10 Best Self-Help Books in 2022 (Licensed Professional Counselor-Reviewed)

First published in 1936, this remains one of the most known and recommended books for improving your life. Carnegie offers six ways to become more likable and 12 ways to change people’s minds without them realizing it.

Interpersonal skills are crucial in today’s society. By learning the techniques in this book, you can drastically improve both personal and professional relationships. You’ll be able to face any situation and make others work with you instead of against you.

Readers say this book is timeless and the advice offered in it is still applicable today. Some references may be a bit outdated, but the general ideas are the same. They like that it not only teaches essential social skills that can help anyone but also explains why these skills are so valuable to have.

This novel contains life-changing ideas about the sort of habits that vastly improve one's effectiveness. Based on psychology, it narrates the trends that generally describe success.

Being all the rage of the last 15 years, its ideas are still relevant. With a new foreword and afterword by the author himself, you’ll quickly understand how his mindset can help you improve your productivity.

Some reviewers find this book to be boring and tedious to read, while others find the advice cliche. On the other hand, many reviewers say this book helped them realize how their mindsets were holding them back. By making small tweaks to their ways of thinking, they were able to make big changes to their lives.

This is another book about habits that will change how you view yourself. It teaches what habits are and how to change them - a powerful tool if you want to kick some bad ones. The advice it offers is universal and can help you build habits in your personal or business life, no matter who you are.

The author dives into the science behind human behavior to help us understand why we do the things we do. Whether you want to take up exercise, forge better relations, or quit smoking, learning these truths about habits will make those changes easier for you.

Some reviewers say this book was hard to follow and felt long-winded. Others wish it provided more concrete advice. However, most reviewers enjoy the research-based journalism style of this book and say it was very informative. They say this book made them stop and reevaluate their habits for the better.

This self-help book is different from the others as it deals with your emotional self rather than your logical self. It teaches you to leave behind your ego in order to find your inner self and inner peace.

This is the perfect book for maximizing self-awareness and taking control of your emotions. You learn how to deal with psychological pain and embrace yourself as you are in the present.

Some readers complain that this book feels rambling and, at times, incoherent. Still, many reviewers praise this book, especially for offering advice on dealing with trauma and emotional pain. Readers who deal with depression and anxiety highly recommend it.

In this book, Greene analyzes the lives of geniuses like Mozart, Einstein, and Darwin, to name a few, in order to find out how they became masters of their crafts. 

Here, myths about talent are debunked, and instead, wisdom is shared that will lead you to great success. Greene will teach you how to unlock your own passion and master your craft.

Some reviewers say this book is repetitive and redundant and could have been written with fewer words. On the other hand, many readers love this book for its breakdown of what mastery truly is and how to achieve it. They say it has inspired them to work towards their goals.

Mark Manson, a wildly popular blogger, breaks down some unpopular truths about self-development. He challenges long-standing ideas and encourages you to think critically about the information you absorb from the self-help bubble. He helps you sort out which things to care about and which to disregard.

This book will hold a metaphorical mirror in front of you and confront you with the question: what really matters to you? Manson's challenging ideas about wealth and success will allow you to view the world a little differently and feel better about yourself in the long run. 

Reviewers warn that this book contains strong language. Some say they didn't connect with the author and his backstory. Still, many reviewers say this book teaches important life lessons, especially to millennials. Readers were able to stop stressing about every little thing and just focus on what is truly important to them!

This little book about organization has taken the world by storm. Marie Kondo’s approach to organizing your home has allowed thousands of people to declutter and get rid of the things they don’t need.

By focusing on keeping only things that spark joy in your life, you’ll learn how to surround yourself with items that make you happy. At the same time, going through room by room, you’ll find peace by tidying up and organizing your home. 

A few find the concept at the heart of the book laughably simple or overrated, but the people who have gone through the steps swear by it. After undergoing the decluttering process in this book, even the biggest hoarders say their homes make them so much happier. 

In this book, Elizabeth Gilbert, the acclaimed author of Eat, Pray, Love, uses her profound wisdom to teach you how to live curiously and creatively. She discusses effective attitude changes you can make to deal with things that are painful in your life. 

She uses her own experiences and work to explore creativity itself. This book is obviously great for artistic people, but it's also great for those looking for more creativity and curiosity in their work or day-to-day life. 

Some reviewers say this book felt narrow in scope, while others say it's unoriginal. On the other hand, many enjoy Gilbert's down-to-earth and conversational writing style. They appreciate her tone because it makes the ideas in the book easier to approach. It pushed them to actively nurture and believe in their creativity.

Valuable for both extroverts and introverts, this book teaches readers how to utilize the power of introverts in a variety of situations. No matter which end of the spectrum you find yourself on, pick up this book to learn about the secret skills of “quiet” people of the world. Understanding one another better helps, too.

Some reviewers criticize this book for its biased use of the labels "introvert" and "extrovert." Others say the author doesn't provide enough evidence to back up the claims. In addition, reviewers say that this book explains the differences between the two, but doesn't necessarily describe how to apply this knowledge to your life.

On the other hand, introverted readers love this book because it taught them to accept themselves. It has given them the courage to take the steps needed to improve difficult situations and use their introversion to their advantage, both in their personal and professional lives.

In this book, New York Times bestselling author Timothy Ferriss teaches you the secrets of his success. The focus lies in outsourcing your work, eliminating useless work hours, making more money, and freeing up your time to do the things that matter to you.

This new expanded and updated edition includes practical tips, case studies, templates for making your life easier, and other tools that will help you navigate the changing nature of the world.

Some reviewers find the ideas outdated and recommend using critical thinking to separate the good from the useless. However, many reviewers value this book for its business-related advice and it's still one of the most recommended self-help books for starting your own business!