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Letters to a Young Therapist (Art of Mentoring) [Paperback]

Mary Pipher
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)

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Book Description

April 13, 2005 0465057675 978-0465057672
Stories of hope and healing by the author of the best-selling Reviving Ophelia In Letters to a Young Therapist, Dr. Pipher shares what she has learned in thirty years as a therapist, helping warring families, alienated adolescents, and harried professionals restore peace and beauty to their lives. Letters to a Young Therapist gives voice to her practice with an exhilarating mix of storytelling and sharp-eyed observation. And while her letters are addressed to an imagined young therapist, every one of us can take something away from them. Long before "positive psychology" became a buzzword, Dr. Pipher practiced a refreshingly inventive therapy - fiercely optimistic, free of dogma or psychobabble, and laced with generous warmth and practical common sense. But not until now has this gifted healer described her unique perspective on how therapy can help us revitalize our emotional landscape in an increasingly stressful world. Whether she's recommending daily swims for a sluggish teenager, encouraging a timid husband to become bolder, or simply bearing witness to a bereaved parent's sorrow, Dr. Pipher's compassion and insight shine from every page of this thoughtful and engaging book. Ranging broadly in subject matter, these brief, intellectual primers to life are a stimulating read for anyone who wants to experience the insights, wisdom and advice of today's leading minds. Now available for the first time in handsome and affordable new paperback editions.

Frequently Bought Together

Letters to a Young Therapist (Art of Mentoring) + The Gift of Therapy: An Open Letter to a New Generation of Therapists and Their Patients (P.S.) + On Being a Therapist
Price for all three: $40.16

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"Most people find talking to God more satisfying than talking to Freud," says Pipher, whether they believe in God or not. For fans of the bestselling Reviving Ophelia, such perfectly pitched, patient-centered observations will seem familiar and most welcome; for first-timers, Pipher invites readers: "Make some peach tea and find a cat for your lap. Let's visit." Even the most cynical psych snob will find that visit-a series of seasonally themed letters to a fictional graduate student describing psychotherapy from the inside out-refreshing, informative and insightful. In the brief time it takes to read this slim volume, the rhythms of blather and breakthrough, resistance and revelation come through clearly. Pipher also talks readers into becoming their own therapists, and good ones at that; her epistolary persona is one of a sympathetic woman but not a fuzzy emotional thinker. She admits "All families are a little crazy, but that's because all humans are a little crazy" and "Some therapy is just plain plodding," but she also includes many anecdotes that illuminate how a well-crafted metaphor, moment of quiet or carefully timed suggestion can change a life forever. Her view of therapists as storytellers is borne out in direct, engaging prose and succinct observation. To take just one example, Pipher notes that women see apologizing as saying, "I am sorry I hurt your feelings or caused you pain." Men see it as "I am eating shit." That's Mars and Venus in two sentences, and there's plenty more. The well-known perils of the profession emerge freshly, but also its profound rewards.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"A wise and compassionate book." -- Washington Post Book World

Product Details

  • Paperback: 208 pages
  • Publisher: Basic Books (April 13, 2005)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0465057675
  • ISBN-13: 978-0465057672
  • Product Dimensions: 5 x 0.6 x 8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #18,930 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mary Pipher, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and author of The Shelter of Each Other: Rebuilding our Families and Another Country: Navigating the Emotional Terrain of our Elders. Awarded the American Psychological Association's Presidential Citation, Pipher speaks across the country to families, mental health professionals, and educators, and has appeared on Today, 20/20, The Charlie Rose Show, PBS Newshour with Jim Lehrer, and National Public Radio's Fresh Air.

