Why Am I Like This? [Book Review]

[This article is part of a series of books we have reviewed over the years. Click the link to check out all the other books we’ve reviewed here.]

As a Christian counselor, I am always on the lookout for insightful books that not only offer practical guidance but also align with a Christian worldview. Kobe Campbell’s “Why Am I Like This?” is a profound and enriching read that I believe can be a significant resource for Christians struggling with questions about their identity, emotional health, and faith. Campbell, a licensed trauma therapist and mental health expert, brings a unique blend of personal experience, professional insight, and biblical wisdom to her readers.

The question, “Why am I like this?” is one many of us have asked ourselves at some point, especially when confronted with recurring patterns of behavior, emotions, or thoughts that seem inexplicable or out of our control. Kobe Campbell delves into the root causes of these patterns, using her expertise in trauma and mental health to explore how past experiences, particularly those involving trauma, shape our current identities and behaviors.

Campbell offers a compassionate and honest look into how unresolved trauma can manifest in our daily lives. She shares that our responses to situations are often linked to the survival mechanisms our brains and bodies developed in response to past pain. These mechanisms can lead to coping strategies that are not always healthy or helpful in the long run. The author does an excellent job of unpacking these complexities, helping readers to understand that their struggles are not simply about “being better” or “trying harder.” Instead, there is a deeper journey toward healing and transformation that needs to be acknowledged and embraced.

Biblical Insights, Psychological Understanding, Personal Insight

What sets “Why Am I Like This?” apart is Campbell’s ability to weave together psychological insights with biblical truths. She does not shy away from integrating scripture and faith-based perspectives into her exploration of trauma and mental health. This integration is crucial for Christians who may feel a tension between their faith and the need for psychological help. Campbell’s work reassures readers that pursuing mental health and healing is compatible with faith and part of God’s design for wholeness.

Campbell uses biblical narratives and characters to illustrate how trauma and emotional wounds have existed in human experiences for centuries. She points out how figures like David, Elijah, and even Jesus experienced deep emotional pain and distress. This connection helps normalize the struggles many Christians face, showing that feeling broken or hurt does not mean one lacks faith. On the contrary, acknowledging and addressing these issues is vital to spiritual growth and maturity.

This and Kobe Campbell’s personal testimony add a profound layer of authenticity to her message. She shares her own experiences with trauma and how it affected her life, faith, and relationships. This vulnerability creates a space for readers to feel seen and understood, reducing the stigma often associated with mental health struggles. Her story becomes a powerful testimony of how God can bring healing and restoration even in the darkest places.

The Good

As a counselor, I find “Why Am I Like This?” to be a valuable resource for individuals on their healing journeys and those in counseling roles. The book provides a framework that can help counselors better understand their clients’ struggles and offer them biblically rooted guidance. The practical exercises and reflection questions at the end of each chapter are beneficial, encouraging readers to actively engage with the content and apply it to their lives.

For laypeople, this book is an excellent starting point for understanding how trauma affects our spiritual and emotional lives. Campbell’s gentle yet profound approach encourages readers to look inward and upward—towards their hearts and God—for healing and understanding. She emphasizes the importance of community, therapy, and a relationship with God as part of the healing process, offering a holistic approach to personal growth.

The Bad

I genuinely do not have anything negative to say about the content itself. My only blemish, and this has nothing against the author, is that it mirrors Aundi Kolber’s book Strong Like Water which I read months ago. If you read one, you’ll like this, but it will ‘much the same.’ If you have not read the other, both are good. It was personable, clinical, and relatable.

Conclusion

The book was not earth-shattering, but I chalk that up to the fact of poor timing. This is a welcomed book in the conversation of faith and mental health. For people who work in the profession, pastors, and people with lived experience or having a loved one with lived experience, this is a great book. that I give this book a 5 out of 5.