This book is written in two parts. The first part is about the human brain and explaining how it works on a day-to-day basis. The second part is the 12 step guide to "wake up" the unconscious part of your brain. I thought it was well written. The anecdotes were impactful and transparent. I could tell the author was authentic in writing the book, which made it feel more interactive to read than just another self-help type book that tells you what to do.

Useful exploration of the complexities of human psychology, emotional processing, and the subconscious mind. Throughout the author addresses how our unconscious influences our behaviors, relationships, and mental well-being. There were some areas that I found myself leaving the book in search of other information. For example, when referencing Helen Buckley's poem "The Little Boy" I would've loved for the poem being referenced to be included right on the page. It was summarized, and I understand that sometimes copyright cannot be granted for reprinting, and I was able to find the pieces elsewhere, but it would've been easier and more seamless if they could have been included.

Your Unconscious is Showing by Courtney Tracy is a “wake up call” kind of a book in two parts. The first half of the book is a primer on the human brain, how it functions and why it functions the way that it does. The second part of the book is a 12 step program on “waking up” and directing your unconscious with consciousness instead of allowing your unconscious to unwittingly call all the shots.

This book is vulnerable and authentically written by Dr. Courtney Tracy. If you have ever followed her on any of her socials, you can almost hear her reading the book to you in your mind. This book does have strong language and anecdotes that are inappropriate for younger audiences— so it’s definitely a book for humans with a fully developed frontal lobe (adults).

Dr. Tracy has a unique approach to describing complex terms in a way that feels friendly and approachable, and everytime you find yourself thinking of times your unconsciousness acted out in cringeworthy ways, Dr. Tracy jumps in with a quick and compassionate “me too” story of her own. The second half of the book feels like something that could be utilized alongside the help of a therapist to assist the process more effectively.

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a conversational self help book by a therapist who herself has BPD. I found it interesting and helpful but very wordy and I personally could do without the swearing and cool girl attitude. I understand that she is someone who is a cool girl despite having a doctorate, but I think she may click more with younger readers because of the tone.

This self-help book goes in depth on how we need to not only pay attention to what we are telling ourselves, but to focus on what is really happening to our body. How do certain emotions make you feel? What triggers them? How can you prevent an outburst?

I like that the author has BPD. I think this book would be very good for those who have BPD or CPTSD

I loved the message embodied in this book – that our unconscious is always expressing itself and it behooves us as humans to become more aware of and embrace this aspect of our being. This book goes beyond the typical self-help books that offer solutions that fail with the regularity of New Year’s resolutions because they are based on cognitive understanding and will power.

Part I explores the author’s innovative description of the tripartite nature of the unconscious, namely the somatic unconscious (your body), the cognitive unconscious (your brain), and the psychoanalytic unconscious (how you feel about yourself based on your experiences). As the author points out, this is not new information but rather a new perspective. The information is presented in a clear, relatable manner that includes graphics, short “Truth Takeaway” and “Know Your Terms” paragraphs, and chapter summaries.

Part II explores The 12 Steps of Consciousness which are adaptations of the twelve steps associated with anonymous groups focused on recovery from addictions. This section explores each step in depth with examples and exercises to illuminate the process of becoming more self-conscious.

I was impressed by the author’s candor and transparency in sharing her own challenges to illuminate the nature of the unconscious. Her philosophy of being “human first” is an invitation to drop the personas (facades) that have been adopted as survival strategies and embrace with empathy the perfectly imperfect nature of being human. My only criticism is the liberal use of profanity. I was not sure of the author’s intent with this choice, but I felt it detracted from her message.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

As a healthcare provider, I wear many hats. I have taken additional training in hypnotherapy to better help my patients and this book is one I will recommend to many going forward. The unconscious mind is fascinating in the way that it runs so much of our lives on autopilot, and many don't realize just how large a part their unconscious plays in their day to day life. The author's personal stories in addition to her expertise make this a good read for anyone wanting to make lasting life changes.

From the first chapter I was hooked. The tone feels very approachable and relatable. I appreciated the truth takeaways throughout the chapters and the summary boxes at the end of each chapter. There are lots of action steps and many follow up questions after each step to really help you get the most out of understanding the experience.

I received an advance review copy for free from the publisher via Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Really helpful and insightful read. I learned so much from this book and really enjoyed reading it. Highly recommend to anyone who enjoys information on improving or understanding yourself. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy!