A Place for You: Psychology and Religion.

by Paul Tournier

Modern man is perpetually haunted by a deep loneliness, a terrible insecurity. Tournier, a Swiss doctor and psychiatrist, tells us how one of his patients wistfully expressed this need to "At bottom, I am always seeking a place."

Genres: Psychology

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1966

About the author

Paul Tournier was a Swiss physician and author who had acquired a worldwide audience for his work in pastoral counselling. His ideas had a significant impact on the spiritual and psychosocial aspects of routine patient care, and he had been called the twentieth century's most famous Christian physician.

Reviews

[John Benson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A friend recommended that I look at this book for its discussion on place. Place is the theme of the first set of chapters but then it moves more into trying to understand how religion and psychology differ and how they can be meshed in the treatment of a patient. As a practicing Christian psychologist from Switzerland, he explored these questions in an even-handed way. My one complaint about the book was that while he had some very interesting insights, most of the way through the book, I could not have told you what were the central themes of the book. It went in a lot of different directions. Still worth reading as a place to explore the intersection of these two fields. Apart from the beginning, it was not as helpful on issues surrounding place.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the strengths of the book is Tournier's easy to follow order and understandable language. He defines our "place" and describes the importance of it in our lives. Tournier compares and contrasts psychology, theology, medicine, and philosophy and describes their interactions and relationships. I appreciated the supportive Christian nature of this great man. I learned to appreciate my place in all of the many ways this applies.

[Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

I needed to read this in a gleaning manner. Not all of it resonated, but some of the insights proposed by Tournier were very significant. Very glad I read it.

[Brittney · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a well-written and eloquent book, though it is a rather verbose way of saying, "We are all helpless, even under the grace of God. Still, we must have faith and trust God. After all, the next life will be better."

Tournier ends by saying, "What counts in the end of the day is what God does, not what we do. The only really important thing is that each of us should come to know him, whatever the unforeseen detours we have to make." While this statement is a contextual summary of the book, it still seems to reduce personal responsibility. If we have no control over ourselves and our "complexes," then why bother living? Why not succumb to our illness? Perhaps then God could make an example out of us.

Ultimately, though Tournier attemps to build a bridge between psychotherapy and religion, he falls short. I would have liked to see him explore the viewpoint of religion causing these neuroses and complexes (and not just the ones with happy endings where people leave their religion in order to find it again).

[Doug · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to build a time machine and have a cup of coffee with Paul Tournier.

For a man living out the midst of the 20th century, he writes with more compassion and forward thinking than most of his contemporaries. A great book looking at the very basic dynamic of making a place for one's self in this world, how we are sometimes unable to, and how both psychology and religion play a role in how we think about becoming people.

[Karson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this guy. His books are translated so they don't flow super awesome, but he's got a lot of good wisdom. This one is about people's relationships to places.

[Regine Gaba]

I realized my place please find out yours then?

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really felt this book had much to say about place, but halfway through it became the author's "place"...a little too much diverging from the path of helping us find our own place & space.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is culturally somewhat dated, especially about women, but since I grew up in that time, I could relate to that view of women. Aside from that, I found the book helpful and insightful.