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
(28)
4.8 out of 5 stars
This book was an excellent resource for me during my mental health internship. Sara Camden  |  7 reviewers made a similar statement
The writing style is casual. Carolee Noury  |  7 reviewers made a similar statement
I read this book in two evenings. Talk2  |  2 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
23 of 24 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely July 28, 2003
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
Like JB Pontalis's WINDOWS (with which this book makes an interesting comparison in cultural styles), LETTERS TO A YOUNG THERAPIST is an engaging and lucid look at one clinical psychologist's beliefs, both idiosyncratic and professional. More mature than self-help, less obscure than psychological theory, this one-day-read is ennobling and charming. Pipher writes with dignity about her profession's limitations and how an awareness of those limitations opens up vital possibilities. The format -- brief letters to a therapst-in-training, focused on a specific theme -- is lovely, and the insights, while not revelatory, are deftly articulated. In fact, that the book's insights are not revelatory is in a way its overall theme, and its pleasure. This is a humble, humane, and helpful book.
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20 of 22 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Love this book September 15, 2003
By Talk2
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
As a grad student in a counseling program, I picked up this book after hearing a portion of Ms. Pipher's interview with Diane Reams on NPR. I read this book in two evenings. It has a lot of good advice, not just for therapists, but also for clients. She has a very soft, nurturing way of writing which I found delightful. I would highly recommend this book.
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19 of 21 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A poetic look at the art of healing. August 16, 2003
Format:Hardcover
In her magical new book, "Letters to a Young Therapist," Mary Pipher uses enchanting and lyrical prose to express her feelings not only about therapy, but also about such topics as nature, marriage, ethics, and happiness. This book is a compilation of letters that Pipher wrote to a graduate student in psychology. Pipher's letters are filled with gentle humor and a profound understanding of human nature.

Since Pipher began her career as a therapist in 1972, she has learned a great deal about her clients and herself, and this book is the fruit of all that she has learned. She emphasizes that therapy is more of an art than a science, and that therapists bear an enormous responsibility to treat their clients with great care.

Pipher's ideas are a breath of fresh air in a society that is quick to bash easy targets. For instance, it is fashionable for people to blame their parents and other family members for their problems, but Pipher believes that individuals must ultimately take responsibility for their own choices in life. She also believes that the family unit is so important that we should do everything in our power to support and strengthen it rather than undermine it.

Pipher waxes poetic when she speaks of the power of metaphor and storytelling to enhance people's lives and imbue their experiences with greater meaning. Pipher is not only a gifted therapist. She is also a talented writer who understands the power of language to change lives. I recommend this book highly for its warmth, wisdom, compassion, and insight into what makes life worth living.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Simply excellent!
For any person interested in knowing how a psychologist thinks and acts. Very human, very objective, practical, sincere. Easy reading. Highly recomended.
Published 2 months ago by J. Navarro
5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Inspiring
I bought this book for a friend who is getting her mental health associate license. Reading it years ago was the catalyst to my getting licensed. It's simple inspiration.
Published 4 months ago by Janet Pritchett
3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting
Interesting to read with some practical advice. Mostly philosophical musings on the nature of the profession. Artfully written and prosaic.
Published 5 months ago by Brian K. Ruby
5.0 out of 5 stars Great & Enjoyable
This was a truly enjoyable book to read being a "young therapist" myself. A friend recommended it and I am so glad she did. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Anonymous
5.0 out of 5 stars Love IT
Great Great book for new therapist and any therapist workingon thier own baggage. I highly recommed it, not just because I love Mary Phipher!
Published 12 months ago by Advocate78
5.0 out of 5 stars Wise and lovely.
I first read this book when I was a graduate student in 2005. After practicing in a wide variety of settings as a Child and Family Therapist over the past 6+ years, I can say that... Read more
Published 21 months ago by Sabrina Marie Hadeed, MA, Child and Family Therapist
5.0 out of 5 stars The Art of Mentoring
Mary Pipher is truly a master at her craft. Her practical approach to teaching and life demystifies the clinical process utilizing a no nonsense and unconditional positive regard... Read more
Published on May 16, 2011 by Keern
4.0 out of 5 stars Great Book!
Easy read at a great price. I needed the book for school listed as optional an I ended up reading it on my personal time.
Published on May 2, 2011 by Nik
5.0 out of 5 stars Mary Pipher Does It Again!
"Letters To A Young Therapist" was an amazing and enlightening book. I learned so much about the art of therapy. Read more
Published on August 5, 2010 by Vivian M. Jackson
5.0 out of 5 stars Great author and book.
Mary Pipher is an incredible psychologist and author. She is articulate in her writing and very empathetic and encouraging to young therapist. Read more
Published on November 28, 2009 by L. Miller
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