This author brings the reader right into therapy with five amazing people who have overcome such difficult situations. The writing is engaging and the psychology concepts are accessible and easy to understand. Those with triggers surrounding all types of abuse, neglect, and racism should be cautious or avoid altogether as some of the descriptions of events can be somewhat graphic and are handled quite matter-of-factly.

I love non-fiction - give me a great memoir or some juicy true crime and I'm a happy woman. I've read some great non-fiction this year and Good Morning, Monster is among the best.

Catherine Gildiner is a therapist who shares "five heroic stories of emotional recovery." There's Laura, a young woman who was abandoned at age nine with two younger siblings in an isolated cottage in the winter; Danny, an indigenous Cree man unable to grieve the loss of his wife and daughter; Peter, a successful but lonely musician suffering sexual dysfunction; Alana, a certified genius whose psychopathic father's abuse resulted in a severe personality disorder; and Madeline, a glamorous workaholic whose mother greeted her each morning of her childhood with "Good morning, Monster." Each of these blurbs just scratches the surface of the patients' remarkable stories - the level of trauma each one endured and survived is almost unimaginable.

Beyond the patients' journeys, you also follow Dr. Gildiner's path as a new therapist who has to learn as she goes. When she says psychology is like a mystery novel, it's clearly true - not only is she trying to help her patients find clues as to why they are the way they are, she must also dig for answers on her end, consulting other experts to find the most effective therapy for each person (in a pre-Internet age!). It's a riveting look at how a doctor works with her patients and what role psychology and therapy can play in changing people's lives.

If you loved Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb (I did!) or if you want to read truly amazing stories about the perseverance and resilience of people who've endured tragic things, pick up Good Morning, Monster. Be warned - it's not easy to read but I couldn't put it down. There were times this book broke my heart but it left me feeling nothing but hope.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press & the author for an advanced copy to review.

First of all, this book has all the triggers, so if you can’t read about child abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, drug use, etc, skip it. Second of all, I am trained & licensed as a mental health counselor/substance abuse counselor/ rehabilitation counselor, currently working in vocational rehabilitation, so my review is affected by that experience. I was so excited to read this book because I love learning about how others process their life experiences. It had a lot of difficult and traumatic experiences detailed in it that are difficult to read about, but I found a lot of really powerful moments. This is a therapist in Canada, quite different from working in the US, so she was able to see patients for years! Part of the reason I elected not to go into mental health counseling, but instead went into vocational rehabilitation counseling, was to not deal with insurance telling me I had x amount of sessions only to see a client. The trauma that this therapist dealt with was something that took years to resolve. If you enjoy reading about the mental health treatment experience, you’ll love this book. That being said, it is not a perfect book... there were moments that I felt the author was using large words and terms that were not approachable to the average reader. It also felt voyeuristic at times. You got to see her grow as a therapist, but at the end, what she reveals made me think maybe she was projecting her experiences into the therapy, too. But all in all, it was great to read about therapy from the Canadian experience. Would recommend to those who enjoyed reading Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, The Glass Castle, Educated and Craigslist Confessional.

Good Morning Monster was a very challenging read not only do we meet the heroic story of five people who survive situations that many will never be able to handle but we also learn that all of us have a past that can affect our present and future moments and experiences.

I admire the 5 heroes in this book, especially Alana's story, which left me with my emotions all over the place. her strength and hope were always there no matter how hard things were getting she was always hoping, and that showed me in a way how human beings can be very resilient no matter how hard the situation. she focused only on what was keeping her alive and that was to see her sister safe, she could endure all the hard things but she will never give up for her sister.

How can you survive such a terrible life? because she had someone to care, someone to save and that gave her the power to be able to hold on and to keep fighting till the end.

While I was reading all these cases I kept asking myself "how could people like this exist?!?" so evil, so empty. I kept asking this over and over during the entire book because in my mind it was not comprehensible, that someone could be capable of such atrocities. what happened to them to be so cruel and hurtful, till the point they won't care what happened to their own flesh and blood.

