What do you think?
Rate this book
When Life Happens: The Mindset Shift You Need to Manage Stress, Build Confidence, and Break Free
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 16, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read and review this advance copy.
When Life Happens by Rachel L. Goldman is a warm and practical self-help guide that offers accessible strategies for managing stress, building confidence, and navigating life’s inevitable challenges. Drawing from the author’s expertise as a clinical psychologist, the book provides clear tools for reframing thoughts, overcoming burnout, and developing resilience. The tone is compassionate and easy to follow, making it well suited for readers seeking encouragement, mindset shifts, and actionable steps toward greater self-confidence and purpose. Overall, this is a thoughtful and supportive book for anyone looking for a roadmap through stress, identity shifts, and everyday overwhelm.
When Life Happens by Rachel L. Goldman is a warm and practical self-help guide that offers accessible strategies for managing stress, building confidence, and navigating life’s inevitable challenges. Drawing from the author’s expertise as a clinical psychologist, the book provides clear tools for reframing thoughts, overcoming burnout, and developing resilience. The tone is compassionate and easy to follow, making it well suited for readers seeking encouragement, mindset shifts, and actionable steps toward greater self-confidence and purpose. Overall, this is a thoughtful and supportive book for anyone looking for a roadmap through stress, identity shifts, and everyday overwhelm.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I’m so glad I requested "When Life Happens" by Dr. Rachel Goldman—this one truly felt like a gift.
What stood out to me right away was the tone and intention behind the book. Even before the main content begins, the acknowledgements reveal a lot about the author. Dr. Goldman is generous in giving credit to the people who helped shape her, and that sense of humility and grounded perspective carries throughout the book.
The introduction immediately drew me in. She opens with a Lao Tzu quote that resonated deeply with me—one I returned to often in my 20s and 30s—and it sets the stage for the book’s central idea: life is always going to “happen,” and the real power lies in how we respond.
What I appreciated most is that this book doesn’t try to eliminate stress or offer quick fixes. Instead, it focuses on building a sustainable mindset shift. Drawing on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), Dr. Goldman walks readers through a clear, practical framework of awareness, choice, and change—helping you recognize your thought patterns, pause, and respond more intentionally. The emphasis on breaking cycles like avoidance, negative self-talk, and perfectionism felt especially relevant and actionable.
This is not a passive read. The reflection prompts and exercises encourage you to slow down and engage, making it more of a workbook-style experience. For readers willing to put in that effort, the payoff is a deeper sense of resilience and confidence built through small, consistent actions.
I also appreciated that Dr. Goldman isn’t using the book as a way to upsell readers. She offers free content on her YouTube channel, which reinforces that her goal is to make these tools accessible. That authenticity comes through clearly.
While the Oprah connection and Mel Robbins endorsement didn’t add much for me personally, they didn’t detract from what is ultimately a thoughtful, evidence-based, and well-structured book.
This isn’t a quick or light read—it’s one to spend time with, reflect on, and return to. I can absolutely see myself revisiting sections and applying the exercises over time. I will definitely be purchasing a Kindle copy once it’s released.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with a digital advanced reader’s copy to read and review.
What stood out to me right away was the tone and intention behind the book. Even before the main content begins, the acknowledgements reveal a lot about the author. Dr. Goldman is generous in giving credit to the people who helped shape her, and that sense of humility and grounded perspective carries throughout the book.
The introduction immediately drew me in. She opens with a Lao Tzu quote that resonated deeply with me—one I returned to often in my 20s and 30s—and it sets the stage for the book’s central idea: life is always going to “happen,” and the real power lies in how we respond.
What I appreciated most is that this book doesn’t try to eliminate stress or offer quick fixes. Instead, it focuses on building a sustainable mindset shift. Drawing on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), Dr. Goldman walks readers through a clear, practical framework of awareness, choice, and change—helping you recognize your thought patterns, pause, and respond more intentionally. The emphasis on breaking cycles like avoidance, negative self-talk, and perfectionism felt especially relevant and actionable.
This is not a passive read. The reflection prompts and exercises encourage you to slow down and engage, making it more of a workbook-style experience. For readers willing to put in that effort, the payoff is a deeper sense of resilience and confidence built through small, consistent actions.
I also appreciated that Dr. Goldman isn’t using the book as a way to upsell readers. She offers free content on her YouTube channel, which reinforces that her goal is to make these tools accessible. That authenticity comes through clearly.
While the Oprah connection and Mel Robbins endorsement didn’t add much for me personally, they didn’t detract from what is ultimately a thoughtful, evidence-based, and well-structured book.
This isn’t a quick or light read—it’s one to spend time with, reflect on, and return to. I can absolutely see myself revisiting sections and applying the exercises over time. I will definitely be purchasing a Kindle copy once it’s released.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with a digital advanced reader’s copy to read and review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was so excited to dive into Dr. Rachel’s book because I knew ahead of reading it that a major goal of the book is to help people get unstuck. I’m a parent coach and relationship therapist and “feeling stuck” is the most common experience for pretty much all my clients and, truthfully, I’m there myself at times.
