Guilt Free: Reclaiming Your Life from Unreasonable Expectations

by Jennifer Reid

"A roadmap to help you overcome the guilt you’ve been socialized to feel when you put yourself first."—Katy Milkman, PhD, author of How to Change

What would life look like without the constant, crushing weight of guilt?

Women today are living with so much guilt. Guilt for working too much. Guilt for not working enough. Guilt for saying no, for saying yes, for taking a break, for asking for help. This emotion infiltrates every role we occupy—mother, partner, daughter, friend, employee, caregiver—and robs us of our capacity for joy and self-worth.

Enough is enough. Guilt Free is the revelatory, compassionate, and deeply practical roadmap every woman needs to break free from the impossible standards that shape our daily lives. Drawing on the latest research on emotion and social conditioning, as well as years of clinical work with high achieving but emotionally exhausted women, psychiatrist Dr. Jennifer Reid reveals how guilt becomes “sticky,” why women are especially vulnerable to it, and—most importantly—how to loosen its grip for good.

With her SPEAK framework, a five-step path to healing grounded in the core tenets of psychotherapy, readers will be equipped
Identify guilt triggers using the Guilt Equation Quiet guilty and critical thoughtsCreate sustainable boundaries around overexertionReplace guilt-driven decisions with clarity, self-trust, and empowerment
Guilt Free is your invitation to step out of the exhausting cycle of over-functioning, people-pleasing, and self-blame—and into a life shaped by your own desires, values, and brilliance.

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction, Psychology

Audible Audio

Published January 27, 2026

Reviews

[Vmndetta ᛑᛗᛛ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book made me realize that guilt isn't just one feeling. There are so many versions of it, and a lot of them slip in without us noticing. I kept catching myself thinking, "Oh, so that counts as guilt too." Dr. Reid explains everything in a simple, clear way that's easy to follow, and it really helps you see where your guilt comes from and how it affects your choices. It's straightforward and genuinely eye-opening.

[Alissa PhD · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredibly compassionate and empowering read. As a clinical psychologist, I have been using the strategies I learned from this book both in and out of the therapy room and I have found them to be so helpful already! As Dr. Reid notes, guilt is a natural emotion that we are all bound to feel at times, but this wonderful resource provides women with the tools and perspectives needed to break free of the hold that guilt can easily have over us. I will be recommending this book again and again and plan to keep it where I can easily turn back to it, as needed. Definitely a must-read!

[Savvy_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Jennifer’s Reid’s Guilt Free book is a gift! Dr. Reid’s book is well-researched and compassionate. Her examples illustrated her points well and gave me new insights into my own personality. Her SPEAK acronym is very helpful in learning to take care of yourself in a healthy and responsible way. Insightful and empowering, this book is well worth reading. I am grateful to the author and publisher Penguin Life for the advanced reviewer ebook in exchange for my honest review.

[Tracey Ellis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I imagine this book will be helpful for women in general who are struggling with guilt. I wish I had read it when I was younger, but now listening to it (older and wiser 😊), I feel like as I’ve aged I’ve naturally learned these tools to combat guilt, practice self-compassion, and set up boundaries, so it’s a good reminder but nothing new learned for me, however useful for some nonetheless.