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7th out of 411 books
—
429 voters
The Gift of Therapy: An Open Letter to a New Generation of Therapists and Their Patients
Anyone interested in psychotherapy or personal growth will rejoice at the publication of "The Gift of Therapy, " a masterwork from one of today's most accomplished psychological thinkers.
From his thirty-five years as a practicing psychiatrist and as an award-winning author, Irvin D. Yalom imparts his unique wisdom in "The Gift of Therapy." This remarkable guidebook for suc...more
From his thirty-five years as a practicing psychiatrist and as an award-winning author, Irvin D. Yalom imparts his unique wisdom in "The Gift of Therapy." This remarkable guidebook for suc...more
Paperback, 288 pages
Published
January 2nd 2003
by Harper Perennial
(first published December 24th 2001)
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My fourth Yalom book, this text was the perfect supplement to my Masters course in Psychology (actually sometimes the uni course felt like a supplement to the book!). In an age of “don’t touch your clients” and “don’t let your clients into your life”, comes such advice as “Let your patients matter to you”, “Be transparent” and “Make home visits”. While I wouldn’t agree with everything in this book, it is nonetheless a much-needed antidote to the rigid and restrictive formal training young therap...more
I have the impression that many books on therapy in the self-help section are full of watered-down insight and oft-repeated platitudes,like clever pats on the back repackaged a thousand times before---but this book is nothing like that. Yalom is widely considered a contemporary genius in the field when it comes to group therapy (which he is often credited with formulating for contemporary contexts), and this book, despite his occasional self-indulgences, is a testament to his brilliant self-effa...more
Jan 28, 2008
jessi lee
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
people interested in therapy process
a series or really short (most 2-3 pages) meditations on different aspects of therapy, focusing alot on the therapist's use of their own self & the here-and-now experience of therapy.
i like yalom, and he shares my interest in questions of how to really use yourself & your experience of the client to move therapy. also, he's a really engaging writer, sprinkling the text with interesting examples from his life & practice.
i like to think that people who aren't therapists could also u...more
i like yalom, and he shares my interest in questions of how to really use yourself & your experience of the client to move therapy. also, he's a really engaging writer, sprinkling the text with interesting examples from his life & practice.
i like to think that people who aren't therapists could also u...more
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I started this book in an independent study in the last semester of a my MSSW. This was an exciting and wholly overwhelming time as season of school was ending and the season of getting a job and actually "doing the damn thing" was starting. I felt like I had a precious handful things I that I knew and a bathtub full of knowing of what I don't know. I had (and still sort of have) an urgency to get more, know more and "cram" in anything to quiet the panic of "doing the damn thing" with so much le...more
*The critical "throw-ins" of therapy*
In the introduction of his _Existential Psychotherapy_ text, Yalom recounts how in a cooking class he discovered that it was the instructor's "surreptitious throw-ins (that) made all the difference." He then makes the parallel that the "critical ingredients" of effective psychotherapy are the therapist's intuitive "throw-ins" that exist outside of formal training and "are hard to describe, even harder to define."
Fortunately, in _The Gift of Therapy_, Yalom h...more
In the introduction of his _Existential Psychotherapy_ text, Yalom recounts how in a cooking class he discovered that it was the instructor's "surreptitious throw-ins (that) made all the difference." He then makes the parallel that the "critical ingredients" of effective psychotherapy are the therapist's intuitive "throw-ins" that exist outside of formal training and "are hard to describe, even harder to define."
Fortunately, in _The Gift of Therapy_, Yalom h...more
This book was excellent even though it's written in a less-than-detailed or fully elaborated way. Usually books like this irritate me because they tend to be a bunch scattered ideas that don't even really go together. However the ideas in this book are consistent.
Because its ideas are shared in brief sketches, it's perfect for reading on a commute or for people who just have a bit of time here and there. I read it out of sequence according to whatever chapters caught my eye. It is definitely ju...more
Because its ideas are shared in brief sketches, it's perfect for reading on a commute or for people who just have a bit of time here and there. I read it out of sequence according to whatever chapters caught my eye. It is definitely ju...more
Oct 25, 2007
Heather
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
MSW students, anyone in the "helping" professions
A professor recommended How Can I Help? to budding social workers, and I'm recommending The Gift of Therapy. It's quite possible that no one in the world can really understand why we do what we do except for others in the profession, and this "open letter" is an excellent resource to remind us to keep on keeping on with a sense of humor and open hearts and minds.
I give it two very solid thumbs up.
