Most self-help seminars, videos, and books promise a seemingly painless solution for your every problem. According to them, you can overcome any doubt or crisis by changing the way you think about things. However, the truth is that positive changes are much harder to make if you avoid seeking professional help.
The questionable methods of self-help culture served as an inspiration for Copenhagen-based artist and practicing psychotherapist Johan Deckmann. He creates fictional book covers that offer self-help content in a sarcastic way.
The titles on these covers are often painfully direct and often relatable to the point that they become uncomfortable. However, they also have a humorous note that makes them easier to digest and even entertaining.
“The idea of writing on books comes partly from my work as a psychotherapist, a music composer, and lyricist. I like the idea of distilling words to compress information, feelings or fantasies into an essence, a truth,” Deckmann reveals when asked about the project.
Deckmann’s fictional self-help book covers have been a real success since he started the project in the early 2010s. They got him an impressive social media following and invites from notable museums and galleries around the world. Continue scrolling for more of them below.
