Once I started reading author and psychologist Catherine Gildiner's non-fiction book, Good Morning, Monster, I couldn't stop. I finished this account of her therapy sessions with five troubled patients over a period of just two days.

Gildiner, who changed the patients' names and identifying details to protect their privacy, picked these five because she considers them heroes, she says. They were people who overcame tremendous traumas in their lives through their efforts to understand themselves, forgive others, and forge better futures.

The book's title comes from the way one patient's mother greeted her each morning during her childhood: "Good morning, monster." This neglectful parent set her child on a long journey of despair.

I found this behind-the-scenes look at therapy both fascinating and insightful. I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to understand more about the therapeutic process and the human condition.