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Harry Potter Therapy: An Unauthorized Self-Help Book from the Restricted Section
Dear witch or wizard, Have you read and reread the “Harry Potter” books? Are you someone who can quote the movies by heart? Do you still ever wonder when you will get your acceptance letter into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry? Me too.This self-help book was written specifically to help you better manage you anxiety, depression, trauma, insecurity, and other difficulties. I hope that you will join me on an enchanting exploration how “Harry Potter” series can help us heal and find the magic in our own lives.
132 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 18, 2017
229 people are currently reading
299 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
July 24, 2019
A lo largo del libro, la psicóloga Janina Scarlet desgrana una serie de situaciones con propuestas para hacerles frente, siempre haciendo referencia a personajes, escenas y hechizos del mundo mágico de Harry Potter.
Es interesante, fácil de leer y he sacado muchas ideas.
Es interesante, fácil de leer y he sacado muchas ideas.
April 8, 2023
Wow. Great. I need a psychologist like her, it's explained so beautifully!!
December 26, 2017
I picked this book up with no real idea of what to expect or what I was hoping to get out of it.
The author did a good job at taking themes, events and certain aspects from Harry Potter, applying psychology, and interpreting it in a way we can all relate to in our muggle world.
Very simple examples are below:
The suppression of magic; when the Dursley's hide from Harry that he is a wizard and also how Obscurials are created. Both are relatable in our world as being similar to those who people who suppress their emotions. The more you suppress your magic (emotions) the more destructive it can be and an Obscurial (or mental breakdown) can occur.
Our painful memories and experiences can be seen as being Dementors. When we face our Dementors we are better equipped to handle them which can be compared to Harry being able to handle his interactions with Dementors better because he gets used to facing them and managing them with the Patronous charm.
Professor Trewylawny's predictions are similar to how our mind works where we see certain elements as a sign of danger when they might not be. Such as not being able to reach someone on the phone, thinking they've been in a terrible accident or a friend being angry at us when they haven't responded to a text message and we begin to believe that we did something wrong in the interaction.
Aside from the actual content, the book itself is riddled with typos, spelling mistakes and paragraphs that constantly change fonts and font sizes (kindle edition). It's quite annoying and this would definitely need to be fixed before I give this a second read-through.
To conclude, this is a decent read and it's good knowing that the proceeds of this book are being donated to mental health charities and Lumos, etc.
The author did a good job at taking themes, events and certain aspects from Harry Potter, applying psychology, and interpreting it in a way we can all relate to in our muggle world.
Very simple examples are below:
The suppression of magic; when the Dursley's hide from Harry that he is a wizard and also how Obscurials are created. Both are relatable in our world as being similar to those who people who suppress their emotions. The more you suppress your magic (emotions) the more destructive it can be and an Obscurial (or mental breakdown) can occur.
Our painful memories and experiences can be seen as being Dementors. When we face our Dementors we are better equipped to handle them which can be compared to Harry being able to handle his interactions with Dementors better because he gets used to facing them and managing them with the Patronous charm.
Professor Trewylawny's predictions are similar to how our mind works where we see certain elements as a sign of danger when they might not be. Such as not being able to reach someone on the phone, thinking they've been in a terrible accident or a friend being angry at us when they haven't responded to a text message and we begin to believe that we did something wrong in the interaction.
Aside from the actual content, the book itself is riddled with typos, spelling mistakes and paragraphs that constantly change fonts and font sizes (kindle edition). It's quite annoying and this would definitely need to be fixed before I give this a second read-through.
To conclude, this is a decent read and it's good knowing that the proceeds of this book are being donated to mental health charities and Lumos, etc.
February 11, 2025
If you seriously need someone to tell you that it's ok to have feelings, then this book is for you 👌🏼
July 11, 2021
Presenta herramientas útiles mezclando el mundo fantástico de Harry Potter con historias reales y haciendo propuestas fáciles de llevar a cabo con tal de conocernos a nosotros mismos, sanarnos y así ayudar a otros en sus procesos de autoconocimiento y sanación.
May 14, 2018
This book is powerful in a way several other self-help or mental health case studies just aren't. It's accessible, understandable and uses characters I know better than I know myself to prove points about my own behaviour that I wouldn't have even realised needed making if I hadn't read this. I make no secret of my own traumas and mental health struggles but this is the first time I haven't felt patronised by a book that claims to be able to help even though the language is simplistic and the ideas are presented in very easy-to-read ways.
