My Therapist Says: Advice You Should Probably (Not) Follow

by My Therapist Says

From the team behind the super-popular Instagram @MyTherapistSays comes this humorous guide that chronicles the exhausting task of navigating the daily, anxiety-ridden struggle that we fondly call life. Including hilarious memes MTS is known and loved for, along with checklists, prompts, questions from readers, and more, My Therapist Says is the guide you need to achieve your goals, one wrong turn at a time.

Have you ever wanted something, pursued it (albeit not quite as gracefully as you would’ve hoped), failed, and then genuinely asked yourself the question, “Am I delusional?” Well, that’s how I began penning this magnum opus. Like the Buddhist’s have their Tripitaka, you have . . . moi. And my therapist, though it’s unlikely she’ll admit this in public. On the receiving end of one ghosting session? Needing a way to leave a work function without looking like a buzzkill? Having a hard time developing amnesia about your last relationship? Fear not, as I cover everything from circumstantial etiquette to blissful delusion when necessary.

So, grab a pen, a box of tissues, a glass of wine, and your bestie, because sh*t is about to get real. And remember, be yourself, be kind, and all that jazz, unless you’re a Susan*. If that’s the case, try to be literally anyone else. Ugh, my therapist hates that I wrote that.

*Susan: Noun and verb. Unpleasant, annoying, and delusional, the Susan is somebody who is literally awful in every way, is liked by no one, but has no clue, no matter how many open clues you give her. If you roll your eyes at this, you’re probably a Susan. Uses: Susaning, Susanism.

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction, Humor, Psychology

240 pages, Hardcover

Published October 6, 2020

Reviews

[Madara · Rating 1 out of 5]

So... I kind of, sort of finished this one over a month ago and just kind of sort of forgot to review it... Oooops...
I'll start with the positives - the book is beautifully illustrated. And that's pretty much it...
Before I started reading My Therapist Says: Advice You Should Probably (Not) Follow, I checked out their Instagram page. There's meme after a meme. After a meme. After a meme... I do love a good meme. But this book... Oh boy... Some things should stay memes.
Obviously this is my subjective opinion of this book and I know a lot of people will love how it's written and the advice it gives. But the advice in this book is just awful. And yes, you should NEVER follow this person's advice. She says so herself! Book is filled with stereotypes and made me roll my eyes. I'm all for ranty and sarcastic writing style but this was not enjoyable.

Review copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Amy Burt · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a big fan of the My Therapist Says Instagram account, I was very excited to get to read this book. So many of the accounts memes are ones I don’t just laugh to but relate to and this book, written by the women who run this account, feels just as familiar in tone.
Broken down into different sections, dealing with relationships, friendships, career and adulting (as well as a few other areas covered in between), this books offers informal self-help, broken up with colourful illustrations and checklists. Some of the advice is actually very helpful and inspiring, like a good friend talking to you, and some of it is the drunk stranger in the ladies on every night out - full of pep talk your sober self absolutely should not follow. These latter moments are clearly hyperbolic and are indicated by the ‘therapist’ interrupting to tell you how wrong this advice is, but it’ll make you chuckle nonetheless. This isn’t just a book to make you laugh and it’s not a book talking at you, it’s a book that hands you a glass of wine and sits down for a chat.
This book really is just a lovely reminder that we’re all a bit of a mess and we’re all making it up as we go along and that’s okay. It’s funny and it’s comforting and there will be many moments when you feel like they’re looking right at you and speaking to you.
Thank you NetGalley for the early copy to review :)

[Scott Douglas Clary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the preview and watched the livestream - heard some parts.

What was refreshing was that the writing was satirical, authentic and relatable - all coming from a place of love and authenticity.

This is adding a great depth to the brand and shows another lense of "MTS" - one that is markedly different than the original meme content, yet still incredibly valuable in the tumultuous and stressed out world we're currently living in, in 2020.

[Anastasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘My Therapist Says: Advice you should probably (not) follow’ is your new bestie. I could not put this book down! I read it twice already, will absolutely be reading it over and over again. I love that so many people can relate to all the different aspects of this book. Along with the funny, witty tone it has you laughing and agreeing with the my therapist says team all the way through! The artwork and memes mixed in throughout creates a beautiful look and flow. 100% recommend this book and will definitely be getting copies for all my friends!

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've come across memes from My Therapist Says before but was not a follower of the account until now. I got early access to the book and wasn't sure if it would be for me at first but was very pleasantly surprised!!

Really funny book overall and well written! I found the topics interesting and the stories were well told. While not all the advice in the book should be taken seriously, I do think that it helped me gain some real insights into how women think. Even though it's satire, I think they did a good job at destigmatizing a lot of mental health issues that are prevalent, now more than ever. As someone who struggles with anxiety, I felt very understood and connected to the authors.

