Healing From Pain Gently: When the Heart is Heavy, Let These Books Lighten It
Everyone feels pain sometimes. Not just the kind you get from falling or bumping into something—but the quiet kind that hides inside. It could be sadness, loss, confusion, or feeling like life just doesn’t make sense anymore.
In such moments, books can become more than stories. They can be gentle guides. Two books that do this especially well are Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb and The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. They are very different stories, but they share something special: they help you understand that pain doesn’t mean the end—it can be the beginning of healing.
Here’s why these two books make the perfect pair for anyone going through something tough, whether you’re a grown-up or a younger reader looking for kindness in written words.
“Maybe You Should Talk to Someone” by Lori Gottlieb
Imagine going to talk to someone about your feelings—someone who really listens. That’s what therapists do. But what if the therapist needs therapy too?
This book is written by Lori, who is a therapist. She helps people through their hardest days. But when her own life suddenly becomes very difficult, she finds herself sitting on the other side of the couch—as a patient.
What makes this book so special is how honest and warm it is. Lori shares real stories (with names and details changed for privacy) about the people she helps, and how she learns and heals from her own pain too. It's a book about talking, listening, crying, laughing—and learning that it’s okay not to be okay.
Even if you’re a kid or a teen, the feelings in this book are easy to relate to. You might see yourself in some of the people Lori meets. You’ll learn that therapy isn’t scary—it’s like having someone walk with you while you find your way.
“The Midnight Library” by Matt Haig
Now let’s switch from real life to a touch of magic.
The Midnight Library is a fictional story, but it talks about very real feelings. It’s about a woman who finds herself in a very strange place—a library where every book holds a different version of her life. What if she had made a different choice years ago? What if her regrets could be rewritten?
The book asks big questions in a very gentle way. What makes a life worth living? What if we feel we’ve failed? Can we change how we see our past—and our future?
Even though the story sounds like fantasy, it’s really about something we all experience: the “what ifs” in our hearts. This book gently shows us that while pain and regret are part of life, so are hope, choice, and second chances.
It’s not a sad book. It’s a hopeful one. It's like a light turning on in a dark room. The story tells us that even if things feel heavy now, we might not have seen all the good waiting for us just yet.
Why These Books Work So Well Together
You might wonder—how can a true story and a magical library go together?
They do, because both books are about healing from emotional pain in kind, human ways. Lori’s book shows real people learning to talk about their feelings and grow. Matt’s book shows us, through imagination, that we can rethink our pain and still choose life.
One book uses real-life stories; the other uses magical what-if worlds. But both are gentle. They don’t rush you. They say: It’s okay to feel lost. It’s okay to hurt. Healing takes time. And you’re not alone.
A Pair That Hugs Your Heart
Whether you’ve lost something, made mistakes, or just feel overwhelmed, Maybe You Should Talk to Someone and The Midnight Library remind us that healing doesn’t have to be big or dramatic. It can be quiet. It can start with a conversation—or a single page.
These aren’t loud books. They’re thoughtful, honest, and filled with moments that make you pause and think: “I feel that too.” For readers of any age, especially those new to emotional books, they’re the kind of reads that stay in your heart long after you close the cover.