Who Am I Really?

by Sheldon B. Kopp

The author, a psychotherapist, reexamines his own past, including his parents, childhood, education, and career, and discusses the fantasies people create about themselves

211 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1987

About the author

Sheldon Bernard Kopp (29 March 1929 – 29 March 1999) was a psychotherapist and author, based in Washington, D.C. He was born in New York City, and received his PhD from the New School for Social Research. In addition to his private practice, he served as a Psychotherapy Supervisor for the Pastoral Counselling and Consultation Centres in Washington. He died of cardiac arrhythmia and pneumonia. He is also popular for his quotes. One of them is, "All of the significant battles are waged within the self."

Reviews

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the beginning of this autobiography, Kopp writes about his family and growing up in a way that is so sad and so funny. His parents seem crazy and until he was 13, he was the only child and only place to deposit the craziness. I kept alternating between laughing and saying, "Oh my God!!"
Then he grew up and went to school, after flirting with becoming a criminal. And he got therapy. He's so honest about the different personas he adopted at different stages of his life and the mistakes he made and what was going on inside him. This autobiography is as much the story of the events of his life as the thoughts and feelings. Kopp evolves as a person and a therapist. He writes books and goes to encounter groups. Then he gets a brain tumor and has three brain operations and it's very traumatic. He does a great job describing the helplessness one feels at times like that. His kids grow up and have families. But he's always there, exploring the inner realms, dreams and fantasies and neediness. I got a lot out of reading this book. I am going to read more by this author.