December 25, 2017
I loved the book’s content - it was actually very interesting and informative, and showed me different ways to deal with my mental health by relating it to Harry Potter. However, it is very poorly written. There are so many typos and grammatical errors, and a lot of sentences don’t even make sense. Characters’ names are sometimes even spelled wrong. This upset me because it made it hard to read, but I liked the actual content a lot.
June 19, 2020
Harry Potter fandom -book readers, movie watchers (although it's not the same as the books!), and the hybrids who have double-dipped but prefer the books- insists on the series being more than just that. As an emotionally committed (virtual) member of the Harry Potter community and having experienced healing first-hand by the hands of the paperback(s), I am inclined to believe and agree that this "children's book" serves a higher purpose. What's even more amazing is that there are so many fans out there turning their therapeutic healing into creativity. And creativity such as this, sourced from a place of personal growth, engenders and encourages the same in the receivers. Harry Potter Therapy by Janina Scarlet is one such beautiful piece of genuine love - snuck among words and staked into pages.
Among the many things I am grateful for, my supervisor from my previous place of work takes the top spot in my professional life. It was she who taught and encouraged me to bring myself into the therapy room without any kind of armor; it was she who encouraged me to use current pop culture into my sessions with children and teens. It was eye-opening! Incidentally, it was also she who gave me this book as a farewell gift knowing my ardent love for the HP series.
This title is like a two-way mirror; it can be used for personal introspection (as I have), or/and it can be used in the therapy with a client who relates to the series (as I am going to). The author has employed the analogy of several spells in addressing commonly used negative coping strategies and she provides healthy incantations to overcome the former. She also includes anecdotes from fans who have channelized their healing into creative fanfictions, cosplay, and other artistic endeavors. She provides worksheets to work through and a healthy dose of no-nonsense reality bites in digestible chunks. There is a lot of character analysis with an intent to uncover and embrace the grey underlying the black and the white, which in my opinion is not only vital but also lacking in most of us. It's not a heavy read, but I took my time with it. In my opinion, chewing on it is most required for effective rumination and application. Perhaps the only con I can think of is editing errors here and there, nothing disruptive. 4 stars.
#bibliophilesbookreview
#selfdevelopment
#psychotherapy
#harrypotter
#harrypottertherapy
#janinascarlet
Link to my blog 👇
https://borrowedforlightreadingandpad...
Among the many things I am grateful for, my supervisor from my previous place of work takes the top spot in my professional life. It was she who taught and encouraged me to bring myself into the therapy room without any kind of armor; it was she who encouraged me to use current pop culture into my sessions with children and teens. It was eye-opening! Incidentally, it was also she who gave me this book as a farewell gift knowing my ardent love for the HP series.
This title is like a two-way mirror; it can be used for personal introspection (as I have), or/and it can be used in the therapy with a client who relates to the series (as I am going to). The author has employed the analogy of several spells in addressing commonly used negative coping strategies and she provides healthy incantations to overcome the former. She also includes anecdotes from fans who have channelized their healing into creative fanfictions, cosplay, and other artistic endeavors. She provides worksheets to work through and a healthy dose of no-nonsense reality bites in digestible chunks. There is a lot of character analysis with an intent to uncover and embrace the grey underlying the black and the white, which in my opinion is not only vital but also lacking in most of us. It's not a heavy read, but I took my time with it. In my opinion, chewing on it is most required for effective rumination and application. Perhaps the only con I can think of is editing errors here and there, nothing disruptive. 4 stars.
#bibliophilesbookreview
#selfdevelopment
#psychotherapy
#harrypotter
#harrypottertherapy
#janinascarlet
Link to my blog 👇
https://borrowedforlightreadingandpad...
December 7, 2022
It has been more than a year since I have written a review or updated my Booksta. This book is one that has inspired me to start up again.
I am a survivor of multiple traumas and abuse. I struggle mightily with the Depression Dementors, PTSD Death Eaters, and Anxiety Boggarts. I feel that just reading Harry Potter Therapy has done more for me than any of the hospitals, therapists, ECT sessions, or other books. Thanks to Dr. Janina, I was able to take advice I’ve heard all my life (mindfulness, you are not your experiences, self compassion, etc.), and find meaningful ways to actually practice these concepts by applying the world of Hogwarts to my Muggle life.
I do a yearly reread of the series (sorry, the movies left too much out for me) and never realized how healing the series is. Sure, it’s my Patronus and helps me feel as cozy and warm as a glass of Butterbeer, but there’s so much more. The parallels of “Sectumsempra” and “Petrificus Totalus” and what they mean in the real world, for example.
