Love's Executioner: & Other Tales of Psychotherapy (Perennial Classics),   ISBN:9780060958343

Customer Rating: 

This was my first Yalom book. The title caught my interest then i bought the book and started to read it before dozens of books i planned to read.

The preface, which explains the very/basic pains of being/ life, i think includes one of the most crucial basic lectures in one's life... After this strong preface, the main structure of the book, the tales section, focusing on more personal issues -but still being very universal- is lighter.

The book finishes with a marvellous tale called "In the Search of Dreamer" in which deep/ hidden/ unconscious feelings, disappointments, desires are revealed to the patient by extraordinary dreams. I was amazed at Dr Yalom's talent in interpreting these astonishing dreams.

Customer Rating: 

This book is written by a psychotherapist, who has mainly existential views though he is flexible enough to adjust his practice to meet the needs of individuals. Each chapter follows an intriguing story of one of his patients - an overweight woman who loses almost 100 pounds, a terminally ill cancer patient, a widow, a mother grieving over the loss of her favorite daughter, etc. The cases shed light on the true practice of psychotherapy. It illustrates successful exchanges and frustrations alike, thus providing a realistic expectation for those considering the profession. The author wrote it mainly in a story format, but throughout describes his thought processes that clarify some of the techniques. I read this book in a day because it's written in such an engaging style. Primarily, it showed me what to expect if I were to become a psychotherapist. It also discussed issues in the patients, or even the therapist, that everyone has to deal with at some point in their lives. It gave me a better understanding of others, and myself as well.

Customer Rating: 

This was required reading in my graduate counseling program. It was a great book then--and I have reread it a few times sense--and it is still a great book. It offers a lot of perspective on different issues and is eye opening from the therapists viewpoint. This is a great book for therapists and patients alike. And it is very entertaining too.

Customer Rating: 

In his book Love's Executioner: & Other Tales of Psychotherapy (Perennial Classics), Yalom puts his own reputation on the line in order to give us, the reader, an inside look into therapy from the therapist's point of view. As a studying psychotherapist I found his book both fascinating and useful. Yalom shows how even the most seasoned therapist has reactions to his clients, and how to take these reactions and use them in therapy.

Not interested in the science? The stories are witty, thrilling and entertaining. You couldn't make this stuff up!

Customer Rating: 

Great book to look into the thought processes of Yalom with different clients he had over the years. Has good words of wisdom for individuals wanting to be psychotherapists or counselors, even if your theoretical orientation is not Existentialism.