Dr. Aaron P. Brinen

01/08/2026

I’ve been deeply moved by the response to Living Well with Psychosis since its release with Guilford Press

Hearing from people with lived experience, family members, and clinicians who’ve found the book practical, hopeful, and grounded in real recovery has been incredibly meaningful. Many have shared how it’s helped them rethink what’s possible, feel less alone, or approach psychosis with greater compassion and evidence-based tools.

If you’ve read Living Well with Psychosis and found it helpful, I’d be grateful if you’d consider leaving a thoughtful review on Amazon. Reviews help others who may be struggling—or supporting someone who is—find resources that emphasize recovery, dignity, and realistic hope.

https://a.co/d/fICopZz

Thank you to everyone who has reached out, shared the book, or integrated its ideas into their lives and work. Your feedback continues to shape how these conversations move forward.

Leading psychologist Aaron P. Brinen busts myths and helps you build the life you want in this empowering book. Dr. Brinen provides step-by-step guidance for becoming a strong self-advocate, navigating treatment options, managing symptoms that cause distress, and coping with stigma. Learn crucia...

12/25/2025

When you’re stuck in your head, everything can feel impossible.
Low mood. Scary voices. Suspicious thoughts. No energy.

Here’s the part most people don’t tell you 👇
Energy doesn’t come first. Action does.

You don’t have to go big.
You don’t have to “feel ready.”
You don’t have to fix everything today.

Start small.
📝 Map out your week—on paper or in your phone
🍽 Eating counts
🐶 Playing with your dog counts
📺 Watching a show counts
📱 Texting one friend counts

Momentum builds after you start.
Even one small step can loosen the grip of the scary stuff.

Don’t let perfection be the enemy of good.
Living well isn’t about being perfect.
It’s about showing up—step by step, day by day.

And if today all you can do is one small thing…
You’re doing it right. 💙

Check out Living Well with Psychosis from

SmallSteps MomentumMatters RecoveryJourney YouAreNotAlone

12/19/2025

I’m excited—and truly honored—to share that I was invited to be a guest on the Movers, Shakers, Designers, Makers podcast.

I had a great time talking with Dean Carpenter. We discussed my journey from theatre to psychology, how creative training shaped the way I understand people, and why recovery-oriented mental health care matters so deeply to me. It was a meaningful opportunity to reflect on how different parts of our lives can come together in unexpected and purposeful ways.

I’m grateful to the team for the invitation and for creating space for thoughtful conversations about growth, creativity, and impact. I hope you’ll give the episode a listen.

🎧 https://youtu.be/N2Fr_viFzTg?si=p0jHE94jo0EwcAUX

Recovery CreativeJourney

12/13/2025

Living with psychosis can be overwhelming.
Supporting someone with psychosis can be just as overwhelming.

I hear this from both sides all the time:
🗣️ Families: “No matter what I do, I’m wrong.”
🗣️ Individuals: “No matter what I do, I’m wrong.”

When psychosis enters the picture, fear shows up too. Families want to protect. They ask questions. They worry about missing something. They’re afraid things could get worse—or that they’ll fail someone they love.

But here’s the trap 👇
The less someone shares, the more anxious families become.
The more anxious families become, the harder they push.
The harder they push, the more the individual pulls away.

And suddenly, everyone is stuck in a vicious cycle. No one feels good. No one feels heard.

One simple tool can help break that cycle: the family huddle.

🕒 Once a week.
📋 A simple, predictable agenda:
• What went well this week (start with the wins)
• Where support is needed
• Plans for the coming week
• Any major concerns
• Quick feedback: Was this helpful?

That’s it.

For families, predictable communication lowers anxiety.
For individuals, it restores control over when and how information is shared—no more feeling ambushed.

When families understand that independence matters, and individuals recognize that concern often comes from love (even when it’s clumsy), something powerful happens: you become a team again.

The family huddle gives everyone space to breathe, reset, and feel supported.

12/11/2025

Looking for a meaningful holiday gift? Living Well with Psychosis Guilford Press is available—packed with compassion, practical tools, and real hope.

Give the gift of recovery this season. 💙
Grab your copy today! 📘✨
https://a.co/d/0QSX6Qv

12/09/2025

I’ve been incredibly grateful for the response to Living Well With Psychosis so far. Hearing from people who have found the book useful—whether clinicians, individuals in recovery, family members, or students—has been both humbling and energizing.

