Happy Birthday to the greatest psychotherapist that ever was!
Irvin D. Yalom, M.D. is professor emeritus of psychiatry at the Stanford University School of Medicine. As a psychiatric social worker I am incredibly grateful to him.
I was first introduced to his work during my undergrad years. A professor of mine listed his book Love's Executioner as required reading. The book offers insight to not only the process of transference but of counter-transference. The book is humble and confessional and sheds light on the humanness of therapists.
In graduate school I was thrilled to utilize The Theory and Practice of Group Therapy throughout the duration of my group therapy class. Yalom's genius really shines throughout this book. One thing I have always admired about Yalom as a writer is that his books are always reader friendly. While my preference is and has always been individual therapy, various jobs have required me to perform group therapy. Yalom's teachings have been incredibly useful to me.
For new graduates or those who are new to therapy, I highly recommend Yalom's, The Gift of Therapy: An Open Letter to a New Generation of Therapists and Their Patients. I can't say enough about this book. It is such a generous blessing for us newbies. For anyone who is familiar with Yalom's work it will be understood that he emphasizes "the here and now." He talks about "meeting the client where they're at". If you have attended graduate school as I have you know that this is something that has been emphasized...or beaten into our heads from the beginning.
I love how he reminds us that immediate diagnosis is not important. Those of us in clinical practice know that the purpose of initial diagnosis only exists for the insurance companies. If you are anything like me this concept makes you sick to your stomach. He talks about the power of empathy and the importance of being in tune with our own thoughts, feelings, anxieties and fears when in interacting with clients. Interestingly enough he also delves into the pluses and minuses of the ever so common CBT therapy. Yalom is a wealth of wisdom and when you begin reading his books you will understand why he is so intensely revered.
Yalom is a plethora of information and his information will surely assist you in becoming a seasoned professional. Theory is great, experience is a must and Yalom is the real deal.
Other books by Yalom include, Every Day Gets A Little Closer: A Twice Told Therapy, Existential Psychotherapy, Inpatient Group Psychotherapy, Staring at the Sun: Overcoming the Terror of Death, The Schopenhauer Cure: A Novel, When Nietzsche Wept: A Novel of Obsession, Lying on the Couch: A Novel, Momma and the Meaning of Life: Tales of Psychotherapy, and The Yalom Reader: Selections From the Work of a Master Therapist and Storyteller. His most recent book is, I'm Calling the Police.
To learn more about Irvin D. Yalom and to check for speaking engagements visit his official website here.
To visit his facebook (yes, he does have a facebook page) click here.
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