Group

At first I was extremely frustrated by the author and in particular with her therapist who I felt was taking advantage of her. I thought she was being financially duped with so many appointments over such a long period of time. But then I began to see how group therapy really helped her to discover her true self and how important all of those people were to her. In the end I was very attached to her fate and felt like all of her honesty paid off.

What an interesting read -- I'm still not quite sure what I think of this one! I bumped it to the top of my To Read Pile based on ALL the phenomenal publicity I was seeing, and its selection as one of Reese Witherspoon's book club picks (I'm a sucker for a Book Club sticker of any variety!). I was drawn in from the beginning, with a keen interest in varied types of therapies and how they affect the groups and individuals partaking. The somewhat unorthodox methods of the group sessions Tate describes were equal parts odd and fascinating. I also very much enjoyed reading about the other patients. As the book went on, however, I found myself less and less interested in the author and her various conquests and more interested in the therapists and the other patients. While it was great to read about the author's eventual happiness, I'm not convinced the throughline from her initial destructive behaviours to her conclusion was as visible as my reader-brain desired! Still, a worthwhile look at how we relate to each other and the wider world, the importance of connection, of being listened to, and how the darkest days are rarely indicative of the future. Thank you for the read.

I love reading memoirs and this one written by Christie Tate was so raw and vulnerable that I found myself completely drawn in by her openness and humour - so much so it was hard to put down! As a psychology major I found it so interesting reading her perspective on group therapy (won’t lie I think Dr Rosen is a little nuts haha) and how it’s members supported her throughout her journey. A very interesting read for your TBR list!
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Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Australia for this digital copy to read and review!