I Know I'm In There Somewhere
By Dr. Helene Brenner 

     Have you ever felt like you spend your whole life pleasing others - complying with their wishes, doing what's best for them, second-guessing if they would approve of your decisions - that you never seem to live life for yourself? Well, so do many of Dr. Helene Brenner's patients, and she reports about them and their challenges in I Know I'm in There Somewhere.

     Brenner uses patient anecdotes more than most therapist-authors. At first, this disturbed me, but she does a good job of weaving the tales together to inspire. Along the way, she leads readers through a couple dozen "innercizes" to help them tune in to their inner voices, but these are not the strength of the book. In the epilogue, Dr. Brenner reveals herself to be a bit of a feminist, which shows throughout the book in a very apolitical way. While the topic of this book might apply more to women than to men, many men will also relate.

     Are there any Wow!'s in this book? No, but it is a gentle inspiration for anyone who sees herself--or himself--as a people-pleaser, or who wants to better understand a friend or partner who fits that description.

I give I Know I'm in There Somewhere a 7 out of 10.