There are 2 things in particular that stand out to me about this book and they’re the reasons why I’ve been encouraging my clients to pre-order the book:
1. The book is written both with authority and also with incredible warmth and care. It’s obvious that Dr. Rachel believes in the reader’s ability to get unstuck and create a more fulfilling day to day experience. The balance of warmth and professional authority is perfect and left me feeling very “held” as a reader.
2. I was also struck by how helpful the exercises and techniques in the book are. These are not generic feel good to-dos. There is actually a shift after implementing what Dr. Rachel offers and that’s not something many books do well.
I loved this book and will read it again. There are certain books I go back to year after year and I know this will be one of those.
I received an advance copy of this book. This review is based entirely upon my own thoughts about the book.
There are 2 things in particular that stand out to me about this book and they’re the reasons why I’ve been encouraging my clients to pre-order the book:
1. The book is written both with authority and also with incredible warmth and care. It’s obvious that Dr. Rachel believes in the reader’s ability to get unstuck and create a more fulfilling day to day experience. The balance of warmth and professional authority is perfect and left me feeling very “held” as a reader.
2. I was also struck by how helpful the exercises and techniques in the book are. These are not generic feel good to-dos. There is actually a shift after implementing what Dr. Rachel offers and that’s not something many books do well.
I loved this book and will read it again. There are certain books I go back to year after year and I know this will be one of those.
I received an advance copy of this book. This review is based entirely upon my own thoughts about the book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The author brings in her knowledge of cognitive behavioral therapy to how we can live our lives with less stress.
I was hoping to get out of the book ways to regulate my nervous system when feeling stressed. Also be able to live in the moment and handle things that come up without letting those things throw me off course. This book delivered on these items and more.
With burnout affecting so many of us it is an important book to read to give us tools to combat burnout.
Reframing how we think about slowing down is essential.
With all the toxic positivity books out there, this book helps us to bring awareness to what we feel for a richer experience of life.
Focusing on what we can control and that we are in control of how we respond to stress is empowering.
This book is helpful to clarify what you want and how to get there.
The author helped me create a personalized toolbox that I can use whenever I feel triggered by something that makes me feel stressed and irritable. The feelings still come up but having a way to move past them is super helpful.
This book helps us to shift the way we look at things. A paradigm shift to help avoid burn out.
I was hoping to get out of the book ways to regulate my nervous system when feeling stressed. Also be able to live in the moment and handle things that come up without letting those things throw me off course. This book delivered on these items and more.
With burnout affecting so many of us it is an important book to read to give us tools to combat burnout.
Reframing how we think about slowing down is essential.
With all the toxic positivity books out there, this book helps us to bring awareness to what we feel for a richer experience of life.
Focusing on what we can control and that we are in control of how we respond to stress is empowering.
This book is helpful to clarify what you want and how to get there.
The author helped me create a personalized toolbox that I can use whenever I feel triggered by something that makes me feel stressed and irritable. The feelings still come up but having a way to move past them is super helpful.
This book helps us to shift the way we look at things. A paradigm shift to help avoid burn out.
Review of advance copy received from Author
As someone who works in the mental health space, specifically with teenage girls, I’m always looking for books that don’t just explain concepts but actually help people change their day to day lives. When Life Happens by Dr. Rachel Goldman does exactly that.
What I love most about this book is how easy it is to digest and even more importantly how easy it is to apply. The tools are clear, practical, and realistic. You don’t need a psychology background to understand them and you can start using them immediately.
Dr. Goldman leads with so much compassion. She normalizes experiences around anxiety, depression, and especially body image in a way that feels grounding instead of overwhelming. Her approach to body acceptance is phenomenal and incredibly relevant for the girls and families I work with every day. This is a book I’ll continue to recommend.
What I love most about this book is how easy it is to digest and even more importantly how easy it is to apply. The tools are clear, practical, and realistic. You don’t need a psychology background to understand them and you can start using them immediately.
Dr. Goldman leads with so much compassion. She normalizes experiences around anxiety, depression, and especially body image in a way that feels grounding instead of overwhelming. Her approach to body acceptance is phenomenal and incredibly relevant for the girls and families I work with every day. This is a book I’ll continue to recommend.
June 23, 2026
I absolutely LOVED Dr. Rachel's book! She has a fresh and incredibly practical approach to CBT, teaching skills that actually work for real-life stressors and everyday struggles. As a psychologist, I'm not only excited to recommend it to clients, but I genuinely loved reading it myself and learned so much along the way.
Dr. Rachel is one of the most authentic, empathetic, and down-to-earth clinicians out there. She truly lives what she teaches, and that shines through in every chapter. This book feels like getting guidance from someone who deeply understands both the science and the human experience behind it.
I'm so glad this book is finally out in the world. It's thoughtful, relatable, and full of tools that people can start using right away!
