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Joseph Burgo

Joseph Burgo, PhD, has practiced psychotherapy for more than thirty years, holding licenses as a marriage and family therapist and clinical psychologist. He earned his undergraduate degree in English Literature at UCLA. He began writing fiction at age 12, published his first fantasy novel at 23, and is also the author of Why Do I Do That? (2012) and The Narcissist You Know (2015).
Biographical details sourced from Simon & Schuster.
On LuvemBooks, we've reviewed Why Do I Do That?.
1
Books Reviewed
Cover of Why Do I Do That?: Psychological Defense Mechanisms
Why Do I Do That?: Psychological Defense Mechanisms

4.6/5

reader rating · 1,273 ratings

Why Do I Do That? By Joseph Burgo Ph.D. Adapts the core strategies of psychodynamic psychotherapy into a structured self-help guide, using case studies and end-of-chapter exercises to help general readers recognize and work through the psychological defense mechanisms that shape their emotional lives and relationships — a substantive offering for anyone willing to engage honestly with the harder questions about their own behavior.

Reviewed Jun 27, 2026

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Authors Like Joseph Burgo
M

Mark Wolynn

Psychology
Self-Help & Personal Development
Health & Wellness
Mark Wolynn's It Didn't Start with You complements Burgo's work on unconscious patterns, offering practical exercises that explore buried suffering through an intergenerational lens.
1 book reviewed
It Didn't Start with You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are
Kristin Neff

Kristin Neff

Psychology
Health & Wellness
Self-Help & Personal Development
Kristin Neff’s Self-Compassion provides research-backed tools to dismantle the shame, avoidance, and self-criticism examined in Joseph Burgo’s psychological work.
1 book reviewed
Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself
David Eagleman

David Eagleman

Psychology
David Eagleman's Incognito expands on the unconscious mind with accessible brain science and real-world case studies, shifting Burgo’s clinical self-reflection toward neuroscience.
1 book reviewed
Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain
J

Judith Belmont

Psychology
Self-Help & Personal Development
Health & Wellness
Judith Belmont's The Group Therapy Card Deck shares Joseph Burgo's clinical background, translating psychological concepts into accessible language that participants can absorb and use.
1 book reviewed
The Group Therapy Card Deck: CBT, DBT, ACT
Charles Duhigg

Charles Duhigg

Psychology
Self-Help & Personal Development

Charles Duhigg is an American journalist and non-fiction author.

1 book reviewed
The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business
L

Lisa Barrett

Psychology
Health & Wellness

Lisa Feldman Barrett is a neuroscientist, psychologist, and author known for her work on the science of emotion. She is the author of How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain and Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain. A world expert in the psychology of emotion, she is also an elected member of the Royal Society of Canada and has received funding from the National Institutes of Health.

1 book reviewed
How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain―How We Create