Explore

Book recommendations are provided for educational and personal growth purposes. They are not a substitute for professional counseling or medical advice. Inclusion on this list does not imply endorsement of every viewpoint expressed by the author.

Clay Counseling Recommended Reading Library

Counselor's Top Recommendations

  • Boundaries — Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend

  • The Body Keeps the Score — Dr. Bessel van der Kolk

  • Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents — Dr. Lindsay C. Gibson

  • Soul Care — Dr. Rob Reimer

  • Are You Really OK? — Debra Fileta

  • The Five Love Languages — Dr. Gary Chapman

  • Life's Healing Choices — John Baker

  • Emotionally Healthy Spirituality — Peter Scazzero

  • Atomic Habits — James Clear

  • Forgiving What You Can't Forget — Lysa TerKeurst

Journey of Me

  • Atomic Habits — James Clear

  • The Gifts of Imperfection — Brené Brown

  • Daring Greatly — Brené Brown

  • Changes That Heal — Dr. Henry Cloud

  • Necessary Endings — Dr. Henry Cloud

  • Are You Really OK? — Debra Fileta

  • Soul Care — Dr. Rob Reimer

  • Life's Healing Choices — John Baker

  • The Purpose Driven Life — Rick Warren

  • The Road Back to You — Ian Morgan Cron & Suzanne Stabile

Journey of Couples

  • The Five Love Languages — Dr. Gary Chapman

  • Sacred Marriage — Gary Thomas

  • Boundaries in Marriage — Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend

  • Love & Respect — Dr. Emerson Eggerichs

  • Men Are Like Waffles, Women Are Like Spaghetti — Bill & Pam Farrel

  • How We Love — Milan & Kay Yerkovich

  • You and Me Forever — Francis & Lisa Chan

  • Marriage Mentor Manual — Kris Reece

Journey of Parenting

  • Parenting — Dr. Paul David Tripp

  • Boundaries with Kids — Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend

  • The Difficult Child — Dr. Stanley Turecki

  • Shepherding a Child's Heart — Tedd Tripp

  • Parenting with Love and Logic — Foster Cline & Jim Fay

  • Age of Opportunity — Dr. Paul David Tripp

Journey of Families

  • Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents — Dr. Lindsay C. Gibson

  • The Smart Stepfamily — Ron Deal

  • Making Peace with Your Past — Tim Sledge

  • The Emotionally Destructive Relationship — Leslie Vernick

  • The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work — Dr. John Gottman

Journey of Mental Health

  • The Body Keeps the Score — Dr. Bessel van der Kolk

  • Anxious for Nothing — Max Lucado

  • Winning the War in Your Mind — Craig Groeschel

  • Get Out of Your Head — Jennie Allen

  • Overcoming Anxiety — Dr. David A. Clark

  • Healing Is a Choice — Stephen Arterburn

Journey of Faith

  • Soul Care — Dr. Rob Reimer

  • Emotionally Healthy Spirituality — Peter Scazzero

  • Celebration of Discipline — Richard Foster

  • Experiencing God — Henry Blackaby

  • Victory Over the Darkness — Dr. Neil T. Anderson

  • The Purpose Driven Life — Rick Warren

  • Mere Christianity — C. S. Lewis

  • Knowing God — J. I. Packer

  • Disciples Are Made, Not Born — Walter A. Henrichsen

Journey of Community

  • Safe People — Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend

  • Codependent No More — Melody Beattie

  • The Peacemaker — Ken Sande

  • The Relationship Principles of Jesus — Tom Holladay

Journey of Caregiving

  • When God Weeps — Joni Eareckson Tada & Steven Estes

  • A Grace Disguised — Jerry Sittser

  • Walking with God Through Pain and Suffering — Timothy Keller

  • The Caregiver's Survival Handbook — Alexis Abramson

Journey of Life Transitions

  • Necessary Endings — Dr. Henry Cloud

  • It's Not Supposed to Be This Way — Lysa TerKeurst

  • Forgiving What You Can't Forget — Lysa TerKeurst

  • Good Boundaries and Goodbyes — Lysa TerKeurst

  • It's OK That You're Not OK — Megan Devine

  • Let Me Grieve, But Not Forever — Verdell Davis

Journey of Adulthood

  • The Purpose Driven Life — Rick Warren

  • Intentional Living — Dr. John C. Maxwell

  • The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People — Stephen R. Covey

  • Developing the Leader Within You 2.0 — Dr. John C. Maxwell

Journey of Childhood

  • The Difficult Child — Dr. Stanley Turecki

  • Boundaries with Kids — Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend

  • Shepherding a Child's Heart — Tedd Tripp

  • Parenting with Love and Logic — Foster Cline & Jim Fay

Women's Growth

  • The God-Created Woman — Dr. Deborah Newman

  • Woman, Thou Art Loosed! — Bishop T. D. Jakes

  • Forgiving What You Can't Forget — Lysa TerKeurst

  • Good Boundaries and Goodbyes — Lysa TerKeurst

  • It's Not Supposed to Be This Way — Lysa TerKeurst

  • Uninvited — Lysa TerKeurst

  • Captivating — John & Stasi Eldredge

  • Lies Women Believe — Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth

Christian Counseling

  • The Christian Counselor's Manual — Dr. Jay E. Adams

  • Competent to Counsel — Dr. Jay E. Adams

  • The Wounded Heart — Dr. Dan Allender

  • Mending the Soul — Steven R. Tracy & Celestia Tracy

  • The Emotionally Destructive Relationship — Leslie Vernick

  • Boundaries — Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend

  • The Body Keeps the Score — Dr. Bessel van der Kolk

Bible Study

  • Bible Overview — Rose Publishing

  • Rose Book of Bible Charts, Maps & Time Lines — Rose Publishing

  • How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth — Gordon Fee & Douglas Stuart

  • Halley's Bible Handbook — Dr. Henry H. Halley

  • The Bible Knowledge Commentary — John Walvoord & Roy Zuck

Kris Reece Resources

  • The Marriage Mentor Manual — Kris Reece

  • The Spirit-Led Life — Kris Reece

  • Free Yourself Be Yourself — Kris Reece

  • Build a Beautiful Life Out of Broken Pieces — Kris Reece

Lysa TerKeurst Collection

  • Forgiving What You Can't Forget

  • Good Boundaries and Goodbyes

  • It's Not Supposed to Be This Way

  • Uninvited

  • You're Going to Make It