One of the most famous psychologists and psychotherapists in the world, Irwin Yalom is perhaps second only to Freud in popularity among the general public. A professor at Stanford University, a living classic, he writes very intelligent, but not boring books, documentary exciting stories from the practice of an existential psychotherapist.
Let's look through the eyes of Irwin at the concepts we are used to
Life changes
As long as the patient thinks that the cause of all his problems lies outside him, it is useless to wait for changes. If a patient says to me: “Everything in my life develops like this, it does not depend on me. What laws does the government pass ?! The system is to blame, other people around me … "- I say:" Ok, I willingly believe you. But let's try to determine how much the system and other people are to blame, and what percentage you are ready to take responsibility for. Ten percent? Five? Let's see what it is for five percent and what we can change here. " And we start to work.
Love
It is rather a form of existence: not so much attraction as self-giving, an attitude not so much to one person as to the world as a whole.
Promotional video:
Loneliness
We are all lonely ships in the dark sea. We see the lights of other ships, we cannot reach them, but their presence, the light of these lights, and a position similar to ours give us great consolation in our loneliness.
A responsibility
We are completely responsible for our lives: not only for our actions, but also for our inability to act.
Family
Many marriages break up because, instead of caring for each other, partners use each other as a means of dealing with their isolation.
Death
Death is an integral part of life, and by constantly taking it into account, we enrich life, rather than rob it. Physically death destroys a person, but the idea of death saves him.
Anxiety
It is part of existence; as long as we continue to grow and create, we cannot be free from it.
Liberty
We are creatures created according to our own design, and the idea of freedom frightens us, because it assumes that beneath us is emptiness, absolute "groundlessness."