In Deeply Human, clinical psychologist James P. Manning explores how “emotions function in the body and influence the mind” from a scientific perspective and details the therapeutic journeys of three adult patients.

Manning is an example of “Physician, heal thyself.” Pathologically disconnected from his emotions, he drifted as a young adult until he felt shame enough to finally confront lifelong emotional wounds that had held him back. Years of therapeutic training helped him accept “emotions as meaningful messengers,” resolve his issues, and establish a practice to guide patients to connect with their emotions.

Manning explains brain science and medical symptoms with diagrams of the body that pinpoint where various emotions tend to lodge. Practice cards at the end of most chapters provide simple exercises. He also narrates the therapeutic process for resolving various types of emotional conflicts through the poignant stories of Mark, Patricia, and Lisa. Additionally, there’s a 30+-page glossary of emotions and therapeutic protocols, from “affect labeling” to “vulnerability,” and access to video tutorials via the doctor’s website.

Deeply Human is extremely informative, useful, and very moving. Before diving in, Manning gently acknowledges how this may be overwhelming stuff, much as a father would lead a child into the pool, one foot at a time, assuring the child that’s it’s going to be worth the initial scariness. The stories of his three patients read like novels: each has an arc punctuated by conflict, suspense, and fully dimensional characters. Of Patricia, struggling to acknowledge a profound sorrow, he writes, “She kept [her dead son’s] room as it had always been. His motorcycle helmet was still on the top shelf. Her grief hadn’t left her; it had moved in with her.”

This book is most valuable to those suffering from holding in negative emotions or who are unable to feel at all, but it’s a worthy read for anyone who wants a better relationship with friends, family, colleagues, or even themselves.