Letters To A Young Therapist (Art of Mentoring)
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Book Overview
Mary Pipher's groundbreaking investigation of America's "girl-poisoning culture," Reviving Ophelia, has sold nearly two million copies and established its author as one of the nation's foremost authorities on family issues. 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.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0465039685
ISBN13:9780465039685
Release Date:February 2016
Publisher:Basic Books
Length:224 Pages
Weight:0.52 lbs.
Dimensions:0.7" x 5.5" x 8.1"
Age Range:18 years and up
Grade Range:Postsecondary and higher
Customer Reviews
5 ratings
Will recommend it to clients and colleagues
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
I will frequently recommend this book to colleagues, students, clients and friends. Much like Dr. Yalom's books this is an easy but powerful read. Dr. Pipher understands therapy at a meaningful and complete level. She even manages to present cognitive therapy in a humanistic and sensitive context! Her frequent metaphors tend to be right on the money and her observations on issues through the generations were also very enlightening. Summarily, you get the sense that there is a very authentic and experienced person writing this book and you get a rare opportunity to experience the potential of psychotherapy.
Bound to become a classic!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 21 years ago
As a Social Worker in private psychotherapy practice, I find that sometimes the work can be isolating and at times I question whether I should make more of an effort to consider the latest trends in psychotherapy. Mary Pipher affirms that the classic skills that make a good therapist such as compassion, empathy, listening skills, reframing and the ability to induce a sense of calm are timeless. Furthermore, even if I wasn't a therapist I think I would still devour this book because her writing is a pleasure to read. I highly recommend it for anyone just starting their career in therapy or those who have been in the field for decades. This book is bound to become a classic!
Love this book
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 21 years ago
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.
A Gem- And Not Just for Therapists!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 21 years ago
This little treasure is loaded with wisdom and insights one might expect to find in a much larger tome. Dr. Pipher shares her personal and clinical stories in a gentle friendly way that makes you nod your head, and say "aha". What makes this book so remarkable is that, whether one is a therapist or not, the words spill over and warm you like a down comforter. Pour yourself some hot cocoa, take a deep breath, and read this one slowly. You'll be glad you did.-Terry Matlen, ACSW
Lovely
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 21 years ago
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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