Your Pocket Therapist: Get curious, make changes, move forward

by Annie Zimmerman

Genres: Nonfiction

320 pages, Paperback

Published January 9, 2025

Reviews

[Agnieszka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just like the author says: it is just the tip of the iceberg but it is a good book to start a journey towards yourself and to try to understand why things are the way they are.

[Victoria Haupt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think it’s a really good book if you’ve already started to explore your own mind a bit. Till the first 200 pages I’d give it 3 stars but it really grew on me in the past part!

[Max Zimmermann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ein tolles Buch, dass mich zum denken angeregt hat. Ich werde es bestimmt wieder lesen. Die einzelnen Geschichten über imaginäre Patienten machen die Konzepte anschaulich verständlich. Gedanken, die ich interessant fand:

- Du kannst dich nicht verändern, wenn du nicht zum Kern des Problems kommst (Essen ist nur eine Symptomerscheinung)
- Um dich selbst zu verstehen geht es weniger darum zu wissen wieso, sondern zu fühlen wieso.
- Unser Gehirn ist dafür entwickelt zu überleben und nicht dafür glücklich zu sein.
- Viele Menschen verklären ihre Kindheit, dass alles gut war. Viele mentale Themen können dadurch nicht aufgearbeitet werden.
- Es ist anstrengend Gefühle zu unterdrücken. Das kann zu Müdigkeit führen.
- In romantischen Beziehungen kommen Probleme hoch, die sonst nach außen versteckt werden können.
- Es kann sein, dass jemand emotional unverfügbare Menschen auswählt, weil die Person selbst so ist.
- Ein unterbewusster Verteidigungsmechanismus ist Projektion. Ich bin emotional, beschuldige aber meinen Gesprächspartner emotional zu sein.
- Von der Gesellschaft werden alte Beziehungen idealisiert.

[João Nunes · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really great book for someone starting their healing journey and wanting to learn more about psychology and therapy. I give it 3 stars because many of the concepts are not new for me and as the author says, this book is just the tip of the iceberg. Real work on yourself must be done through relationships, with your therapist, with your friends, or with a significant other. Otherwise, the book is really well written, with several real world use cases and self-reflection exercises.

[Gabriela Kn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great broad overview of the main topics in psychology. I really enjoyed it, especially the anecdotes and examples Zimmerman used. This was a great run through of the main issues people come into therapy with, and how to find strategies to help and cope yourself if you are having these issues too.

[Anett Rolikova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great easy to read book. It helps to give you perspectives on major psychological problems that humans are facing. I really enjoyed Annie’s writing style. Insightful but not life changing I’d say! I picked it up randomly at the airport bookstore and not regretting it!

[Maria Antonia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book changed my life. It made me think and I talked about it in therapy for weeks. At some points, it got a little repetitive, but I think everyone should give it a go.

[Sarah Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

would give more stars if I could. absolutely recommend

[Katherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

At some point it’s good, but it’s a bit simple and staying on the surface. Maybe it’s because I’ve read many book about trauma & healing, I find it not helpful enough. The stories of different people are a bit monotonous or boring.
And I’m quite annoyed one main point of the book: it said the more we blame others and the circumstances, the less empowered we’re to changed things. I can hardly agree to it. Are you blaming the victims? Shouldn’t we be clear others have hurt us deeply? Shouldn’t we bear in mind how trauma formed? If I don’t blame the abusers, I’ll never feel validated and be empowered to focus on myself.
And the final chapters are really plain.

[P A U L A · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great broad overview of psychological topics, this really helped me understand how the human brain works and reacts to certain events in our life. Navigating through grief this really helped me not to spiral and understand anticipatory grief and how to help not only me but also those around me