Format: ebook
Published: 5th August, 2026
Age: Adult
Genre: Nonfiction – Self Help
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Self Help books often get a poor reception – don’t get me wrong, I know there’s a lot of dubious ones out there, but to listen to some people talk you’d think they were all somehow worsening society. In my own humble experience, certain books can really help you dig into an issue impacting you, and give you the tools and advice to work through it while offering the comfort that, in fact, you are not the only one dealing with the issue.
Are You Mad at Me? is one such book. Aimed at people pleasers who constantly worry what others think, avoid conflict, over-apologise, and struggle with their own thoughts and emotions, Josephson dives into the fourth survival instinct of fawning. Alongside fight, flight and freeze, fawning protects us and helps us remain safe, but it can become deeply engrained and emerge when we least want it to. Throughout the book, Josephson explores fawning and how it impacts on a daily basis, using her own experiences and case studies, and gives the reader excellent advice for moving past this instinct and learning how to set boundaries and sit with discomfort.
I’m a firm believer in building a mental health toolkit, but also in trying different things and seeing what feels right for you, at that point in time. Even if you’ve experienced the issues in the book, you might not fully connect with the advice if these things are something you’ve already been working on, but that’s not to say there isn’t still great stuff in here to add to your own toolkit, even if it’s just the knowledge of others experiencing similar, that sense of knowing you’re not alone.
This might also be helpful if you have a loved one who struggles with the issues raised in this book, no matter which stage they’re at in their own journey. I think this book gives some great insight into people pleasing and fawning, exploring the different reasons why people might find themselves trapped in these cycles. It’s well written, informative without being too heavy, and full of compassion and kindness.
It’s also – crucially, I think, for self-help books – accessible. Josephson talks plainly to her audience, while giving actionable advice and ‘things to do’ frequently throughout the book. If you resonate with the title or the blurb, felt a moment of ‘hey, that’s me’, then I definitely suggest grabbing a copy.
Reading Challenge
Twenty Genres in 2026
Prompt: Self Help, Medical, Psychology, Sociology or Mental Health
Progress: 15/20
