Therapeutic Book Club: “How to Know a Person" by David Brooks

For our next meeting of the Therapeutic Book Club, we'll discuss How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen by David Brooks

From Goodreads: As David Brooks observes, “There is one skill that lies at the heart of any healthy person, family, school, community organization, or society: the ability to see someone else deeply and make them feel seen—to accurately know another person, to let them feel valued, heard, and understood.”

And yet we humans don’t do this well. All around us are people who feel invisible, unseen, misunderstood. In How to Know a Person, Brooks sets out to help us do better, posing questions that are essential for all of us: If you want to know a person, what kind of attention should you cast on them? What kind of conversations should you have? What parts of a person’s story should you pay attention to?

Driven by his trademark sense of curiosity and his determination to grow as a person, Brooks draws from the fields of psychology and neuroscience and from the worlds of theater, philosophy, history, and education to present a welcoming, hopeful, integrated approach to human connection.

The Therapeutic Book Club is aimed at self-discovery and self-reflection by exploring relevant themes and connecting with others in a safe environment. The group decides by vote which book will be read for the next meeting. The books are therapeutic in nature covering themes such as childhood trauma, anxiety, stress management and healthy relationships.

We are an open and non-judgemental group that welcomes a diversity of ideas and perspectives. This is also an inclusive event open to all genders.

Previous books we have read and discussed include Mating in Captivity: Reconciling the Erotic and the Domestic by Esther Perel, and The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture by Gabor Maté.

There is no charge for attendance but we recommend people purchase at least one drink at the venue. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Anita (Niah) Sommers or Kat LeRoy.