I was too busy reading to take notes, but definitely plan on rereading again soon and annotating. Possibly the Mindfulness/Essence of Dittany chapter was the most helpful for me. I have and had so many books, DVDs, and apps on meditation, but Dr. Janina’s methods look like something I can actually do (and have fun doing).
I look forward to reading her other books especially GoT and TWD!), but this will be the one kept on my nightstand that I keep returning to and returning to.
I am a survivor of multiple traumas and abuse. I struggle mightily with the Depression Dementors, PTSD Death Eaters, and Anxiety Boggarts. I feel that just reading Harry Potter Therapy has done more for me than any of the hospitals, therapists, ECT sessions, or other books. Thanks to Dr. Janina, I was able to take advice I’ve heard all my life (mindfulness, you are not your experiences, self compassion, etc.), and find meaningful ways to actually practice these concepts by applying the world of Hogwarts to my Muggle life.
I do a yearly reread of the series (sorry, the movies left too much out for me) and never realized how healing the series is. Sure, it’s my Patronus and helps me feel as cozy and warm as a glass of Butterbeer, but there’s so much more. The parallels of “Sectumsempra” and “Petrificus Totalus” and what they mean in the real world, for example.
I was too busy reading to take notes, but definitely plan on rereading again soon and annotating. Possibly the Mindfulness/Essence of Dittany chapter was the most helpful for me. I have and had so many books, DVDs, and apps on meditation, but Dr. Janina’s methods look like something I can actually do (and have fun doing).
I look forward to reading her other books especially GoT and TWD!), but this will be the one kept on my nightstand that I keep returning to and returning to.
January 12, 2024
A short, very quick read. This was included in the fill-your-kindle for free day. I found everything I wanted to read on Libby was wait listed, so I dug into my kindle for something and tried this since my kids are currently deep into their first go with the HP series.
I’d say a good 3.5 stars- it’s a good self help book with good messages about past trauma, bullying, and self hate. The HP tie-in works some, and other times was a bit forced. It was also strange how some early parts of the series she felt the need to describe, even though they would be instantly known by any HP fan (and let’s be honest, no one unfamiliar with HP is picking up this book), but then references to the Fantastic Beast movies were never given explanations.
Would recommend for adults or teens, there is some mention of self harm and small substance abuse references. I downloaded this already to my middle schooler’s kindle but probably won’t push him to read it for a few more years due to some of those topics, but would be ok if he read it of his own interest (which I doubt he will- my book finds are often only approached by him with hesitation and/or force 😆)
I’d say a good 3.5 stars- it’s a good self help book with good messages about past trauma, bullying, and self hate. The HP tie-in works some, and other times was a bit forced. It was also strange how some early parts of the series she felt the need to describe, even though they would be instantly known by any HP fan (and let’s be honest, no one unfamiliar with HP is picking up this book), but then references to the Fantastic Beast movies were never given explanations.
Would recommend for adults or teens, there is some mention of self harm and small substance abuse references. I downloaded this already to my middle schooler’s kindle but probably won’t push him to read it for a few more years due to some of those topics, but would be ok if he read it of his own interest (which I doubt he will- my book finds are often only approached by him with hesitation and/or force 😆)
September 22, 2022
I feel like this book wasn't written for me, and therefore, I'll keep this review short.
Overall, this is a book for tweens and teens, not adults--even though it isn't exactly marketed that way. I probably wouldn't have normally picked up this book, but it was given to me as a gift, and because of that I powered through what I definitely would have put down otherwise. The therapy concepts in this book are very basic, and I was already familiar with the psychology and coping mechanisms discussed, so it had little to offer.
The reason it gets a two star instead of three star is because I honestly found the fandom within the pages a little weird and on the extreme side. As someone who LOVES Harry Potter and even has engaged in writing fan fics and cosplay, I thought the whole idea of trying to center therapy around Harry Potter concepts totally bizarre and unnecessary. I hope it works for other people, but it certainly did not for me.
Overall, this is a book for tweens and teens, not adults--even though it isn't exactly marketed that way. I probably wouldn't have normally picked up this book, but it was given to me as a gift, and because of that I powered through what I definitely would have put down otherwise. The therapy concepts in this book are very basic, and I was already familiar with the psychology and coping mechanisms discussed, so it had little to offer.
