On Being a Therapist, 3rd Edition

by Jeffrey A. Kottler (University of Nevada, Las Vegas)

• ISBN13: 9780787968946
• ISBN10: 0787968943
• Additional ISBN(s): 9781555425555
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-09-01
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass
• More Book Details
• Purchase Benefits

Summary

Since it was first published in 1986, On Being a Therapist has become a classic book in the field and has proved to be one of the most inspiring sources of guidance for aspiring and seasoned practitioners alike. Jeffrey Kottler provides a candid account of the profound ways in which therapists influence clients and, in turn, are impacted personally and professionally by these encounters. He shows how therapists can learn, develop, and grow during the process of therapy and explains how practitioners can use the professional skills and insights gained from their sessions to address their own personal issues, realize positive change in themselves, and so become better helpers for others. This thoroughly revised edition includes discussion about how the business and practice of therapy has changed in recent years, the effects of technology and managed care, the breakdown of theoretical orientation, and the greater client diversity represented in contemporary practice.

Author Biography

Jeffrey A. Kottler is chair of the counseling department at California State University, Fullerton. He is the author or coauthor of more than fifty books, including Beyond Blame, The Compleat Therapist, The Mummy at the Dining Room Table (Jossey-Bass, 2003), and The Last Victim: A True-Life Journey into the Mind of the Serial Killer, a New York Times best-seller.

Table of Contents

1. Client and Therapist: How Each Changes the Other.

2. Struggles for Power and Influence.

3. Personal and Professional Lives.

4. Hardships of Therapeutic Practice.

5. Patients Who Test Our Patience.

6. Boredom and Burnout.

7. Lies We Tell Ourselves.

8. Alternative Therapies for Therapists.

9. Toward Creativity and Personal Growth.

References.

Index.