List of Books for Counselors & Their Clients - Resources
Communication
in Relationships
David Burns, Feeling Good Together: The Secrets to Making Troubled Relationships Work (Broadway 2010).
Scott Stanley et al., A Lasting Promise: The Christian Guide to Fighting for Your Marriage rev. ed. (Jossey-Bass 2014).
Kerry Patterson, et al., Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High 2nd ed. (McGraw-Hill 2012).
Recovering from
an Affair
Willard Harley & Jennifer Harley, Surviving an Affair rev. ed. (Revell 2013).
David Carder, Torn Asunder: Recovering from an Extramarital Affair (Moody 2008).
Ann Bercht, My Husband’s Affair Became the Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me (Trafford 2004).
Debbie Laaser, Shattered Vows: Hope and Healing for Women Who Have Been Sexually Betrayed (Zondervan 2008).
Janis Abrahms Spring, After the Affair: Healing the Pain and Rebuilding Trust When a Partner Has Been Unfaithful 2nd ed. (Morrow 2012). [secular but outstanding].
Marriage
Strengthening
Willard Harley, His Needs, Her Needs: Building an Affair-Proof Marriage rev. ed. (Revell 2011). [Best book on marriage ever written].
Willard Harley, Love Busters: Protecting Your Marriage from Habits that Destroy Romantic Love rev. ed. (Revell 2008).
Timothy Keller, The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God (Dutton 2011).
Emerson Eggerichs, The Language of Love & Respect: Cracking the Communication Code With Your Mate (Thomas Nelson 2007).
[Much better than Love & Respect].
Ted Cunningham, Fun Loving You: Enjoying Your Marriage in the Midst of the Grind (David C. Cook 2013).
John Gottman, The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work rev. ed.
(Harmony 2015).
Michele Weiner-Davis, Divorce Busting: A Step-By-Step Approach to Making your Marriage Loving Again (Simon & Schuster 1992).
Sue Johnson, Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love (Little, Brown 2008) (employing Sue Johnson’s Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy).
William Doherty, Take Back Your Marriage: Sticking Together in a World that Pulls Us Apart
(Guildford 2001).
Men
Understanding Women
Shaunti & Jeff Feldhahn, For Men Only: A Straightforward Guide to the Inner Lives of Women rev. ed. (Multnomah 2013).
Penner & Penner, The Way to Love Your Wife: Creating Greater Love and Passion in the Bedroom (Tyndale 2007).
Theology of Divorce
Craig Keener. . . . And Marries Another: Divorce and Remarriage in the Teaching of the New Testament (Hendrickson 1991).
David Instone-Brewer, Divorce and Remarriage in the Church: Biblical Solutions for Pastoral Realities (InterVarsity 2003).
Abusive
Relationships
Leslie Vernick, The Emotionally Destructive Relationship: Seeing it, Stopping it, Surviving it (Tyndale 2007).
Lundy Bancroft, Why Does He Do That?: Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men (Berkley 2003).
Paul Hegstrom, Angry Men and the Women Who Love Them: Breaking the Cycle of Physical and Emotional Abuse rev. ed. (Beacon Hill 2004).
Ron Potter-Efron, Angry All the Time: An Emergency Guide to Anger Control (MJF Books 1994).
Depression
& Anxiety
David Burns, Feeling Good: the New Mood Therapy rev. ed. (Harper 2008).
Viktor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning 4th ed. (Beacon 2000).
Forgiving
Lewis Smedes, Forgive & Forget: Healing the Hurts We Don’t Deserve (HarperCollins 1984).
Sexual
Intimacy
Kevin Leman, Sheet Music: Uncovering the Secrets of Sexual Intimacy in Marriage (Tyndale 2003).
Juli Slattery, No More Headaches: Enjoying Sex & Intimacy in Marriage (Tyndale 2009).
Penner & Penner, Restoring the Pleasure: Complete Step-by-Step Programs to Help Couples Overcome the Most Common Sexual Barriers rev. ed.
(Thomas Nelson 2016).
Joy McMillan, XES: Why Church Girls Tend to Get It Backwards . . . And How to Get It Right (Simply Bloom 2014).
Sexual Addictions,
Pornography
Douglas Weiss, Intimacy Anorexia: Healing the Hidden Addiction in Your Marriage (Discovery 2010).
Mark Laaser & Tim Clinton, The Fight of Your Life: Manning Up to the Challenge of Sexual Integrity (Destiny Image 2015).
Steve Arterburn, Every Man's Battle: Winning the War on Sexual Temptation One Victory at a Time (WaterBrook 2009).
Arterburn & Martinkus, Worthy of Her Trust: What You Need to Do to Rebuild Sexual Integrity and Win Her Back (WaterBrook 2014).
Discipline of Children
Kevin Leman, Have a New Kid by Friday: How to Change your Child’s Attitude, Behavior & Character in 5 Days (Revell 2008).
Kevin Leman, Have a New Teenager by Friday: From Mouthy and Moody to Respectful and Responsible in 5 Days (Revell 2013).
Mark Gregston, Tough Guys and Drama Queens: How Not to Get Blindsided by Your Child's Teen Years (Thomas Nelson 2012).
{I haven’t read the book but I have his excellent workbook. “Developing Rules and Consequences”].
Matthew Johnson, Positive Parenting with a Plan: Family Rules (Publication Consultants 2012) [secular but rigorous].
Birth Order
Kevin Leman, The Birth Order Book: Why You Are the Way You Are rev. ed. (Revell 2009).
Depression
Minirth & Meier, Happiness is a Choice (Baker 2011).
Aaron Beck, et al., Cognitive Therapy of Depression (Guilford 1979)
Getting Clients
to Take Action
Miller & Rollnick, Motivational Interviewing: Helping People Change 3rd ed.
(Guilford 2012).
[These authors also have several spin-off books for particular situations, but I haven’t read them].
Women Understanding Men
Shaunti Feldhahn & Craig Gross: Through a Man’s Eyes: Helping Women Understand the Visual Nature of Men (Multnomah 2015).
Shaunti Feldhahn, For Women Only: What You Need to Know About the Inner Lives of Men (Multnomah 2004).
Divorce
Jim Smoke, Growing Through Divorce (Harvest House 1995).
Lou Priolo, Picking Up the Pieces: Recovering from Broken Relationships
(P&R Publishing 2012).
Seeking
Relationships
Beverly & Tom Rogers, How to Find Mr. or Mrs. Right: A Practical Guide to Finding a Soul Mate (Resource Pub. 1999).
Georgia Shaffer, How Not to Date a Loser: A Guide to Making Smart Choices (Harvest House 2008).
John Van Epp, How To Avoid Falling in Love With a Jerk: The Foolproof Way to Follow Your Heart Without Losing Your Mind (McGraw-Hill 2007).