Best Mental Health Law Books of 2025

Truth and Repair: How Trauma Survivors Envision Justice is a powerful manifesto by Judith L. Herman, one of America's most influential psychiatrists. The book argues that the conventional retributive process fails to serve most survivors of sexual violence and trauma, and offers an alternative vision of justice as healing for survivors and their communities. Herman commits the radical act of listening to survivors and recounts their stories to envision a new path to justice for all. This deeply researched and compassionately told book is a vital text for understanding the processes that underlie trauma and recovery.

The Clinician's Thesaurus is an essential report-writing tool for students and early-career professionals in the mental health field. The updated eighth edition covers DSM-5/ICD-10-CM and newer types of evaluations. The book contains thousands of technical terms, behavioral descriptors, and standard statements to assist users in finding the right wording for clinical documents. The author also provides interview questions, a huge collection of mental status questions, and links to hundreds of internet resources. The book's unique features include a list of psychiatric ICD-10 diagnoses, a sample evaluation report, and sections on additional clinical issues. Overall, this book is a must-read for anyone conducting mental health assessments.

The newly revised edition of "Inside the Criminal Mind" is a no-nonsense profile of the criminal mind, updated with the latest research and effective methods for dealing with hardened criminals. Author Stanton E. Samenow, Ph.D., offers a chilling profile of today's criminal, shattering long-held myths and providing insight into their thought patterns. The book explores the impact of social media, pharmaceutical influences, genetic and biological research, and cognitive behavioral therapy. Samenow's five decades of experience make it clear how crucial it is to know who the criminals are and how they think. It's a must-read for anyone interested in criminal justice reform.

Pocket Addiction Medicine is a new addition to the Pocket Notebook series, providing comprehensive coverage of addiction medicine in a portable source. Written by physician leaders in Addiction Medicine and published in partnership with the American Society of Addiction Medicine, this handbook delivers must-know information on screening, diagnosis, and treatment of substance use disorder, including caring for special populations. The book is designed for quick reference at the point of care, using the popular, easy-access Pocket Notebook format, and contains up-to-date content in outline format, with bulleted lists, tables, and algorithms. A valuable resource for physicians, trainees, healthcare professionals, and students.

This extensive guide, titled "Trauma and Dissociation Informed Internal Family Systems," provides in-depth information on how to diagnose and successfully treat people with complex trauma and dissociative disorders using Internal Family Systems (IFS). The book offers strategies to support managers' ability to manage, integrate the powerful treatment modality of IFS, coping skills and affect management for all parts, and basic hypnotic language to enhance the impact of the IFS process. The author provides helpful ways of conceptualizing this therapy, making it a valuable resource for anyone seeking to treat C-PTSD and dissociative disorders safely and successfully.

The "DBT Workbook for Adults" is a comprehensive guide to overcoming anxiety and developing emotional wellbeing through practical exercises and a 12-week plan. This updated and revised edition includes new tips, worksheets, and exercises, making it an even more powerful tool for managing stress, worry, panic attacks, and intrusive thoughts. The author draws on personal experience with anxiety and OCD to provide scientifically proven skills and insights for readers to work towards creating positive change. Overall, this workbook provides a highly effective roadmap for readers to embrace DBT and discover life-changing results for themselves.

Better, Not Bitter: A journey from heartbreak to healing is a powerful memoir that takes readers on a journey of love, loss, and restoration. Michelle Cowan’s personal account of losing her husband and navigating the grief with her teenage daughter is both heart-wrenching and inspiring. The book touches on the brutality of the political and industrial systems, but also highlights the unexpected kindness and goodness of others. Michelle’s story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the healing power of love. This book is highly recommended for anyone who has suffered loss or is seeking to find hope and healing in the midst of tragedy.

The Other Dr. Gilmer is a gripping true story that explores the shocking murder committed by a respected doctor and the subsequent investigation of his successor, Dr. Benjamin Gilmer. The book delves into the complexities of mental illness and the failures of the prison system to provide proper care for inmates. With deep compassion and an unwavering sense of justice, Dr. Gilmer's memoir takes readers on a heart-wrenching journey that challenges our notions of punishment and healing. It's a remarkable medical detective story that sheds light on the human fallibility and the need for empathy in our society.

If you're struggling with negative thinking, "How to Stop Negative Thinking" is the book for you. The 7-step plan outlined in this book will help you eliminate negativity, overcome rumination, cease overthinking spirals, and change your toxic thoughts to healthy self-talk. The author explains how negative thinking happens automatically and provides simple, effective strategies with practice exercises to rewire the way you think. This book is an excellent resource for anyone looking to manage their stress and improve their mental well-being.

The Art and Law of Rest is a comprehensive guide to navigating paid medical leave and disability income, with a focus on mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. Written by an expert in the field, Andy Chu, this book provides valuable information on how to recognize a disability, identify state and federal laws that protect your job and health insurance, and collaborate with your doctors to document your disability. The book ends with a step-by-step guide on how to plan for a successful medical leave. Overall, this book is a much-needed resource for anyone considering taking a medical leave and seeking to protect their income, job, and health insurance while they rest and heal.