Checking In

“I need help.”

Those three words saved Grammy Award–winning singer Michelle Williams’s life. After decades of sweeping her anxiety and depression under the rug—even during her years in the spotlight with Destiny’s Child—Michelle found herself planning her own funeral. Realizing that she needed immediate help and could no longer battle her anxiety and depression alone, she checked herself into a treatment facility. When she came home, she was energized and determined to check in on a regular basis with herself, God, and others.

Practical, engaging, and full of wisdom, Checking In helps us understand that

• building walls around our vulnerability can hinder our healing;

• we need to reject the lies of anxiety and depression and replace them with the truth of God’s Word;

• joy can be found when we release toxic thought patterns;

• childhood wounds need to be healed;

• freedom can be found when we forgive ourselves and others; and

• A beautiful life comes from living honestly.

An uplifting, behind-the-scenes look at one woman's path to healing, Checking In reminds you that you are not alone, and that God is not yet finished writing your story.

Book club questions for Checking In by Michelle Williams

Use these discussion questions to guide your next book club meeting.

What prompted you to read this book?

What is your experience with depression and anxiety?

Have you ever imagined your funeral? If so, what were your thoughts and feelings at the time? What do you think it means to “check in”?

What do honest, real, and vulnerable relationships look like? Why are they beneficial? With whom can you check in when you need help?

What are some steps you can take to check in with your thoughts?

What walls have you built around your heart? What work do you need to do to break down those walls so that you can feel honest emotions?

What are your earliest memories? Why do you think those memories have stuck with you? In what ways are depression and disappointment related?

What does it mean that “you will always repeat what you don’t repair”?

Do you have a difficult time being honest with yourself? Why or why not? When have you agreed to something without knowing what it would entail? What was the result? What does it mean to take your thoughts captive?

What situations cause you to feel anxious? Do you believe your anxious thoughts are rooted in fear? Why or why not?

When have you felt as though you didn’t deserve something? Did you ever fully accept what was offered? Why or why not?

What is the difference between being transparent and being vulnerable? Which do you tend to be in your relationships?

Checking In Book Club Questions PDF

Click here for a printable PDF of the Checking In discussion questions

“Tenitra Michelle is doing God’s work by simply telling her story. She is inspiring millions of people to not only do the work on themselves but also teaching us how to show up for others. As a person who has lost friends to suicide, there is nothing worse than asking yourself over and over Why didn’t I check in more? Oftentimes the person who needs to be checked on is closed off and this book is giving us the tools to keep compassionately checking in.” -LENARD “CHARLAMAGNE THA GOD” MCKELVEY, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR, MULTIMEDIA MOGUL, AND FOUNDER OF THE MENTAL WEALTH ALLIANCE

“Michelle Williams is one of the bravest, strongest women I know. She has fought through very public struggles and dark, hidden days of depression. And now, in Checking In, she’s putting it all out there for everyone to see. Her story is powerful and relatable, and she wants you to know that you are not alone. Healing is possible. And she’s here to walk through it with you.”-SARAH JAKES ROBERTS, FOUNDER OF WOMAN EVOLVE, COPASTOR OF THE POTTER’S HOUSE, AND AUTHOR OF WOMAN EVOLVE

“As someone who has struggled with severe depression, trauma, and anxiety, I am so grateful for the candid way Michelle talks about her battle with depression. With her raw vulnerability, Michelle courageously meets readers right in their own pain and lets them know that they are not alone. Checking In is a beautiful read—a gentle, funny, and practical guide for anyone who is ready to embrace the journey toward wholeness.” -TANA AMEN, BSN, RN, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR AND VICE PRESIDENT OF AMEN CLINICS

“Michelle Williams is unlike anyone else I know. She’s completely real and tells it like it is, all while making you laugh. Her book, Checking In, is a lifeline to anyone struggling with anxiety or depression.” -BOB GOFF, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF LOVE DOES AND EVERYBODY, ALWAYS