Psychotherapist and writer Lori Gottlieb’s memoir begins at a difficult point in her life, a time when she herself seeks out therapy to cope with her challenges. Thus, the book juxtaposes her own journey with therapy against her experiences with five different patients - and uses simple, accessible language and storytelling to make a case for therapy and mental health care. We review the book, and in Footnotes, extend the conversation to vulnerability as a theme in books.