Loved the book and hope they release more soon!

[Ännä · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re a fan of My Therapist Says you’ll love this book! It is targeted at an audience that is navigating dating and relationships and gives fun, snarky, yet down to Earth advice. A quick fun read!

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been a huge fan of the @MyTherapistSays Instagram account for awhile. Even if you're not in therapy, their posts and memes are incredibly relatable and funny. The book is written from one girl's point of view (even though the account is actually by several women) with interjections from her therapist. The interruptions from the therapist were my favorite part because they were both insightful and necessary to counter some of the more ridiculous or silly suggestions.

The book covers a wide variety of topics and is written as sort of a how-to guide for millennial women. It feels like no subject is left out - from dating and friendships to career and horoscopes, There are hilarious anecdotes, feminist encouragements, pages to journal some of your goals, and even a few make-your-own-meme pages to get you inspired for your own Instagram account.

"My Therapist Says" is definitely for a specific audience and demographic (which I happen to fit in perfectly). So, I'd steer clear of this if you aren't a millennial woman wanting some self-help guidance to improve your life. Oh and now I want my therapist to write a book with me!

*Free ARC provided by Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group - Rock Point in exchange for an honest review*

[Ancillar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guys this is the funniest and catchy book I have read in months. I absolutely feel like me and the authors are now friends.My therapist says is a self help book that needs to be digested with an antiacid nearby because it's a lot of fun 😂The book is divided into sections that include relationships, friendships,career and adulting . Every section has colorful illustrations and checklist which I loved so much . The advice in the book was a mixed bag some of it was helpful and inspiring and some of it I wouldn't dare try out at all. Overally the book was such a delight to read as it felt like a conversation with a friend who doesn't judge you and all. Bonus points was that it was so cute . Huge thanks to the publisher for my copy

[Oxana Tomova · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Therapist Says is a guide to life. A humorous one, full of advice that you should probably (not) follow.
While I found some of the advice to be extreme at moments, it's all sarcastic about the crazy ideas it presents (mostly). After all, we all have that little crazy voice in our head and indulging in some crazy unrealistic scenarios can be a great outlet when life is going sideways.
I quite enjoyed the book, although at times I had to Google pop references every few minutes, as, for example, I never even knew that Mariah Carey was even married. If you're like me and many famous people's names and stories are unknown to you, the book is still a nice read, with a few missed jokes.
I'd recommend the book specifically to the age range of 16-25, but everyone with some life experience will be able to have some fun while reading.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Rock Point for providing me with an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.*

[Brenna Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got to read an advance copy of this book, and I really have nothing but great things to say. Share it with the women in your life, read it to bring a little bit of joy to your own!!

[Kate Henderson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not at all what I expected. Very different from what was advertised.

I really did not like this book. I didn't find it funny. I found it to be very flippant, and disrespectful.
After struggling with my own mental health previously, I don't think this book does any good for promoting mental health.

I do not recommend whatsoever, and am surprised this book has even been published!!

[Layla Perrasucci · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been following the MyTherapistSays instagram account for years and was so excited to find out they have a book. Thank god I got my hands on it because I was HOWLING with every page turn. Literally laughed out loud so many times, my husband started to get annoyed with me whilst he was working from home. The advice is meant to be tongue-in-cheek, like the bad advice your bestie gives you after a few tequila shots. I love when the therapist steps in as well and tells the writer to chill. There's also some really fun meme-like illustrations and interactive pages (checklists, diary pages etc.) Whatever you do, don't take this book too seriously- it's satire! I will definitely be recommending this book to all my girls and will be ordering some copies for a fun easy Christmas gift! Love it!

[Jennifer Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a follower of the My Therapist Says Instagram account, I was excited to review this book. What was most interesting is that it’s written from the perspective of one person, but a group of sisters wrote it together. The pages are easy to read quickly and skimmable. I like the interactiveness, the color, and overall aesthetic. The book is humorous and relatable but still touches on some important topics and gets you thinking. I think this is a good fit for a Millenial or Gen Zer but I’m not sure anyone older would appreciate the style or cultural references.

Thank you to NetGalley, the authors, and the publisher for this ARC.

[Kristina Aziz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received an electronic advanced copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Things I love: The aesthetics, how easy it was to read, the journal pages at the end, and the graphics

Things I certainly wasn't mad at: the astrology, adulting, and office life sections

Thing I personally could have done without: how long the relationships section was. I don't think relationships need that much attention but I understand others may love that about this book.

