In line with my last post on therapy (you can read it hereI wanted to share this book with you. It was recommended to me by a friend and, coincidentally, it was available in my library. So, I decided to read it. Good thing I did because it's wonderful. Amo las memorias, y esta es una combinación entre memoria, crecimiento personal y humor. Fantástico.
The author, Lori Gottlieb, shares her experience both as a therapist (psychologist) and as a patient (with another psychologist). She tells us a bit about her life and what led her to become a therapist (now in her forties), as well as the event that precipitated her to her therapist's door. She is an excellent writer, too. In fact, she tells of her days working for television, as well as publishing columns in newspapers and magazines. What she loves is communicating and people's stories. So, she does both. I love it, especially because sometimes the message we get is that we can only have one vocation, but she has three (being a mum is the third, in my opinion, and if you read the book, you'll see why.) The naturalness with which she shares her comings and goings, her doubts and her choices, make this book all the more valuable. She did not follow a linear path (studies -> family -> children), and in doing so, she built a unique, colourful, authentic life. I am so inspired by these stories.
Moreover, the book gives a lot of food for thought, both about the therapeutic process and the path of life. Although it starts with the story of one of her patients (and immediately makes you laugh), it is from her point of view. She gives us insights into how she applies her human and empathic side, as well as her therapeutic training, in her sessions. She then turns some of these reflections towards what happens to her with her own therapist and her process. In that sense it is very refreshing, especially as I go to therapy and sometimes ask myself many of the questions she asks or thinks too.
If you are looking to learn, laugh (and sometimes cry) and be inspired, this is a great book. And what I really appreciate is that she talks openly about what it is like to do therapy, explaining a lot about people's resistance to even starting this kind of work (and even during their ongoing therapeutic work), yet she does it in a light and compassionate way. Especially because, as she says, it takes a lot of courage to do therapy. In fact, I particularly liked the phrase she used to thank her patients because she compared them to Olympic players. Every time I go to therapy or dare to rethink or revise a part of me, it feels like a huge mountain blocking me at first, but step by step, with the guidance of my therapist and with commitment, progress is made, understanding, embracing, and accepting. The muscle of compassion, clarity and self-love are used in therapy. And that makes us emotional athletes. What better analogy than that?
I invite you to read it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did and, if you have read the book, please let me know what you thought of it. I'd love to know.
Photo: Original image by Pilar Gómez Alvarez.