way. Perhaps this could work well as an audiobook or podcast?
Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review.
I thought I'd love the interview format, but it ended up reading like a transcript and was less enjoyable that way. Perhaps this could work well as an audiobook or podcast?
Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review.
October 18, 2025
I struggled to get into this in the beginning. It felt a bit disjointed and random. However, as time went on I found myself enjoying it more. Maybe I found the interviews more interesting I am not sure, but I definitely got more out of it as time went on. I think ultimately for me it was missing a bit of a golden thread to pull it all together but generally it’s great to see space given to publishing these voices. Thanks to NetGalley and Jessica Kingsley Publishers for the ARC.
December 13, 2025
These interviews are like a little dose of queer community in your living room. I love the broad range of topics covered and found the approach very intersectional. I also appreciated the links and resources offered at the end of each chapter. This book is informative and accessible, with something for everyone.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews