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Tales from a Traveling Couch: Psychotherapist Revisits His Most Memorable Patients
So,
on a sunny morning in April, Dr. Akeret got in his van and set off to
visit his most memorable former patients--a journey "in search of story
endings." And what remarkable stories they are...
Naomi, an abused young Jewish girl from the Bronx who transforms herself into a Spanish flamenco dancer named Isabella--what is she like now, in her mid-fifties?
What about Charles, wh...more
on a sunny morning in April, Dr. Akeret got in his van and set off to
visit his most memorable former patients--a journey "in search of story
endings." And what remarkable stories they are...
Naomi, an abused young Jewish girl from the Bronx who transforms herself into a Spanish flamenco dancer named Isabella--what is she like now, in her mid-fifties?
What about Charles, wh...more
Paperback, 240 pages
Published
November 17th 1996
by W. W. Norton & Company
(first published 1995)
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Taken at face value, this is an interesting book and the tales inside are worth a cheap laugh. They're all of a very typical Freudian value- 'every-sing goes back to ze muzzer'. No, seriously- everything goes back to dear ol' ma in this book.
Naomi? Mum.
Charles? Mum.
Seth? Mum.
Sasha? Mum.
Mary? Mum. Well, Mum also plays in with Dad in this section.
Now, I'm sure Akeret is a good psychoanalyst, but I felt the whole time while reading this book that everything was just a touch overly dramatic, a touch...more
Naomi? Mum.
Charles? Mum.
Seth? Mum.
Sasha? Mum.
Mary? Mum. Well, Mum also plays in with Dad in this section.
Now, I'm sure Akeret is a good psychoanalyst, but I felt the whole time while reading this book that everything was just a touch overly dramatic, a touch...more
A retired psychotherapist embarks on a roadtrip to visit some of his former patients. His trip is, in part to see how his former patents have been since leaving therapy, and in part to see if his work with them was beneficial at all.
As a storyteller, Akeret does a fine job of mixing his personal story in with his patients' stories. As the book progresses, he becomes more and more aware that his trip is more about himself. His former patients are all interesting and their stories are each worth...more
As a storyteller, Akeret does a fine job of mixing his personal story in with his patients' stories. As the book progresses, he becomes more and more aware that his trip is more about himself. His former patients are all interesting and their stories are each worth...more
*Life after therapy*
Although this book reads like a novel, it contains the real-life stories of the journeys of five of Robert's most memorable patients. Starting with the work that began within the walls of the therapy room, each chapter takes a peek into how the lives of the individual patients have progressed in the space and time beyond the sessions. On so many levels, this book illustrates how the real effects of therapy transcend quantifiable in-session measures, and have an immeasurably p...more
Although this book reads like a novel, it contains the real-life stories of the journeys of five of Robert's most memorable patients. Starting with the work that began within the walls of the therapy room, each chapter takes a peek into how the lives of the individual patients have progressed in the space and time beyond the sessions. On so many levels, this book illustrates how the real effects of therapy transcend quantifiable in-session measures, and have an immeasurably p...more
Read this during grad school for counseling psychology, as a means to avoid the mind-numbing boredom of the academic experience. It worked like a charm, and I thoroughly enjoyed these tales of the good doctor's memorable patients.
Wow! Some of these patients really are memorable! Most amazing to me was Charles, the circus entertainer. How incredible! Because of my training, I couldn't help thinking of a homeopathic remedy for each of these interesting individuals.
I wished the patients' biographies and comments hadn't been filtered by the shrink--I wasn't sure he was a reliable narrator--he had so much of his own self-worth invested in the process.
interestingly in Akeret wanting to make clinical cases more human in there approach to their subjects, he unwittingly turned his patients into characters.
Well I have learned from Tales from a Traveling Couch, that our parents tend to screw us up royally!!
It was years ago when I came across this book in a dusty corner of a local library. Somehow neither Amazon nor Shelfari has the cover photo. I hope it is not out of print as it's such a wonderful book! For therapists who wonder what happened to their clients after the termination of treatment (who does not?!), this book is a gem. It tells stories of a retired psychiatrist/psychologist (? sorry it was too long ago that i read it!) travelling throughout America, visiting patients who he last saw d...more
Awesome book… super interesting and very well written. Akeret clearly had a lot of fascinating characters to choose from, but chose them well, I thought. Kind of a chicken soup for the psychoanalysts soul - but but seemingly honest and uncontrived. Definitely recommended.
Thoroughly likeable therapist author, and five intriguing tales.
Apr 11, 2008
Frieda
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
anybody who is intested in the human mind
Shelves:
must-read
If you are looking for a self help book, forget it!
On the other hand, it gives an amazing insight into the mind of the psychotherapist and the client, as well as being a fascinating read!
A must!
A crying shame the book is so expensive! Specially in the States!!!
On the other hand, it gives an amazing insight into the mind of the psychotherapist and the client, as well as being a fascinating read!
A must!
A crying shame the book is so expensive! Specially in the States!!!
Really interesting look at what it means to help and be helped, and how that a short period of time can effect you down the road.
This was a really fascinating read about a psychotherapist in his 70s who reconnects with his most memorable clients.
Not as good as Yalom but o.k. (interesting cases).
I read it in German ("Eine Couch auf Reisen").
I read it in German ("Eine Couch auf Reisen").
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A really interesting book!
bla bla bla
very interesting
LOVED IT!!
Jun 16, 2013
Katy
marked it as to-read
Jun 07, 2013
Nur Simsek
marked it as to-read
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Robert U. Akeret received his doctorate in psychology from Columbia University and his certificate in psychoanalysis from the William Alanson White Institute where he trained with Rollo May and Erich Fromm. He has worked in the counseling services at Columbia University, the City College of New York, and is a past President of the Association of Psychoanalytic Psychologists.
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