Product Description

THE GIFT OF THERAPY is the culmination of master psychiatrist Dr Irvin Yalom's thirty-five years' work as a therapist, illustrating through real case studies how patients and therapists alike can get the most out of therapy. Presented as eighty-five 'tips' for 'beginner therapists', Yalom shares his own fresh approach and the insights he has gained while treating his patients. Personal, and sometimes provocative, Yalom makes some unorthodox suggestions, including: Let the patient matter to you; Acknowledge your errors; Create a new therapy for each patient; Make home visits; (Almost) never make decisions for a patient; and Freud was not always wrong. This is an entertaining, informative and insightful read for both beginners and more experienced therapists, patients, students and everyone with an interest in the subject.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4437 in Books
• Published on: 2003-02-27
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 336 pages

Review
'Yalom writes with the narrative wit of O. Henry and the earthy humour of Isaac Bashevis Singer' San Francisco Chronicle

About the Author
Dr Yalom is Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at Stanford University. He has won two major awards from the American Psychiatric Association. He continues to run his clinical practice and lectures widely.

Customer Reviews

A treasury of tips from 45 years psychotherapy experience
'Gift'comprises a treasury of 85 tips gathered from Yalom's forty five years of psychotherapy experience. They're organised into four sections: the therapist-patient relationship; therapy content; issues arising from therapy; dreams; and the hazards and privileges of being a therapist.

But don't be mistaken this book of tips is in a different league from some-page-a-day-help-book-for-therapists. Remember this is the same man who has written books that scare potential readers at 20 paces with their size and titles (see The Theory and Practice of Group Therapy and Existential Psychotherapy). The stories are still there, thankfully, and so is the clarity. It is a gem of book that underlines many of the important qualities in the humanistic psychotherapy approach. Practical, inspiring and wise.

"Thought for the day" for counsellors and therapists!
As always, Yalom's writing is immediately accessible and free from jargon. As is his thinking. What I most like about this book is his honesty; the fact that he sometimes goes overtime on sessions with clients; that he sometimes double-books his appointments; that he sometimes gets bored with clients. What I also like is what he suggests as creative ways to work with all of the above. This is the voice of an experienced therapist who has learned the 'rules' well, and can now play with them. I guess for therapists who are less well experienced, it may not be wise to become too idiosyncratic until we have the years of experience that Yalom does - but at least he keeps alive the awareness that therapy does not exist for the sake of the therapist or his/her school of training, but for the client. My favourite quote: "the difference between good mothers and bad mothers (and hence therapists) is not in the commission of errors, but in what they do with them".

An uplifting and relaxing book
I bought this amongst a lot of work related text books, for my work as a metaphysician and therapist. I've found this invaluable and the insight into the author's work an absolute delight.

Beautifully written, in meaningful and free flowing language, this is an effortless read which really brings great ideas for one to one therapy.

I'd recommend it highly and am now on a mission to read everything by this author.