Sessions

by Brian Townsend

A reluctant Mason Bracher finds himself standing in Dr. Kimberly McKnight’s living room ready for a fight. This is not a physical fight, which he would easily win, but a battle of the minds. Over time, a deeper relationship begins to develop, and the commonalities they share with one another prove the power of healing on an individual level. Minute by minute and session by session, McKnight studies her client’s every move, every word. Mason, determined to stay guarded, quickly finds his reluctance eroding, and it is in these open moments that we learn the truth behind his broken past, his present heartbreak, and the implications his words and actions have on their shared future. Together, the two struggle through their journey, proving that seeking help has the power to change the course of lives.

Genres: Fiction

234 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 30, 2020

About the author

Brian Townsend is a middle school literacy teacher in Chicago, Illinois. "Sessions" is his debut novel. He lives in Illinois with his wife and children.

Reviews

[Carolyn Eady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent debut novel! The scenes and characters are so well set, you can imagine being in the room with each of them. A story which normalizes talking about mental health and pushing through weakness to find true strength, this novel finds you reflecting on your own journeys. What makes this novel so great is how relatable it will be to many readers.

[Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel takes you on a journey of traditional themes with a flair of progressive and modern challenges. The writing leaves no detail unshared, causing the characters and setting to jump off the page. It emits a spectrum of emotions as we follow characters from varying backgrounds and ethnicities. This book will subtly challenge your innate assumptions and surprise you when they are proven so obviously incorrect. This book highlights tales of love and struggle while lowlighting some pertinent issues in today's world. No spoilers here. Just go read it!!

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! The characters are wonderfully complex, yet relatable. I found myself staying up late to read "one more page" just to find out how all of their storylines would come together. The plot has some great twists that are unexpected, but still make complete sense. The writing is just beautiful and so touching.

[Brittani · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book. I'm so glad I stumbled upon this book. A beautiful story that leaves you focusing on the joys in life

[Patrick Greenwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

A painful yet inspired journey into a soul of a person yet to discover his own self.

[Lauren (runningonwords) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love when stories with multiple storylines or narrators have incredible characters and plot lines that make it hard to pick a favorite. It was a bummer when each chapter ended because that character’s narrative was ending, but it only took a few lines into the next page to get sucked back into the complexity of SESSIONS. The best way I can describe the progression of this book is an HBO mini-series - multiple parallel storylines intersecting and unfolding as the story progresses.

[ cw/tw ] : fatal car crash, maternal mortality, nicotine/smoking, alcohol addiction, homophobia, racism, paternal abandonment

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

📕 REVIEW 📕
Sessions by Brian Townsend

Likes:
🧠 “Hiding your emotions doesn’t make you more powerful.” —this reminds me of the wonderful Brene brown and how she describes hiding our emotions comes out in other ways such as defensiveness and anger. Mason’s definitely comes out in some anger.
🧠 Dr. McKnight is a BOSS!!! Her use of confrontation during sessions with Mason is magical and something I strive for in sessions with students. She also says/ Brian writes, Therapists are not there to give you answers or advice. You have that on your own. We just help you think about things differently.
🧠 The connection between characters.
🧠 The symbolism of owls throughout the book was honestly SO beautiful.

Dislikes
😭 For this pregnant mama, there were bits that were getting me choked up… and the fact that my due date holds significance in this story. Brace yourself.

Reminds me …
🦉 Grief stays with you. It just changes over time.
🦉 We are all connected in 1 way or another, we just have to listen to others stories.

Rating ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Thank you Brian for the gifted copy! And congrats on your debut novel!

[Jim Townsend · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was not sure what to think when I started this novel by first time author Brian Townsend, but couldn't wait to restart it once I put it down. You know the characters intertwine somehow, you just can't figure out how. The characters are believable and you actually "root" for some of them. There is a little bit of everything in this novel; heartache, heartbreak, power, empathy, and in the end happiness ,sadness, and relief.
It is a read that leaves you wanting to know what lies ahead for the characters, and you can't ask for more than that.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading the book. I liked how the characters developed over time and how their relationships are intertwined. I feel like society only shows male characters as "macho," but Sessions shows that men can have emotions and truly become the men they want to be with the help of therapy. Mason Bracher's story will melt your heart and you'll continue to root for him throughout the whole story. Dr. McKnight's patience and acceptance of Mason throughout their sessions normalizes therapy, and shows that it's not a sign of weakness, but helps you become your best self.

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a book that I could not put down. I needed to know more about the characters and I needed to know how they connected. Townsend did an incredible job at weaving multiple stories together while also making me reflect on my own life and relationships. I felt like I got to know the characters along the way and I did not want the book to end. Go read this book.

[Spencer Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put Sessions down! I read the entire book in one sitting because I was so captivated by the stories of each character and wanted to know what would happen next. Each character's story is engaging in their own way, and they were beautifully woven together so effortlessly. It was funny, relatable, heartbreaking at times, and thought provoking. Do yourself a favor and read this book!

[Molly Shaikewitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this debut novel. I was hooked from the beginning. I loved how the story lines intertwined. I was so invested in the characters that I got emotional as their stories unfolded. What a great read. I can't wait to read more from this author.

[Emily Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book that demonstrates the power of therapy and acceptance. I read this book so quickly and instantly wished to restart. Excellently written, beautiful story!

[Moris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Elenchus. Freudian-Jungian psychoanalysis. Techniques immediately used by the psychiatrist as soon as the MC enters the office. The almost accusatory reverse-psychology reminds one of palm-readers and fortune-tellers—their ominous inquisition meant to confuse and even gaslight clients into acquiescing in the unbearable clasp of Barnum. LOL I couldn’t help myself :p

For some reason I had thought that the person attending the "sessions" was a girl. Perhaps there were some not very subtle red herrings; the way the repartee went on and on for example. People of the male persuasion, at least in my experience, don't speak like that, but the female do. I have enjoyed the conversations, although at times they felt forced and unnatural.

Some events were dragged on to a considerable length without the commensurable pay-off, especially in the beginning at the party. Also, what happened to the robbery case that led to the death of Dontrell? Maybe I missed it but I don't remember there being any clarity in regards to what actually happened.

The LGBT element also felt somewhat contrived and predictable.

Overall, a good story. 3.3/5* rounded down. Would have finished it quicker on my Kindle but I got the physical book from Amazon instead, and I have a tendency to fall asleep reading physical books.

[Lauren Wiegand · Rating 4 out of 5]

Townsend’s debut novel did not disappoint. Sessions is a beautifully written book about coming to terms with the events and emotions that shape our lives. The characters, the metaphors, and tough conversations make this book so relatable and reflective. The underlying theme of overcoming weakness and finding strength through our struggles made this story such a powerful one.
Highly recommend!