Customer Reviews

On Being a Therapist (Jossey-Bass Social & Behavioral Science)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I am stunned at the last reviewer's negative review! I am working on my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and this book was an assigned reading. This is wonderully written with honesty, humility, and humor. There ARE many wonderful aspects of being a psychotherapist and Kottler DOES illucidate these pieces, but he also points out inevitable pitfalls that will happen to some of us: burnout, financial strains, boredom, and other occupational hazards. If you can't get this book here, go to your local library and get borrow it. This treasure can be enjoyed by the novice, student, and professional alike. Happy reading!

This book has a lot of valuable information, but this book is not for everyone. The book serves to remind therapists that we are human, but focuses on all the possible negative aspects of a therapists life and practice. I feel this book turns people away from seeking therapy or going into the profession. The book is written with an over-whelming negativity and a hint of arrogance. If you are looking for something to normalize your negative experiences as a therapist, then this is possibly the best book out there for you. If you are romantically involved with a therapist that you are concerned about, then this may be a good thing to read to better understand what may be going on. If you are new to the field, then read the book on and off as needed (if you must). If you are not a therapist or involved with one, then this book has nothing for you. Therapy, like every field, is a mixed bag. This book fails to acknowledge the goodness in the lives of those being a therapist.

Kottler promotes a therapist's professionalism but not perfectionism, promotes a healthy sense of irony and forgiveness toward ourselves as therapists and thus a healthy relationship to our own humanity and weaknesses. Kottler is candid, honest, real, relevant. Charges of arrogance are simply silly.

I read this for a book review. it was an easy read and for anyone in the field of psychology and counseling it had some insight on how to keep from getting burned out and discouraged. Alot of the stories are of his own experiences so it made it personal. He seemed genuine and wanted to help out others in his field to avoid the mistakes that he had made.

The least this book does is point out the reality that many who falsely pride themselves in the profession of psychotherapy would do better in other career fields: welding, sewing, fruit picking, VCR repair. Seriously, if you fancy yourself a therapist yet the thought of actually getting your hands dirty and dealing with depression repulses you then please snap out of your Hollywood illusions and accept a normal job with the rest of us... before you go and further ruin someone else's life.