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413 reviews for:
The Gift of Therapy: An Open Letter to a New Generation of Therapists and Their Patients
Irvin D. Yalom
4.24 AVERAGE
413 reviews for:
The Gift of Therapy: An Open Letter to a New Generation of Therapists and Their Patients
Irvin D. Yalom
4.24 AVERAGE
informative
I read this for a skills class for my masters program. Yalom is a very interesting & specific type of counselor- one that I don't always agree with. But his advice is thought provoking and the writing style is very digestible.
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Informative, kind, and warm advice to new therapists. Yalom writes from a place of experience and awareness of the misunderstandings and questions common when beginning this line of work. Having found a style of therapeutic interaction that is comfortable for him, he encourages new practitioners to do the same, while considering the therapeutic alliance and impact on clients.
I would recommend this book for anyone studying counseling, clinical social work, or similar processes, not just as a one-time read, but as a guide to turn to again and again in the first years of practice. When you're in the trenches with the challenging populations many of us have to work with during our learning years, Yalom's brief chapters may serve as gentle reminders to stay on course, attend to what happens in the room, and model what you want to see, in order to let the alliance work for your clients.
I would recommend this book for anyone studying counseling, clinical social work, or similar processes, not just as a one-time read, but as a guide to turn to again and again in the first years of practice. When you're in the trenches with the challenging populations many of us have to work with during our learning years, Yalom's brief chapters may serve as gentle reminders to stay on course, attend to what happens in the room, and model what you want to see, in order to let the alliance work for your clients.
It feels very weird to rate this book. I mean, one, I read it for class but two… it really just doesn’t like a book that exists… like… to read for fun?? Or like to be rated? It’s just like, advice from a therapist to future therapists. It’s interesting but not in a way that like… regular books? Idk. Anyway, I enjoyed it I guess. Some good nuggets in there. Yalom is maybe a bit more loosey goosey with his clients about basically everything than I think is responsible but it’s not TOO bad. He’s also a psychoanalyst so you know that’s kinda the vibe I guess.
I feel like I'm betraying my field due to a lower rating than many of my therapeutic colleagues would leave. However, Mary Pipher's book aligns with my orientation as a therapist more closely than this one. I do give 5 starts to chapters 84 & 85!
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Good, short chapters and informative. Lots of good insight about being a therapist, especially the therapist client relationship. Read this for Yun's course Counseling Psychology.
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
I’ve heard many people in the field rave review on this book so I think I went in with higher expectations than I should’ve. Overall I would recommend reading this book once as a therapist to guide you in checking in with yourself but don’t expect anything earth shattering. On the plus side I do love the way Yalom writes.
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
good book for baby therapists! some of the information in this book is a little too in the “pushing boundaries” area but great read