In Good Morning Monster we read many situations like this, people whose life was completely "change" and not for the better because someone in their family didn't believe in boundaries, respect, empathy, or even love.

When does a person feel entitled to destroy someone's faith, smiles, and even the opportunity to have a normal childhood?

This is the story of 5 heroes who had to literally fight for their sanity and even their lives. abuse, negligence, hardship, all 5 stories connect in similar ways, Parents who didn't know how to care for other human beings, parents who didn't know how to be parents.

This was my first book by Catherine Gildiner and I really enjoyed it so much. I felt so much respect for her while reading all these cases, I kept thinking "how could she be so strong and not cry" I cried a lot reading Peter story, how could his mother be so cold, how could she treat him that way, so many moments I only wanted to embrace him. Danny who suffered so much in the hands of evil people who didn't care about his memories, to read how Natives are treated is just heartbreaking, the way they destroyed his family, trying to erase his roots. Alana, she endured so much, she was a warrior, she really deserves a medal for protecting her sister that way. I see her as Joan of Arc she really is a Goddess that deserves so much love. Madeline, he strength was admirable every time her mom called her that way he called her, I broke in tears, how can you be so cruel with someone that has not cruelty at all, that is just starting in life?!?

Overall Good Morning Monster was a story that really broke me and put me back in one peace. The story of 5 heroes, finally finding their light at the end of the tunnel a light very well deserved.

All my love to the wonderful 5 heroes in this book, you guys deserve so much love.

One therapy book is probably more than enough for a person who doesn't <i>actually</i> need therapy (although who knows, reading one always makes you doubt and question all of your motives, thoughts, and dreams). Coming off the heels of reading <i>Maybe You Should Talk To Someone</i>, I found myself drawing many comparisons, only to realize that Catherine Gildiner has structured <i>Good Morning, Monster</i> in an altogether different way.

Gildiner focuses wholly on distinct patients' stories, though she does provide small glimpses into her own thoughts about psychology and snippits of her life that intersperse the patient narratives. It is in the span of five stories that Gildiner imparts a plethora of wisdom and insight into the great capacity of human change and how therapy can change lives. As much of a therapy-snob as I can be, I can't help but be impressed and warmed by the powerful and innate strength that can be revealed, layer by layer, through conversation and empathy and insight.

<i>Good Morning, Monster</i> is the kind of book you can curl up with, watching the pages fly by as you uncover a compulsively readable story for each patient, beautifully unique and touching, dotted with humor and pain and optimism. From a woman with a neglectful and alcoholic father to a man dealing with impotence to a woman who grew up being greeted by "Good Morning, Monster," every story has universal themes of loss, suffering, and childhood strife despite their distinct accounts. And so, all joined together, Gildiner has managed to create an empowering tale of triumph over hardship and the power of the human mind.

I love any book that shines a light on mental illness. This book did a great job conveying the struggles of G.A.D and anxiety. As someone who lives with anxiety I found this book to be an important & engaging read.

I really liked this book - I read it entirely in one sitting. It was difficult to read because each of the patients went through some terrible situations and I'm grateful that most of the things described never happened to me, for I would surely be a different person now. However, the narrative shared with the reader about each of the patients and the progress made through therapy was great to read about. I have friends and family members who have been in therapy for various reasons and I realized that I hadn't ever considered when someone's "work" with a therapist would be done. I sort of assumed that it was a long-term commitment with no end in sight. While the stories weren't happy ones by any means - the fact that they all showed significant strides made with help of the author should speak for itself.

In a similar vain of writing to Lori Gottlieb’s Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, Good Morning, Monster, is a memoir from retired Psychologist Catherine Gildiner and 5 cases that shaped her career.

Gildiner focuses on 5 patients, written in 5 sections. She gives us 5 very different cases, from her very first patient, to her last patient. She will tell you horror stories of sexual abuse, child abandonment, sexual identity and that is just skimming the surface.

This was written with a lot of care, and with the permission of many of the patients. What I really loved reading was her style of therapy. She takes everything very slowly, letting her patients come the realization of what they need to do to help themselves. She develops beautiful doctor/patient relationships and gains their trust.

Let me be clear, there is a lot of triggers in this book on multiple accounts, so if you have concerns, you might not want to read this one. For anyone who thinks they can handle this, I believe you will walk away all the better for it.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A deeply moving stellar of a book. Fascinating snippets of other people's lives. A terrific must read. Happy reading!

This book was super good. It was super original and I flew through it. It didn't feel like anything I've read in the past. Can't wait to read more from the author!! This book was unputdownable.

I’m curiously drawn to books, movies, and TV shows centered around therapy sessions. One of my favorite shows ever was an HBO drama called In Treatment, which featured weekly therapy sessions between a psychotherapist and a handful of his patients, as well his sessions with his own therapist. So good, highly recommend.
Good Morning, Monster is the same format - a psychotherapist writes of her years long sessions with five noteworthy patients.
The backgrounds of each of these clients is almost too much to be believed: horrendous child abuse and neglect, some continuing into adulthood. The author starts with the first day of therapy and chronicles the path each individual forges as they work towards recovery (or as close as they can get to it).
This book was right up my alley; the stories of the patients were captivating and inspiring. It was also enlightening, as I learned about a terrible chapter in Canada’s history with their Indigenous population that I knew nothing about.
Thanks to #netgalley and #stmartinspress for this ARC of #goodmorningmonster in exchange for an honest opinion.

I have to be brutally honest - this book took me a while to finish - NOT because it wasn't an amazing read but because of the extraordinary stories that lay within it. The author did a fantastic job introducing us to these awe inspiring heroes who live among us and delving deep into their problems - illustrating them spectacularly enough to feel what those people must have felt growing up and experiencing all that they did. I had to take a break just to compose myself - either to bring my blood pressure back down because of the injustice I read or to grab a tissue to wipe the tears from my eyes. This book helped me and others who will read it know that "we" aren't alone in our struggles and should always seek help when needed. These heroes that gave permission to have their stories examined and told in such a voice that speaks straight to your heart - have changed and added to my belief that we go through things for a reason even if we can't understand what it is while we are enduring those experiences. This novel was a revelation and should be given the highest of praises. Thank you for allowing me to read it. It truly changed me for the better. 💖

'Good morning, monster.' Imagine being greeted this way every morning as a child. The damage that could do to your sense of self.

This book delves into five patients treated by the author over many years. It is an honest, heartbreaking look at these patients and how they manage to claw their way through life. It definitely makes you think and gives you a different perspective.

Thank you to NetGalley, Catherine Gildiner, and St. Martin's Press for this ARC. I am fascinated by psychology and the brain. This book was a riveting look at 5 very different patients and the treatment they received over the course of 5 years or so from the author of the book Though some may compare it to Lori Gotlieb's Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, I found this book to be much darker and its content harder to read. That being said, I could not put this book down and appreciated that each of these patients, though dealing with devastating trauma, came out on the other side of it. If you have any triggers, please research this book before picking it up as there are many hard topics including sexual abuse, alcoholism, psychopathy, childhood neglect, spousal abuse, death, etc...

First thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of the book in exchange for my honest opinion. Great storytelling about 5 patients of a psychologist who truly are amazing to have gone through what they did and survived. I loved that the author hardly acknowledged her wonderful work and attributed so much to them. Their stories will make you laugh, cry and cheer. Terrific read.

WOW
I am so glad I got to read this! I'm fascinated by psychology and the way the human mind works. Gildiner highlights five different patients who are dealing with some absolutely horrific childhood trauma. I particularly liked Danny's story; I knew nothing of canadian indigenous people and the total horror of the residential schools, and I educated myself a bit more after reading his experiences.
Overall this is an outstanding 5 star read.

Good Morning Monster is unlike any book I’ve read. Experiencing each story brought me to incredible highs and the lowest of lows. What a journey of resilience, discovery, and perseverance. Experiencing a connection that lasts decades, bringing the therapist/patient relationship full circle made this outstanding to read.

Gildiner masterfully pulls back the curtain on human behaviour, mental health and finding strength within. This book filled me with hope and understanding.

I received in advance for your copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a bit much for me and I am an actual psychotherapist, I don’t know how it would be for laypeople because there is some very serious trauma here. I’m not quite sure what the authors purpose is, torture porn, normalizing PTSD, and I’m not sure why anyone would want to read it unless they were a fellow sufferer. I’ll give it four stars because it was a heck of a ride, but I don’t quite get the appeal of turning your case notes over to the general public.

I was fascinated, horrified, and deeply moved by this book. Although it comes with many trigger warnings for truly horrific abuse (physical, emotional, psychological, and sexual) and neglect, it is ultimately the story of five individuals who were brave enough to work through the pain and the torment they had experienced

Catherine Gildiner was a clinical psychologist for twenty-five years before becoming retiring from practice and becoming a writer. In Good Morning, Monster, Gildiner reflects on five patients whose stories of "psychological heroism" have impacted her long after they concluded their time together in therapy.

The book is broken into five roughly equal sections with each section telling the story of one patient from first meeting to the conclusion of their therapy and beyond to Gildiner's more recent contact with them in preparation for publishing this book.

Laura is an attractive twenty-six year woman who is interested only in learning to "manage stress" in order to control her painful herpes outbreaks (courtesy of a cheating boyfriend).

Peter is a 34-year old musician who longs for emotional and physical intimacy, but suffers from impotence that his urologist has been unsuccessful in explaining or treating.

Danny is a Cree man who has lost his wife and daughter in an accident, but who doesn't seem to be able to connect to his emotions and grieve for them properly.

Alanna is brilliant 35-year-old who has severe physiological reactions (projectile vomiting for one) to certain triggers stemming from a brutal childhood abuse.

And Madeline is a highly successful 36-year-old antiques dealer who has become crippled by severe anxiety revolving around air travel (not only for herself, but for anyone in her company). The extreme anxiety over flying is causing her company to lose thousands of dollars a month.

In each case, Dr. Gildiner slowly draws out of each patient trauma and resulting coping mechanisms that have led to their current state. Each story is difficult in its own way, but what they have in common is patients who are willing to put in the time and do the hard work of moving through their pain and finding ways to live fuller and happier lives.

Although this is nonfiction, each of the five narratives reads like fiction with a clear narrative arc. The writing was smart, but accessible, weaving in anecdotes, psychological theory and methodology, and reflections on Gildiner's own choices as a therapist in each scenario. While these are five success stories, Gildiner resists the temptation to applaud herself for her own achievement as a therapist. Instead, each story is an incredible example of human resilience from which Gildiner herself draws inspiration and courage.

This book definitely comes with trigger warnings for some extreme trauma and abuse, but I found that I couldn't put it down. I would highly recommend it, especially to anyone who (like me) is interested in psychology and the whys behind what we do, believe, and think.

Thank you to @netgalley and @StMartinsPress for the ARC.

PHENOMENAL!

Never in my experience reading, have I encountered a non-fiction book where I was rushing home to read it. Not once. Until now.

In Good Morning, Monster, Dr. Catherine Gildiner takes us behind the scenes of her five most heroic clients during her 25+ years of practice.

Within each story we see how Dr. Gildiner peels away each layer, bit by bit, until both client and psychologist come to the core of it all and the festering wound(s) underneath.

Not written in textbook fashion but in such a way that the reader becomes a ringside voyeur in to each subjects life.

On a personal level, there was one client I immediately found boring. As it continued on, it actually became the most profound story for me. As it turns out, on a much smaller scale, I recognized myself within the clients story.

The fact remains that this book will force you to recognize unhealthy behavior(s) if not in yourself but perhaps in others.

In truth this book is heartbreaking. Yet, it is so much more. The stories unearth the truth of what is at the core of all humankind…
with a nudge and even the faintest echoes of acceptance or applause
We CAN endure.

Thank you @Netgalley #netgalley #catherinegildiner for the #advancedreaderscopy

Release date: September 22, 2020