[Jessie Li · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun quirky read! I am not a follower of my therapist says but I still enjoyed this book. It’s told from a singular perspective of a girl and her therapist’s opinions. Many of the stories and lessons were engaging and funny. I really enjoyed the therapist’s input and the illustrations were such a lovely touch.

[Libby · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yes, I did spend all day reading and only got about half of my school work done that I wanted to. It is alright though because I cannot possibly imagine having to read this book over the course of several days. Aside from the grammatical errors throughout the text (hint: the plural of Mallory is Mallorys and OCD is not an adjective), this book made a lot of generalizing statements and, quite frankly, was not as funny as I was expecting it to be. The aesthetic of the book and its layout, however was quite nice and visually appealing. All in all, this one gets a "MEH" from me.

[Tina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a book from the team behind mytherapistsays on Instagram. I personally am not a huge instagram user so had never come across their posts before discovering this book. The book is divided into sections such as relationships, work, astrology, friends, self care. The author in her fun way will advise on all these topics and at the end the therapist will add her thoughts. In each section there is a readers question which the author answers and then again the therapist may or not chip in.

I thought that this book would be a fun quirky read, something of a pallet cleanser between thrillers. I do agree that this book is fun and quirky but it is definitely not aimed at my age group. As a 48 year old married mum of two I couldn’t relate to much in this book and if it wasn’t for the tongue in cheek humour and picture quotations that broke the text up I really would have struggled to finish. I would say that this book is aimed more at women in their late teens to mid twenties but I think that it really depends on what stage in your life you are at.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing for this delightfully helpful (and hilarious) book.

I was not familiar with the Instagram account, but I will definitely be following it now. This book has advice, sure, but there are also excellent memes, thought-provoking lists, and questions to spark thought in the reader. Plus, commentary on how said therapist rolls their eyes, shakes their head, and practically begs the reader not to take some of the tongue-in-cheek advice.

If you’re a fan of the Instagram account, or just love infusing humor into even he darkest parts of humanity, this book is for you. I have struggled with anxiety and the mental effects of chronic pain for years, and anything that can help me see some of those things in a lighter way is a-ok in my book. Plus, there are gems of wisdom in between the sardonic humor.

It’s out now if you are so inclined, so check it out via your fav, local bookstore or request through your library.

[(a)lyss(a) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn't familiar with the My Therapist Says instagram so it's on me for diving into this book.

I expected something quirky and funny and easy to read. This book was surprisingly dense and full of long paragraphs. There are lots of pages that say things like #bossbabe and the book relies heavily on stereotypes. There's a whole section on astrology and relationships and categorization by women's names. There's a lot more advice from the author and there is their therapist which isn't what I was hoping for from this book.

It's a fairly high level book that doesn't have much advice that I personally would find useful. It feels like it's trying very hard to be funny and misses the mark for me.

Overall I'm not sure that I'm the demographic for this book.

[Caroline · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not a fan of this book at all. It describes people and situations in an overly generalizing and stereotyping way to a point that it actually made me mad. The only positive thing I’ll say about this is that it was a fast and easy read due to how simplistic it was written, or maybe it was fast because I forced myself to just finish it already so I could move on to better and more fun books.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very funny, smart, and the artwork was cute. If you follow this account, be sure to read this!

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I bought this I had no idea that it was an Instagram page nor did I realise who the book was aimed at. I, like many others who have reviewed it, thought it was genuine thoughts from a person or persons in therapy, and perhaps the thoughts of a therapist themselves. It isn't. It's rather a collection of thoughts (possibly from the Instagram page that has gained quite the following) and rather immature life advice from the narrator's point of view, with her therapist's comments interjected in between. The book itself is gorgeous, the cover and the illustrations throughout absolutely lovely. However, that doesn't make up for the fact that overall the book is mostly full of 'advice' for girls in their teens or early twenties. I didn't realise that when I bought it. I suspect that it would be very well liked by a much younger audience at whom it's clearly aimed.

[Mariah · Rating 1 out of 5]

A successful Instagram does not a book make. I really like the My Therapist Says insta, but this book....major, major miss. I got nothing from it- I kind of expected it to be self-help, or something like Feminist Fight Club (humorous, but also helpful). Instead, it was just....I’m not even sure. Filler? Fluff? I really can’t describe it because I didn’t get why it existed. I received it as a galley copy and I’m really glad I didn’t pay money for it.

[Silvia · Rating 3 out of 5]

"At this point I'm overthinking my overthinking."

Maybe it was actually a 2.5 rating but I feel generous.

