Therapy Paperback – February 10, 2014

Some books just don't age well. I bought this on my kindle in 2014 and just finally getting around to reading it. TW: cutting. Jess had so much going on and happening around her. It was really too many plot points. So many characters died to further the story. I don't see how Jess had borderline personality disorder. The fact that Jace stole her file from his fiance is horrible and unprofessional. I was rooting for Kingsley so I got that wrong. Jess's mom, Jace's mom, Victoria - how many awful characters do we have to have in one over-emotional book?

WOW! Therapy is such a beautiful, gripping, ugly, cruel and powerful book. This book takes you on a compelling journey that sheds light on bullying, depression, love, loss, and through it all trying to find your inner voice and your true self. Jessica is sweet, thoughtful, witty and fun. But she wears a mask of indifference to to try and hide the pain she feels everyday. She is starving for attention that she doesn't receive from her neglectful parents. She doesn't love or respect herself and seeks out attention from the boys at her school. In come the "popular" girls that scar her from their cruel and viscous comments that tear her down. Their relentless bullying breaks Jessica. The author is really able to show us how ugly bullying is and how it impacts and changes a person. So sad!!Jessica is able to feel a little normalcy when she forms a friendship with Jace. But she is unable to open her heart and accept his love. Mistakes are made and the two are separated. Six years later they are unexpectantly brought back into each other's lives. I was really rooting for the two of them, but then Jace threw me for a loop. Ugh! It gets complicated and when Jessica meets Kingsley in group therapy she can't help but feel attracted to this dark and beautiful man. Ahhh! Kingsley was amazing. Even though he is recovering from a painful loss, he is able to show Jessica that there is still good out there and life is worth it, that she is worth it. They were so sweet to together and I really thought Jessica was able to find her HEA, but then life gets ugly AGAIN! The author was really able to make you feel Jessica's pain and understand how she felt so helpless. She was able to show the reader how depression not only effects the one suffering, but how it impacts the people that love them. Jessica's poems were simply beautiful and a great addition to the book. I truly loved Therapy and I am looking forward to reading Therapy Ever After.

I just completed "Therapy" by Kathryn Perez. If 10 stars was allowed, that's what I would rate this book. I am sitting here trying to put words to the feelings that have overwhelmed me; as I dry the tears from my swollen eyes, blow my nose, and try to swallow the boulder I have residing in my throat. What. A. Beautiful. Emotional. Realistic. Story of Hope and Accomplishment.The story evolves around four important societal subjects: Bullying, Suicide, Self-Harming, and Mental Illness. We follow Jessica from her senior year in high school through her twenties. Kathryn Perez magnificently and succinctly exposed us to the hatefulness that bullying is, and revealed the consequences, the turmoil, the pain, suffered by the afflicted. During this part of the book, I wanted it to be required reading for all middle schoolers. Maybe seeing the cause and effect would allow SOMEONE to stand against the crowd.The story was centered around the characters of Jessica and Jace, who rescued her from the bullying. Their friendship became MORE, and Jessica's Borderline Personality Disorder, allowed her to sabotage her own happiness. We experienced Jessica's dysfunctional, distressing, troublesome life. She had the desire to be happy; just didn't have the tools to do it. Misfortune occurred and a court-ordered therapy was in her future. The tools would be within her reach, if she chose to use them. Others characters came into play. Tragedy happened. Lives changed. The story concluded.Please read this book. I guarantee you will be educated, you will experience a bevy of emotions, and the saying "Love conquers all" will take you on an adventure.