Dr. Rachel is one of the most authentic, empathetic, and down-to-earth clinicians out there. She truly lives what she teaches, and that shines through in every chapter. This book feels like getting guidance from someone who deeply understands both the science and the human experience behind it.
I'm so glad this book is finally out in the world. It's thoughtful, relatable, and full of tools that people can start using right away!
April 17, 2026
As a psychologist who loves CBT, I’ve been waiting for a book like this!!
Rachel Goldman absolutely nails it—taking concepts we use all the time in therapy and making them feel clear, relatable, and actually usable in real life. It’s practical without being watered down, and you can feel the clinical depth without it ever feeling heavy or jargon-filled.
I had so many “yes, exactly” moments reading this—and more importantly, it actually helps you shift how you think and respond.
I’d recommend this to readers and clients without hesitation. Truly so well done!!!
Rachel Goldman absolutely nails it—taking concepts we use all the time in therapy and making them feel clear, relatable, and actually usable in real life. It’s practical without being watered down, and you can feel the clinical depth without it ever feeling heavy or jargon-filled.
I had so many “yes, exactly” moments reading this—and more importantly, it actually helps you shift how you think and respond.
I’d recommend this to readers and clients without hesitation. Truly so well done!!!
April 22, 2026
Listen, this book is excellent, but..
I originally bought the audio version, but the narrator has a "vocal fry" voice that distracts from the content, so I bought the hardback copy and LOVE it! I wished I would have listened to the audio sample first.
Also in the audio version, there's times when a sentence is flubbed and re-done assuming the flubbed one was meant to be edited out.
I know I'm in the minority with my opinions since all of the reviews are stellar, but would have liked a heads up before buying.
Still giving a 5 star because the information is invaluable!
I originally bought the audio version, but the narrator has a "vocal fry" voice that distracts from the content, so I bought the hardback copy and LOVE it! I wished I would have listened to the audio sample first.
Also in the audio version, there's times when a sentence is flubbed and re-done assuming the flubbed one was meant to be edited out.
I know I'm in the minority with my opinions since all of the reviews are stellar, but would have liked a heads up before buying.
Still giving a 5 star because the information is invaluable!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I'm a huge fan of something that is both practical and compassionate. Rachel Goldman guides us through simple ways to navigate the stress and unpredictability that show up in everyday life. The writing is approachable and grounded. She brings together psychological insight and simple mindset shifts to pause, reframe, and respond in better ways. This is a thoughtful and encouraging read for anyone who wants to handle stress with more clarity and self-compassion.
April 8, 2026
Reading When Life Happens feels like having coffee with your smartest, kindest friend―one who also happens to be a brilliant psychologist armed with real, actionable tools. In a world full of self-help books, this one truly stands out for its realistic approach, genuinely helpful advice, and the way Dr. Rachel makes CBT feel both FUN and doable.
―Terri Bacow, PhD, author of Goodbye, Anxiety: A Guided Journal for Overcoming Worry
―Terri Bacow, PhD, author of Goodbye, Anxiety: A Guided Journal for Overcoming Worry
April 27, 2026
“When Life Happens” is the perfect book for anyone looking for attainable shifts they can implement in their daily lives to handle life’s challenges. Backed by evidence-based interventions and research, Dr. Rachel breaks down various strategies that have been shown to be effective when feeling overwhelmed or stressed. Her actionable tools and guided reflections give readers tangible “tweaks” that make a big impact.
Review of advance copy received from Author
As a seasoned cognitive behavioral therapist, this book is my new “go-to” book recommendation for clients. Dr. Rachel gives concrete examples for anyone to start putting into practice, immediately. Her work is well researched and explained in simplistic terms. Reading ‘When Life Happens’ left me feeling energized and excited with new perspective!
May 13, 2026
Everyone needs to add tools in their coping toolbox! when Life Happens is like having a fireside chat with the author guiding you step by step through strategies to shift the mindset toward healthy habits with yourself and others! Thank You Dr Rachel Goldman for giving solid science and evidence based research in a way that is easy to process and implement into everyday practice!
Review of advance copy
Rachel breaks down "psychology speak" into digestible, practical ways and gives tools for people, particularly women, to get out of their own way. She gives guidance in a gentle way so that people learn to help themselves when life gets messy and complicated.
April 10, 2026
❤️ This book is like you’re having a conversation with a good friend! It’s full of writing prompts, practical information, and steps to take.
💔 My only issue is with the format of some of the tables - they can be hard to understand and read.
💔 My only issue is with the format of some of the tables - they can be hard to understand and read.
April 10, 2026
Loved! A thoughtful guide that turns everyday challenges into opportunities for growth. Perfect for anyone ready to take small steps toward big personal change.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Dr. Rachel is a phenomenal psychologist, filled with insight and wisdom with warm, supportive, and helpful strategies to help others use their tools to get through life’s tough moments. In her book, When Life Happens, she thoughtfully provides practical CBT ways to manage and move through the stressors of life when they happen. Highly recommend this book!
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews