Guilt Free - by Jennifer Reid (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

A transformative guide with practical strategies for women to regain control over their lives, free from the paralyzing grip of guilt.

Why do women feel so much guilt? We're guilty when we don't do what we think we should, when others get upset with us, even when we indulge in moments of pleasure. In Guilt Free, psychiatrist Dr. Jennifer Reid invites us to let go of all this guilt so we can start making choices based on what we want and need rather than what we think we should be doing.

Some guilt is good, even necessary, but women are uniquely socialized to hold themselves to unrealistic expectations. Guilt drives us to take on more than we should, and do things that we don't truly want to do. Any time we fall short--and we will, because we're human--there it crops up: guilt.

It's too much, and it doesn't have to be this way.

Drawing on powerful insights from psychology, behavioral science, and the thousands of clients she's worked with in her practice, Dr. Reid helps us dismantle the insidious expectations that are setting us up for guilt. Along the way, you'll learn how to identify your guilt triggers and the expectations you still carry from your parents, quiet your guilty thoughts and replace them with neutral, even positive thoughts, set boundaries to protect yourself from others' expectations, and learn to be present with the discomfort that comes with being human.

Ultimately, Guilt Free liberates us to make choices according to many things: joy, desire, grief, even anger--but no longer guilt.

About the Author

Jennifer Reid, MD is a psychiatrist and assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania, where she was previously the medical director of the outpatient psychiatry clinic. She is a regular contributor at Psychology Today and publishes the A Mind of Her Own Substack, focused on helping women nurture a deep and lasting self-trust. She is the host of The Reflective Doc podcast.