Tina Gilbertson Shares Favorite Readings and Inspiration in New Book

Tina Gilbertson is a mental-health counselor in private practice in Portland, Ore. She teaches assertiveness and self-esteem workshops as well as classes on goal-setting, decision-making, overcoming anxiety and finding the right career. Constructive Wallowing: How to Beat Bad Feelings by Letting Yourself Have Them (Viva Editions, May 13, 2014) is about how to master anger, resentment and other hard feelings by moving toward instead of away from them.

Shelf Awareness, the trade newsletter for independent bookstores, featured Gilbertson as a Book Brahmin, and she shared her inspirations as well as her reading habits and history. When asked about her top five favorite authors, Gilbertson responded, "As a psychotherapist, I'm exposed every day to real-life stories that are epic, dramatic and tragic, so when I'm reading for pleasure, I gravitate toward the pure entertainment of thrillers. I regret that I seem to spend the majority of my life sitting in a chair; I'm an adventurer at heart." Other questions Gilbertson answered included what her favorite book was as a child and what book she had faked reading, to which she always had a witty response.

Actress-turned-therapist Tina Gilbertson offers a practical and effective alternative to kicking oneself when already down. Constructive Wallowing will not only help readers reach their potential but also heal from past hurts and feel better about themselves, right this minute. It is tempting to turn away from menacing, uncomfortable feelings like anger, grief or regret and treat them like unwanted guests. However, ignoring them just seems to make them stick around. By learning to accept, rather than suppress, difficult feelings, readers will gain greater self-understanding for lifelong emotional health.

Join Tina Gilbertson at these upcoming events:
6/11: St. John's Booksellers, Portland - 7:30pm
6/13: New Renaissance Books, Portland - 7pm
6/19: Village Books, Bellingham - 7pm
6/21: North Vancouver Library, North Vancouver - 2pm
6/23: Capilano Library, North Vancouver - 7pm
6/24: Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park - 7pm
6/25: Barnes & Noble Downtown Seattle - 3pm
6/26: University Bookstore, Seattle - 7pm
6/29: Eagle Harbor Books, Bainbridge Island - 3pm