I follow the Instagram account and the memes make me crack, so when I saw they wrote a book I said why not.
It's a fun-and-games kind of book, one that you know you read for the easy laughter. There is also some of what I think is supposed to be real life advice in there among all the jokes, but I think it's aimed more to a younger public. I find it difficult for mature adults to actually relate to anything written in here.
Overall it was an ok read, and I loved the illustrations. I would say if you are looking for an easy laugh, you can just follow the Instagram account for free, though.

"Will this matter in five years? If no, chill the fuck out."

-

Seguo l'account Instagram di Mytherapistsays e quando ho visto che avevano scritto un libro mi sono detta perché no? In fondo i meme e l'Instagram mi fanno divertire un sacco di solito.
E' uno di quei libri che leggi solo perché sai ti farà ridere senza lasciarti davvero nulla. Ci sono anche parti pensate più come veri consigli di vita, ma onestamente penso che solo il pubblico più giovane possa davvero immedesimarsi e prenderli sul serio. Se hai più di diciannove / vent'anni la vedo difficile.
Tutto sommato è stato un libro facile e scorrevole, non mi ha dato molto ma le illustrazioni erano bellissime. Se volete solo ridere però vi consiglio di seguire l'account Instagram che fate prima ed è pure gratis.

[Valerie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh

"(...) if you take anything away from any part of this book, it's that you need to enjoy the life you have, because tomorrow, as we've seen, isn't guaranteed. Our lives are our own, so make your poor choices, laugh at your misfortune, learn to have fun in even the most ridiculous situations, because when you're looking back on these years later in life, you'll want to be able to say that you did it all, without fear of failure or judgment."

This book is written by the creators of the "My therapist says" instagram account. It is written in first person form in the voice of a girl, giving advice on life, relationships, jobs and friends. Her therapist sometimes chimes in as well. The tone of the book is kept light, sometimes funny or sarcastic.

I know the instagram account, which is mostly memes, and thought this book might be a fun read. The book is an easy, sometimes fun read and did make me laugh from time to time. However, I constantly felt too old for this book or this sort of advice. The book seems to be marketed for women in their early to mid twenties or even late teens. Also, it feels like the authors sometimes tried too hard to be funny. So, even though I was hoping to enjoy this book, it is not my cup of tea!

[Randi A · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been a big fan of the Insta account @mytherapistsays for years now and was excited to learn there was to be a book (which I found out through Netgalley and not on social media?), but this didn't quite work for me. Something about the format didn't quite translate. I thought the illustrations were amazing (frankly, I'd love to see more of them on the social media account!), but I found myself skimming over a lot of the text as it was all stuff I'd read before, more importantly, in a voice I had heard before. I imagine this being a cute coffee table book, one I may browse and read a page or two while waiting for a friend to finish getting ready, but I don't think it has much use beyond that.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Vicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was not a total fan of the book, but I thought parts of it were hilarious. I had no clue who was writing the book or that it was a take off from a group of friends from Instagram. I have since got onto the Instagram page and have found it to be a little bit more humorous.

I have a daughter who is a therapist and had her look the book over and she was also not overly impressed with some of the characterizations. However, it is a group’s viewpoint.

I did like the graphics of the book and the overall look of the book. It was not exactly what I was expecting from the excerpt depicting what the book was going to be about.

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.

[Bretta · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Therapist Says is a fun, humorous look at advice.

Along with the not so great relatable advice you would expect from a friend or co-worker, you get the professional opinion of a therapist. The expert advice and take on a situation.

It is a quick book that doesn’t have to be read in page order. I also really enjoyed the aesthetic of the book. The lists and graphics went well with the theme of the book.

All together I think this would be a great gifting book. It is a mixture of a self help/advice book and entertainment book. It is funny and sarcastic with useful information.

*I received this book from Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group- Rock Point in exchange for my honest review

[sinag · Rating 1 out of 5]

1/5 stars!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The only good thing I got from this book is that there's an eye-pleasing color scheme inside. The rest is just so disappointing. I thought I'm going to read the next Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, but surprise, I just got annoyed while reading this book. The content is totally not what I expected. I expect a lot more insights from the therapist themselves, but what I got is just a bunch of stories I didn't care to know about. I also didn't like the writing at all. Such a waste of potential to become a good book.

[joyce w. laudon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some readers will know that My Therapist Says is not only the title of this book but, in addition, something that can be followed on Instagram. Readers should know that this is a somewhat tongue in cheek title and not straight advice. Once readers know that, they may find it to be an enjoyable read.

The book is divided into a number of sections. A few of these include Am I a CEO yet?; You Can’t Leave, You’re My Only Friend; and Mom! The Meatloaf!.

This title should appeal to those who enjoy My Therapist Says on Instagram. It was not really for me though.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.