Merriam-Webster defines gaslighting as, “to attempt to make (someone) believe that he or she is going insane (as by subjecting that person to a series of experiences that have no rational explanation).” In The Gaslighting Recovery Workbook: Healing from Emotional Abuse, Amy Marlow-MaCoy, LPC helps victims of gaslighting heal, by showing them how they can recover from emotional trauma and build healthy relationships.

Marlow-MaCoy has written a very educational book, and I learned a lot about the manipulation involved in gaslighting by reading it. The book is truly a workbook, with detailed questions that readers can reflect upon and answer as they work through their emotional experiences. One of the most interesting sections of the book delved into boundaries in relationships. I also liked learning about reflective listening, which is an aspect of assertive communication. “To practice reflective listening,” Marlow-MaCoy says, “listen carefully to what the other person is saying. Then, at your turn to speak, calmly repeat back what you heard.” Marlow-MaCoy says that reflective listening “shows the other person you are paying attention, and you take them seriously.”

The Gaslighting Recovery Workbook is not meant to replace a therapist, but rather be used in addition to therapy. This is a great book for those recovering from gaslighting, as well as for people interested in psychology, counseling, and the human condition.