I freaking love this book!! This is one of the best books I've read and feel like no words I will say could even begin to do it justice. I fell in love with Jessica, Kingsley and Jace but my heart ached for them equally too. Probably should grab a box of tissues, chocolate and have endless time to read this book because it's almost impossible to put down! I've already gotten a few friends to read it and they all feel the same way also :)Jessica's story is dear to my heart because I work with people like her when they hit their lowest and worst points in a residential setting. Reading through her being bullied and depression can be hard to read for people who aren't used to seeing or hearing thoughts/actions she dealt with. However, her story to me was like reading what my clients tell me daily. Other parts of her story felt like pieces of my life or stories of my friends, like being lonely or not good enough for someone.I loved that Jessica's character is so strong without realizing it, even with her weak moments. Jace shows her some of these strengths but Kingsley really elaborates on them and helps her grow into her strengths. For example, writing poems is art even of they're just her thoughts. He opens her to a different life of love and giving she's never seen, felt or done before. They are crucial to each other's lives and moving forward in those lives seeing beauty and not sadness. But, ultimately, the one that is her always, Jace, sees her through the worst also but in a different way and never stops loving her.This story touches on topics most authors don't write about, especially for this genre of books, like bullying, depression, mental illness, and substance abuse issues. Kathryn not only wrote this story so well but has myself and others begging for more. The quotes are unforgettable, the journal is a deep dark unknown you want more of, and the story is a circle of knowledge and inspiration to get help or help others and to find strengths not weaknesses in all.- Jamie

What happens when you feel worthless, unloved, uncared for.You self destruct.You self harm, you lose your dignity, your confidence drops and you lose your respect for your mind, body and soul.This is the life of Jessica Alexander.This book hits so many emotional feelings many people must go through.It's Raw, Emotional, Intense and Gut Wrenching.There's sorrow and laughter.Jess is so broken, so lost. Just looking for any love, any affection she can receive. To put yourself in a place where you will self harm must be the most agonising position to put yourself in. It takes a strong person to do this. Even though we see she may not be strong. In a way she is.Jace's love for her, his strength in standing up for her, until he lets her down in front of his fiancé. He truly loves her. But loving someone and wanting to fix someone who doesn't want fixing are two different things.I loved Jace. His whole life he lost so many people, but his love for Jessica was consistent. Yes sometimes I wanted to rattle them and lock them in a room, but then there would of been no book.When Jessica stood on that podium, my heart sunk, tears dripped down my face as she finally bared her soul. This was written to perfection.Life is complicated. We see people, but we only see what a person is willing to show. Do we truly see a person. True fear is held deep down. A really person holds this, and protects themselves until they can let go.And the fight for life finally arrives.

This review is one of the hardest I have ever had to write, why? This book touched me on so many levels and I am still processing everything I have read (In the best way possible) Book hangover does not come close to covering what I am experiencing. I have been with Kathryn though this journey, I got the first chapter of the book last January and I have never wanted a book in my hands more."You deserve to have a man who falls in love with your mind, wants to undress your very conscience and make love to your every single thought. You deserve a man who wants to see you slowly let down every wall you’ve ever built up. You deserve a man that will work hard for you until you let him inside your heart.”Jessica, she captured my heart. Oh how I just wanted to jump into the book and give her a hug show her she is loved and tell her everything will be okay. My heart broke for her, bullying is something that should never be overlooked and this book showed how truly horrible it can be.“Sometimes I wish depression was a living, breathing, tangible being, so I could wrap my hands around her throat and squeeze ‘til all that’s left in her pools of darkness is nothingness, rendering her powerless to ever hurt me again.”I will admit Jess doesn't do herself many favours with her promiscuous nature but that is no excuse for what she is put through, she just wants a connection - any connection even if it is for the wrong reasons is what she craves. She wants to feel, and one way she helps her self feel is through cutting - it's something she can control.Things only begin to look up when Jace comes into her life - Oh Jace, can I please have my own? I promise to look after him. Now where was I? Oh yes Jase is the Jock, you know what one? He dates the head cheerleader, his family is rich and his life from the outside looks perfect.Jessica and Jace begin to form a connection and I could not put the book down, their connection is beyond words (literally I sat here for about half an hour thinking what would sum it up). This book shows a journey of love, finding yourself and happiness.“Listen to me right now. You deserve to have a man who falls in love with your mind, wants to undress your very conscience, and make love to your every single thought. You deserve a man who wants to see you slowly let down every wall you’ve ever built up.. You deserve a man that will work hard for you until you let him inside your heart.”If you are anything like me you will need a box of tissues, some chocolate and a large stuffed animal to hug - I ugly cried, snot and all during this book and I do not regret a thing because at the ends of this book I felt amazing, this was not your average book it was so much more and it came with a message that had meaning.All of the issues touched upon in this book are going on all around the world right now and we are too oblivious to realize, and I hope like me this book will make you think and make you take notice. Personally I have suffered through bullying and depression so I feel wonderful know Kathryn is using her talent as a writer to bring attention to these issues.Kathryn my dear friend, you are a wonderful women and I am honoured to know you, thank you for giving me, us, everyone this amazing book it is destined for success and is not something I will ever forget. You have such talent with words and a strength I admire.

