The Gift of Therapy: An Open Letter to a New Generation of Therapists and Their Patients
Written by Irvin Yalom
Narrated by Don Hagen
5/5
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About this audiobook
The culmination of master psychiatrist Dr. Irvin D. Yalom's more than thirty-five years in clinical practice, The Gift of Therapy is a remarkable and essential guidebook that illustrates through real case studies how patients and therapists alike can get the most out of therapy. The bestselling author of Love's Executioner shares his uniquely fresh approach and the valuable insights he has gained—presented as eighty-five personal and provocative "tips for beginner therapists," including:
- Let the patient matter to you
- Acknowledge your errors
- Create a new therapy for each patient
- Do home visits
- (Almost) never make decisions for the patient
- Freud was not always wrong
A book aimed at enriching the therapeutic process for a new generation of patients and counselors, Yalom's Gift of Therapy is an entertaining, informative, and insightful read for anyone with an interest in the subject.
Irvin Yalom
Irvin D. Yalom, M.D., is the author of Love's Executioner, Momma and the Meaning of Life, Lying on the Couch, The Schopenhauer Cure, When Nietzsche Wept, as well as several classic textbooks on psychotherapy, including The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy, considered the foremost work on group therapy. The Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at Stanford University, he divides his practice between Palo Alto, where he lives, and San Francisco, California.
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Reviews for The Gift of Therapy
119 ratings10 reviews
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Interesting little book with several chapters in it, like 80+ chapters, all short. I think this was for a less experienced therapist than I though.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Interesting in places and humourous in places, Yalom manages to impart his wisdom with an easy writing style.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is the latest book by Irvin Yalom, whose books I've been following over the years. From the very first page of the introduction, Yalom's writing is gripping & right to the point. He mentions turning 70 years old, which has made him feel a need to "pass on" his knowledge & some of his experience to younger generations of therapists & patients. This is what he tries to do in this substantial book, a book of tips, long on technique & short on theory (as Yalom himself says).Each "tip" that Yalom gives comes from years of experience & in most cases, makes perfect sense. Something that should be noted is that his book is not written, I think, for the non-psychologically trained reader. It's aimed towards psychotherapists, & tries to steer them in the direction of good choices & good therapeutic work with clients / patients. Most tips may seem like common sense to most psychologists / psychotherapists, but if you think a little bit more about them, most of them are not used as often as they should be. Also, apart from the more obvious tips, Yalom offers a whole range of extremely innovative (& maybe some times controversial) pieces of advice. These chapters alone are, in my opinion, well worth the price of the book, since they make you sit down & think.All in all, a great reference book for psychotherapists which comes alive through wonderful, clear writing, & lots of lively clinical examples.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5If therapist had their own book of Proverbs, this would be it.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I wish there were more Yalom's books in this library. He is an excellent writer and his psychotherapy ideas and teachings are excellent.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I liked the brief, to the point chapters that also provided examples.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5This book, in it's 260 pages has over 80 chapters (none of which are too long). This helped to move the speed along of reading this book, but also allowed Yalom to have very specific chapters.
This book is full of personal experiences and examples from his many years of therapy, and in general is good for a counselor-to-be to read. It is an open letter to incoming counselors, and was recommended by my professors as a 'Must Read' for counseling students.
I will say, however, that the more I read about counseling, the less mystical it seems to me. Professors who I used to believe were sooo intelligent and profound...I now know think similiarly as many of the 'great' therapists. This was hard for me at first...but gives me the confidence that perhaps some day I too will have that great of understanding in these topics. :) - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5An interesting perspective on therapy. Critical of CBT, a defense of Freud, and a guide for practitioners seeking to develop a meaningful human connection with their patients, while also plugging in his own method of existential therapy. With formal training as a cognitive scientist and as a sociologist, part of me rankles at the lack of any systemic basis for his method of therapy (because without that how do you know when you can do better?), but it's a remarkably charming read, nonetheless.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Whether you are a new therapist or a seasoned vet, this is novel a great wealth of practical knowledge for approaching and being successful in your psychotherapeutic endeavors. Yalom provides concrete examples for abstract approaches and provides a good roadmap for developing your own therapeutic voice in your practice.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5My first Yalom book, and it's clear that he writes with great insight from many years of experience. The advice in here - a series of letters and notes to Clients and therapists alike - are rooted in a profound understanding of the relationship between two people in a room, one of whom is seeking 'answers', the other seeking to help. Practical and engaging.