I give it two very solid thumbs up.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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Pushes the boundaries of modern therapy. The man touches his clients! Physically! OMG! Not only that, but he recommends that therapists should allow space between clients to digest and record and not fill every available therapeutic minute chasing another $! How wonderful, that we can still behave like humans in a field where that is what is so often needed. Validation. If therapists can't connect with clients how the hell is therapy supposed to work? Be where the client is. I think that's the m...more
The Gift of Therapy: An Open Letter to a New Generation of Therapists and Their Patients is a great book. A few years ago I had to read pieces of this book for a psychology class and enjoyed those so much that I went out and bought it. Now I've finally read it. Though I no longer want to be a therapist, I found that this book helped me better understand the therapeutic process. This would be a great book for anyone interested in being a therapist, going into therapy, or wanting to just understan...more
This is a great book for anyone currently in or who plans to one day be in the fields of counseling and psychotherapy. I especially like how Yalom continually reminds the reader that one of the greatest tools to use with clients is ourselves. I'm glad I waited to read it until I had a few years of professional experience under my belt, but I could see it being useful for counseling students as well, as long as they plan to revisit it after they've completed school and worked some as a counselor....more
This 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...more
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...more
This is an easy read. Good book for beginners, although I didn't find anything in here to be shocking or groundbreaking. It did help me to reconsider some of my own experiences as a therapist and client, reflect further on my work with clients, take my thinking about the client-therapist relationship to a new place and also validated the importance of doing your own work. Favourite quote:
"...the Stradivarius of psychotherapy practice - the therapist's own self." I also enjoy Yalom's insistence...more
"...the Stradivarius of psychotherapy practice - the therapist's own self." I also enjoy Yalom's insistence...more
This book helped me discover my desire to be a therapist and I continue to use it as resource. Yalom gives useful examples of how to manage countertransference and a variety of other dilemmas we frequently encounter.
I don't know what I was expecting when I picked this book up, but it was certainly not to be as blown away as I found myself in the end. The awe it inspired was not for some particularly novel insight it provided me with. I'm familiar with most of what the book deals with, as a soon-to-be psychologist I've covered most if not all of these little tips and areas regarding counseling and psychotherapy. What moved me about the book, though, was the heart-felt way in which it was written, the humanit...more
This is the work, a collection of tales and advice, from a existential psychotherapist. Existential psychotherapy can be a very polarizing field, but none the less, this was a fascinating read. If you want to be a therapist, read this book. If you want to go into therapy, read this book. If you want to know what therapists do, read this book. It will give you a great idea on all counts.
Yalom is an honest and open writer who does his best to prepare others for the the world he lives. While I may...more
Yalom is an honest and open writer who does his best to prepare others for the the world he lives. While I may...more
Yalom’s work is the closest comparison to a common-sense guide to therapy. Basic guidelines like empathy, mindfulness, and genuineness should be second nature to the professional. Subjects like dream interpretation, home visits, and helping a client facilitate a decision may conjure more resistance from a professional, but Yalom explains why they are necessary and helpful to the therapeutic relationship. In a clinical world where every major theory and modality has their own offshoots until obli...more
Aug 14, 2007
Christine Olson
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
anyone working in a "helping profession"
This is my all time favorite of Irvin Yalom's books.
Yalom is probably best known for his Existential Psychotherapy and The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy texts, which are viewed as classics for counseling theory/practice courses. His recent (2002) publication, The Gift of Therapy, is my favorite because he--in a frank, very readable, and knowledgeable way--shares insights about the dynamics of therapeutic change that he has acquired from 45+ years of clinical practice. The short "ch...more
Yalom is probably best known for his Existential Psychotherapy and The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy texts, which are viewed as classics for counseling theory/practice courses. His recent (2002) publication, The Gift of Therapy, is my favorite because he--in a frank, very readable, and knowledgeable way--shares insights about the dynamics of therapeutic change that he has acquired from 45+ years of clinical practice. The short "ch...more
Read this for my Helping Relationships class in a graduate psychology progam. On just the basis of writing style and quality of content, I'd give THE GIFT OF THERAPY four stars: Yalom's writing style is clear and personable, the content comes from a great deal of therapeutic experience, and he shares a lot of insights on the nature and practice of therapy.
On a more subjective, personal level though, I'm going to give the book three stars. I simply could not get beyond Yalom's orientation to dis...more
On a more subjective, personal level though, I'm going to give the book three stars. I simply could not get beyond Yalom's orientation to dis...more
As always, Yalom leaves me rather annoyed...In this one, he comes across as arrogant, slightly judgmental, and (as usual) ridiculously disrespectful/ignorant of evidence based treatments.
In his words, the book is a "an idiosyncratic mélange of ideas and techniques that I have found useful in my work. These ideas are so personal, opinionated, and occasionally original that the reader is unlikely to encounter them elsewhere. I selected the eighty-five categories in this volume randomly guided by...more
In his words, the book is a "an idiosyncratic mélange of ideas and techniques that I have found useful in my work. These ideas are so personal, opinionated, and occasionally original that the reader is unlikely to encounter them elsewhere. I selected the eighty-five categories in this volume randomly guided by...more
Apr 01, 2013
Gloriavirtutisumbra
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Shelves:
goofy-self-help-more,
nonfiction-old-and-new
This should be given to anyone considering working in the fields of mental health. (...that's quite an image isn't it? i just got a vision of daffodils and sweet grass fields and blue skies...) but I digress. Yalom says things that i wish i could subtly mention to about 30% of the population, it would be a far far happier place to live if only his wisdom were spread a bit further about people being people and what helps and what hinders. Nicely done.
I read this book some years ago having been a fan of Yalom's work on group therapy. Yalom's writing style is refreshingly readable with minimal jargon. Whilst not everyone will agree with Yalom's style of working, I think this book provides a good introduction to the practice of psychotherapy. I have loaned my copy to budding therapists and recommended it to my students who were feeling jaded by all the years of theoretical study.
A conglomeration of ideas on psychotherapy and the therapeutic process. I'm very interested to read more of the actual theory behind his ideas. However, there are a handful of very powerful and moving passages here. Although it is heavy on the technicalities of psychology and frequently references other psychologists/philosophers, I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in personal and relational growth in their lives.
I Loved this book. easy read. It gives enough information for the therapist and shows how you can be a better therapist. There are also chapters for the client/patient as well and it goes into the therapeutic relationship. It is personable with love and compassion. If you are a therapist or are in a masters degree program/graduate program, read this book. If you are in a graduate program, this may be required reading.
Jul 10, 2011
Patricia
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Psychology students who want to practice therapy
I just finished reading this book and it's really good! I had to read the first 80 pages for class and I was surprised by how good it was and then I knew I had to finish reading it. For those of you who study Psychology and are feeling a bit unmotivated or a little unsure about what you are studying, please read this book!! You seriously won't regret it! It's a really fast and entertaining read filled with patient examples, interesting facts and stories that will motivate you in the art of Psych...more
From the book:,
"Lastly, it has always struck me as an extraordinary privilege to belong to the vernable and honorable guild of healers. We therapists are part of a tradition reaching back not only to our immediate ancestors, beginning with Freud and Jung and all their ancestors - Nietzsche, Schopenhauer, Kierkegaard - but also to Jesus, the Buddha, Plato, Socrates, Galen, Hippocrates, and all the other great religious leaders, philosophers, and physicians who have, since the beginning of time, m...more
"Lastly, it has always struck me as an extraordinary privilege to belong to the vernable and honorable guild of healers. We therapists are part of a tradition reaching back not only to our immediate ancestors, beginning with Freud and Jung and all their ancestors - Nietzsche, Schopenhauer, Kierkegaard - but also to Jesus, the Buddha, Plato, Socrates, Galen, Hippocrates, and all the other great religious leaders, philosophers, and physicians who have, since the beginning of time, m...more
A genuinely nice man, who cares about other people. He is still doing therapy (though just with therapists) and supervision in his late 70s! Someone who truly wants to share his amazing knowledge and accessible writing. I would highly recommend this book to anyone in the therapy profession. And, as I said in my review for the Group Therapy book, if you ever get a chance to see him speak, you need to go!
Aug 01, 2012
Seth Thomas
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
the-seattle-school
For someone who has spent time on the "couch", in stints of leadership mentoring, spiritual direction, and even a try at psychotherapy, this book is an extremely helpful look from the vantage point of the chair. Combining loads of deep insights from an experienced therapist and a glimpse in to the world of psychotherapeutic-language, this book was very helpful and eye-opening. I love the short chapters and snippets of insight for all sorts of issues, problems, and joys experienced while particip...more
Yalom is a great author, easy to read and understand, yet profound at the same time. This book of tips to younger therapists is truly a gift from a seasoned therapist who has much actual experience to speak from. He addresses all the major tenements of therapy: confidentuality, ethics, dreams, hear and now, existential issues, and lays out what he's learned. It's one of those books that is very helpful.
This is a pleasant and smooth to read tips-book on psychology. On the one hand it seems to be pretty self contained, on the other it is almost a touch-and-go way of discussing serious psychological/clinical topics. Yalom, as always, write magnificently smooth, and therefore the reading is enjoyable and interesting, although I can't say that the book left as much impression on me as other works of Yalom.
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Irvin David Yalom, M.D., is an author of fiction and nonfiction, Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry at Stanford University, an existentialist, and accomplished psychotherapist.
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