There are tough experiences universal to humanity and “Open When…” by Dr. Julie Smith is a collection of letters that addresses many such experiences in the form of a letter for the reader to open when. This book isn’t designed to be read straight through, it’s designed to be a life raft for a certain situation when you need it, and as such, this book belongs on every book shelf.

Each chapter begins with a letter from Dr Julie Smith on a specific topic — like “open when… you experience the death of a loved one.” The letter portion is comforting, compassionate, and provides a sense of anchored-ness for the days you might feel lost at sea. The letter has reminders of what is true even when it feels like truth is unattainable. Following the letter, there are tools you can use and practice when you are feeling engulfed by the season you’re in to make small and incremental steps that you can take to regain your footing. After that, for those days when you just don’t have it in you to read a letter, there is a succinct section of key take aways that provide the bulk of the message in small bite sized sentences in a bulleted list.

This book is one I wish I had for many tough seasons of life, and I’m so grateful this resource is being made available now. This is a book that will be on my shelf and I highly recommend it if you’re human.

I would like to thank HarperOne and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Open When by Dr. Julie Smith is such a refreshing and insightful read. It’s a great mix of practical advice and emotional support, with each chapter feeling like a conversation with a wise friend. I loved how the book breaks down complex mental health topics in a way that’s easy to understand and relatable. The exercises and tips are super helpful, and I found myself thinking about them long after I finished reading. I think our library patrons will absolutely love it too—it’s the kind of book that feels like a hug for the soul, and I’m sure it will resonate with many!

I really enjoyed "Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before?" so I was really looking forward to this new Dr. Smith book. I must say, I was blown away again. I love reading anything psychology related so this was a really great read.