A very powerful and emotional story.Some readers may find some of the topics in this book hard to read. I know I cried many times for many reasons. Some reasons are because of my own experiences or experiences of others close to me and I was able to relate to them. Other reasons, simply because you can empathise with the characters and want to help and can feel for them.You are completely drawn into this story, the characters feel true to life, what life is truly like for many people, unfortunately. It can be a cruel world sometimes, and people live through these tough, emotional times and can get through them like the characters in Therapy. They may stay with you forever, but you can live life, coping with difficult situations or hard decisions and overcome them by being like the true to life characters, and being brave like Jessica and some of the other characters.There are many happy times and I have also laughed reading Therapy, it's not all heartbreak and sadness.I could not put this book down. At 41 years young, and having read a few books, this, so far, is one of my favourite all time reads.Inspiring!Kathryn has done something amazing with this book!

I am one of those people who loves to read, I will always take the time to rate a book whether I like or dislike it, I rarely give reviews unless it is a book that grips me and leaves me emotionally exhausted whether it be extremely happy or sad, but I love to read others for recommendations.Therapy is one of those books that I just had to sit and write a review for and give a huge recommendation for as it could easily just pass by and not be recognised for the beautiful book that it is.This is one of those books that is extremely hard to put down. The story is gripping and heartfelt,I sat on the edge of my seat with tears in my eyes throughout the book and hoped and prayed that it would all work out.However it is also one of those books that makes you sit and think about the subjects in the book and the effects these have on peoples lives. Whether it be bullying and the effects this can have on a person, but also the subject of mental health which can be debilitating on an individual and those around them.I loved this book as it explained mental health illnesses through words and feelings in how an individual sees themselves and the world. It was written in such a beautiful way that you felt as if you were seeing it with your own eyes.The two main characters in the book (Jessica and Jace) are everyday young people with everyday lives, one is so down on themselves that they think they aren't worthy of love, the other is a fixer and wants to help, love and protect the other........But life gives them choices and its the how the decisions they choose effects their lives. The book writes it so beautifully that you want to reach in and show them an alternative choice.....it involves you in their decision making were you are shouting at the book ....NO..NO...NO...I would recommend this book ...but be prepared with a box of tissues as there will definitely be sad and happy tears.........I have given it five massive stars and would give more if possible.

This book deserves much more than the 5 star maximum we are allowed to give. I read it in one day because I couldn't put it down, and cried my way through most of it.Most people don't think about how the mind works in someone who has mental issues, or the effects bullying has on people.I woke in the middle of the night still thinking about this story and that is the sign of a great bookLoved mace and Jessica and then Kingsley. Hated Elizabeth, but in life there is a saying ' what goes around comes around', and I do believe Elizabeth found that out later ( I won't give anything away) but I believe she paid a price for her behaviour.This book is emotional and heartbreaking but it does have happy moments and I was pleased with how it ended. Go and read it. I will certainly be reading this book again. Thank you Kathryn Perez.