The reason it gets a two star instead of three star is because I honestly found the fandom within the pages a little weird and on the extreme side. As someone who LOVES Harry Potter and even has engaged in writing fan fics and cosplay, I thought the whole idea of trying to center therapy around Harry Potter concepts totally bizarre and unnecessary. I hope it works for other people, but it certainly did not for me.
October 25, 2021
If you can't get enough of Harry Potter this book is great. Also full a practical advice we all can use about mental health. Fans of Harry Potter will understand all the references to characters and their struggles and the author does a good job of explaining the consequences and relationship to our emotions and our health.
Do you charms and potions homework to learn how to use expecto patronum to use in defence against the Dark Arts. Sort yourself in a group you identify with, learn flying meditation and accept you magic fate, along with learning how to set short term and long term goals.
Do you charms and potions homework to learn how to use expecto patronum to use in defence against the Dark Arts. Sort yourself in a group you identify with, learn flying meditation and accept you magic fate, along with learning how to set short term and long term goals.
March 3, 2019
While this is written as a self-help book, I actually purchased it to see if it can be used in clinical practice. I am doing school based therapy for my clinical internship and I found many of the exercises were very easy to adapt as visualization techniques. Probably my favorite is the boggart exercise! My clients love when they see me carrying my Harry Potter wands into the school! Fantastic job! I will definitely be sharing this book with other clinicians in my office!
October 9, 2024
Watching or reading Harry Potter has always been a kinda theraphy for me and always makes me feel at home and welcome, this book is showing me so much more opportunities to connect Harry Potter with my life and it makes me kinda excited.
I mostly did not do the exercises in the book, but I'm taking a positive feeling with me and I will be more mindful and keep my goals in mind.
And the next time re-watching Harry Potter I will think about this book and see even more connections. ❤️
I mostly did not do the exercises in the book, but I'm taking a positive feeling with me and I will be more mindful and keep my goals in mind.
And the next time re-watching Harry Potter I will think about this book and see even more connections. ❤️
August 14, 2020
A magical insight into your mental health
I'm a proud Potterhead and have suffered for years with my mental health, but this book has been the Lumos charm I needed to unlock the next step of my recovery. Simple but deceptively powerful in its approach, I would recommend this to anyone in a similar situation.
I'm a proud Potterhead and have suffered for years with my mental health, but this book has been the Lumos charm I needed to unlock the next step of my recovery. Simple but deceptively powerful in its approach, I would recommend this to anyone in a similar situation.
September 4, 2020
I read, like, 2 pages and then I felt like this is one of those books that encourage the use of safe rooms and trigger warnings and just general snowflakiness. The Harry Potter premise is awesome, but that's where the attraction ends and it becomes a soapbox for an adult that panders the 'need' for kids to get trophies for participating. Not for me.
December 9, 2020
A self help book for some of the psychological issues and the ways to tackle it with relatable examples of events and characters from Harry Potter series, how Harry, his friends and teachers handled such situations. The author did a good job. Suited for a Harry Potter fan.
March 16, 2021
I really liked how this book compared harry potter things like boggarts to anxiety and depression things.
I did really enjoy this book, and I think a few of the strategies helped me. Some strategies did not work, but I don't think every coping strategy will work for every person, so I don't think that that should take anything away.
Overall, I did really enjoy this book.
I did really enjoy this book, and I think a few of the strategies helped me. Some strategies did not work, but I don't think every coping strategy will work for every person, so I don't think that that should take anything away.
Overall, I did really enjoy this book.
September 25, 2020
Not what I was looking for.
October 19, 2022
The book has mistakes in its font and spelling. the author has shown a good story and points but lacks in clarity .
January 8, 2023
A great self help book using Harry Potter as a connecting point. It would be nice to have some trigger warnings, especially with the personal stories told. All in all Scarlet does a great job taking the themes of Harry Potter and applying them to the psychological realm.
June 8, 2024
I absolutely love this book. I could see myself in it. There were moments when I wanted to cry as I saw my struggles and traumas. However I wanted more I wanted more tips especially in the self compassion because it’s not simple. It is very hard when you extend the courtesy of compassion to people and can’t do it to yourself. But overall it’s a very good book and very beneficial. I also loved how Harry Potter is used in the book and the references to Harry Potter.
Full review would be out soon on tiktok
Full review would be out soon on tiktok
July 3, 2022
I read the HP books in my teens and this book definitely made me not only appreciate the beloved Harry Potter series more but also understand how and why the books made such a huge impact on the readers.
July 21, 2023
there is no trigger warnings at the beginning of the book.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews