Welcome to the What I’ve Been Reading series. Note about me: I love to read. Both fiction and non-fiction. Since no one on the planet (probably) has enough time to read all the self-help books out there, I decided to share about what I’m reading to help others decide if it’s something they may be interested in. Enjoy a brief review of the book (my opinion only) and some vague take-aways.

I recently finished Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life, by Martin E.P. Seligman. This book is a little older (in the psychology world at least), being published in 1990, though there was a new edition published in 2006.

This book focused on thinking types and how your thoughts affect your mood, stress levels, mental health. As a therapist who generally uses Cognitive Behavior Therapy, I appreciated the link between how we think and how we feel. The book made sense, with lots of research to back the concepts the author expressed. I will say that there were several sections of the book that covered concepts I was already familiar with, but I still found this book helpful. Included is a quiz at the beginning to get an idea of where you fall on the optimism/pessimism spectrum.

There are some excellent tools for thinking more realistically/positively – I made note of these and will likely use them in my own life or with therapy clients. The most useful tool I found was a simple 4-step process for confronting your thoughts and developing alternative ones. Seligman even makes it easy to remember these tools with acronyms and same letter patterns.

If you’re interested in learning about how your patterns of thinking affect your mental health, I highly recommend this book. I’d have something to write with and write on handy, as you are probably going to want to take notes. If you’re currently in therapy, you could also see if your therapist is willing to discuss the concepts in this book – as I therapist, I am always willing if a client wants to discuss something they’ve read.

Lastly, I want to remind readers about access to books at their local libraries. I put this book on hold via my library’s website, and picked it two days later. Many libraries also have a website or mobile app where library patrons are able to borrow ebooks or audiobooks. I was unable to find an audiobook version of this book, but it’s possible my library just doesn’t own rights to one.

Happy reading!

Disclaimer: I am a licensed independent mental health practitioner and certified professional counselor, but I am not your therapist. The information in this article is for general informational purposes only. This article does not create a therapist-client relationship. If you need specific recommendations based on your individual circumstances, please consult with a mental health practitioner near you.