My goal in writing this book was simple but important: to offer practical, compassionate, evidence-informed guidance that supports real recovery. Seeing it resonate with so many of you means a great deal.

If you’ve read the book and found it helpful, I’d truly appreciate it if you could take a moment to leave a thoughtful review on Amazon. Your feedback not only helps others find the book, but also shapes how resources like this continue to grow and improve.

Thank you for being part of this work—and for everything you do to support recovery, dignity, and hope in mental health.
Guilford Press

12/06/2025

🔍 New Video: My Critical Look at The Body Keeps the Score

The Body Keeps the Score has shaped how millions think about trauma—but what happens when a book becomes more culturally powerful than the science itself?

In this new talk, I offer a thoughtful but pointed critique of some of the book’s most influential ideas. I dig into where its claims overgeneralize early neuroscience, how speculative concepts have been taken up as established fact, and how that can unintentionally pull people away from well-supported, evidence-based treatments.

My goal isn’t to dismiss the book—it’s to clarify the difference between compelling narratives and what the science actually shows. When it comes to trauma treatment, we have to let evidence guide us.

If you’re a clinician, researcher, student, or simply curious about how trauma is understood in the public sphere, I hope you’ll find this perspective valuable.

👉 Watch the full video: What The Body Keeps the Score Misses and what we need in PTSD treatment
https://youtu.be/sb-c_toTIp8
👉 And I’d love to hear your thoughts—what resonated, challenged you, or surprised you?

“The Body Keeps the Score” has shaped how millions think about trauma—but what happens when a book becomes more influential than the science itself?In this i...

12/04/2025

📣 New Video Is Live!
“The Body Keeps the Score” — What Happens When a Book Becomes Bigger Than the Science?

“The Body Keeps the Score” has shaped how millions think about trauma. But when a book becomes more influential than the science itself… what does that mean for clients, clinicians, policy, and the future of trauma care?

In this in-depth talk, I take a respectful, evidence-focused look at the book’s legacy—what it gets right, what it gets wrong, and why the conversation matters.

🔍 In This Video, You’ll Learn:
• Why the book resonates so strongly
• How emotion, anecdotes, science, and pseudoscience get blended together
• How treatments like PE, CPT, CBT, EMDR, IFS, and somatic therapies are represented—and misrepresented
• What we actually know from decades of PTSD research
• Why accuracy matters for the people we serve

“The Body Keeps the Score” has shaped how millions think about trauma—but what happens when a book becomes more influential than the science itself?In this i...

12/03/2025

📣 New Video Is Live Tomorrow!
“The Body Keeps the Score” — What Happens When a Book Becomes Bigger Than the Science?

“The Body Keeps the Score” has shaped how millions think about trauma. But when a book becomes more influential than the science itself… what does that mean for clients, clinicians, policy, and the future of trauma care?

In this in-depth talk, I take a respectful, evidence-focused look at the book’s legacy—what it gets right, what it gets wrong, and why the conversation matters.

🔍 In This Video, You’ll Learn:
• Why the book resonates so strongly
• How emotion, anecdotes, science, and pseudoscience get blended together
• How treatments like PE, CPT, CBT, EMDR, IFS, and somatic therapies are represented—and misrepresented
• What we actually know from decades of PTSD research
• Why accuracy matters for the people we serve

12/01/2025

Ever catch yourself thinking, “I’ll do it when I have the energy”?

I used to hear this all the time—and Aaron Beck, the father of cognitive therapy, once explained to me that this belief is actually defensive. It’s your mind trying to save energy in case something big happens later.

But here’s the twist:
Waiting for energy actually drains it.

Motivation doesn’t show up first.
Activity comes first. Energy follows.

Once you take that first small step—getting up, moving, starting the task—your battery begins to recharge. The momentum builds, and the energy you were waiting for finally kicks in.

If you’re feeling stuck, try starting before you feel ready. The energy will meet you along the way. 💛⚡️

11/22/2025

Excited to be here in New Orleans for ABCT 2025! 🌟
Nothing beats the energy of being surrounded by people dedicated to helping others live well, grow, and recover.

I’m thrilled to be at the Guilford Press booth ( #300) with Living Well with Psychosis—a project built on compassion, science, and the belief that recovery is possible for everyone.

✨ Book Signing Details
📅 Saturday, November 22
⏰ 4:00–5:00 PM
📍 Guilford Press Booth #300

If you’re at ABCT, stop by! I’d love to meet you, talk about the book, and connect about the work we’re all doing.