Jeffrey A. Kottler, PhD, is Professor Emeritus at California State University, Fullerton, and Scholar in Residence at The Alliance for Multicultural Community Services in Houston, Texas where he works on issues related to refugee resettlement. He is the author of over 100 books in the fields of counseling, psychology, social justice, and related fields.

• About the Author


• Preface


• 1. The Therapist's Journey


• 2. Struggles for Power and Influence


• 3. Personal and Professional Lives


• 4. On Being a Therapeutic Storyteller- and Listener


• 5. How Clients Change Their Therapists


• 6. Hardships of Therapeutic Practice


• 7. Being Imperfect, Living with Failure


• 8. Patients Who Test Our Patience


• 9. Boredom and Burnout


• 10. That Which Is Not Said: Myths and Secrets


• 11. Lies We Tell Ourselves- and Others


• 12. Self-Care Prospects and Realities: Becoming Models for Our Clients


• 13. Alternative Therapies for Therapists


• 14. Toward Creativity and Personal Growth


• 15. On Being a Client: How to Get the Most from Therapy


• Discussion Questions


• References


• Name Index


• Subject Index

For more than thirty years, On Being a Therapist has inspired generations of mental health professionals to explore the most private and sacred aspects of their work helping others. This thoroughly revised Sixth Edition, written during the COVID-19 pandemic, continues that tradition with an increased emphasis on self-care, teletherapy, and alternative service delivery.