The 4 Textbooks That Shaped My Psychology Career (And Still Live on My Desk)
When I'm coaching aspiring psychologists, one question comes up constantly: "What books should I actually read?"
Not just to tick boxes for applications or sound knowledgeable in interviews, but books that genuinely deepen your understanding and stay relevant throughout your career.
After years as an Assistant Psychologist, through my own doctorate applications (with a 100% offer rate), and now in my final year of training while running my coaching practice, these four books have earned their permanent spot on my desk.
A quick note: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them at no extra cost to you. I only recommend books I genuinely use and believe will support your psychology career journey.
Formulation in Psychology and Psychotherapy
This is the book I return to time and time again when I'm compiling a comprehensive formulation. Whether I'm working with a complex eating disorder presentation at my NHS placement or preparing formulation training for my coaching clients, this book delivers.
What makes it invaluable is its breadth, it covers systemic, narrative, CBT, and psychodynamic approaches, as well as integrative formulations. You're learning how different theoretical lenses illuminate different aspects of their experience.
Why it matters for your career: Formulation is the cornerstone of psychological practice and features heavily in doctorate/assistant psychologist interviews. If you're still building your formulation confidence, I'd especially recommend starting with the CBT 5 P's formulation section, it's an accessible introduction that you can build on throughout your training.
I still reference this book in clinical supervision, when teaching formulation skills, and when I need to think more flexibly about a case that isn't responding to my initial approach.
Buy it here: https://amzn.to/49gSd9O
The Pocket Guide to Therapy
This one still lives in my book shelf. Whenever I'm picking up a new therapeutic model or need a quick but comprehensive overview, this is where I start.
The beauty of this book lies in its clear and accessible explanation of different therapeutic approaches. It gives you exactly what you need to speak confidently about various models in interviews without overwhelming you with theory you won't retain.
Why it matters for your career: In Assistant Psychologist and doctorate interviews, you'll be asked about your understanding of different therapeutic approaches. You need to demonstrate breadth of knowledge while being honest about your experience level. This book helps you develop that informed, articulate understanding that interviewers are looking for.
Beyond interviews, it's been invaluable during my training when I've needed to integrate approaches I'm less familiar with.
Buy it here: https://amzn.to/3LaQFG7
Tribes of the Person-Centred Nation
This is a more recent addition to my collection, but it's quickly become essential reading. If you're interested in counselling psychology (or counselling more broadly), this book opens up the rich diversity within person-centred approaches.
What I love about this book is that it doesn't just explain person-centred therapy as a monolithic approach. It explores the different "tribes" i.e., the various ways practitioners understand and apply person-centred principles. It deepened my appreciation for the philosophical foundations of counselling psychology and how these translate into practice.
Why it matters for your career: Counselling psychology programmes emphasise the humanistic, person-centred philosophical stance that differentiates the profession. This book helps you articulate that philosophy authentically in applications and interviews. More importantly, it helps you understand what person-centred practice actually looks like beyond the basic core conditions you may have learned about in your undergraduate degree.
Even if you're applying for clinical psychology, understanding person-centred approaches enriches your therapeutic flexibility and helps you appreciate the value of different epistemological positions.
Buy it here: https://amzn.to/4azBSzk
An Introduction to Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
I come back to this book regularly, even in my final year of training. It's comprehensive without being overwhelming, and it's grounded in practical application.
This book covers CBT theory across many different disorders and demonstrates different ways of formulating depending on the presenting problem. It breaks down the key components of CBT and shows you what this actually looks like in therapeutic practice.
Why it matters for your career: CBT is the most widely used and evidence-based approach in the NHS. Whether you're working in primary care, CAMHS, adult mental health, or specialist services like eating disorders (where I'm currently placed), you'll encounter CBT.
This book helped me prepare for my CBT-focused Assistant Psychologist roles, supported me through doctorate interviews when discussing evidence-based practice, and continues to inform my clinical work. The disorder-specific chapters are particularly valuable when you're starting work with a new client group.
Buy it here: https://amzn.to/4p9pGJ3
Why These Books, Specifically?
These aren't just textbooks I read once for an exam or assignment. They're books that have genuinely shaped my clinical thinking and continue to inform my practice. They're the ones I recommend to my coaching clients who are preparing for applications and interviews, and they're the ones I tell them to hold onto for their training.
You don't need to buy all four at once. Start with the one that addresses your most immediate need, maybe formulation if you've got an interview coming up, or the Pocket Guide if you need to develop breadth of knowledge.
Want more support with your psychology career journey? I offer one-to-one coaching and packages specifically for aspiring psychologists. Book a discovery call here.
