Brené Brown’s book Daring Greatly is an excellent read for both counselors seeking to be more authentic in their interactions with colleagues and clients and for counseling clients. This book is centered on equipping readers with the tools to address feelings and experiences of shame and vulnerability that are an inevitable part of the human experience. Through real life anecdotes and memorable analogies, Brown analyzes what happens to an individual when (s)he is shamed both in the short term and in the long term as well as the cultural implications of shame. She then equips her audience with practical steps to take away shame’s power in their lives and increase authenticity by countering shame with vulnerability. While this may be difficult, it is worth it.

Daring Greatly is recommended for counselors in training or counselors who need some encouragement in being authentic or appropriately self-disclosing in sessions with clients. Similarly, clients who struggle with social anxiety could benefit from this work since it addresses a variety of life situations such as work, parenting, or social situations, which people often experience shame in. By naming these situations, Brown demonstrates that the shame that people experience when things do not go according to plan or when there is a misunderstanding is more common than people believe. As a result, readers can experience a sense of solidarity and know that they are not alone in their shameful experiences while gaining an opportunity to tame shame by learning to be appropriately vulnerable with others.