Irwin Yalom is an internationally renowned American psychiatrist and psychotherapist. As a MD and professor of psychiatry at Stanford University, he developed a new perspective on the approach to psychotherapy. Yalom is the author of popular science and fiction.
Biography
Irwin David Yalom was born on June 13, 1931 in Washington, DC to a Jewish family. Irwin's parents were immigrants from the Russian Empire who emigrated to the United States because of the revolution. Ruth and Benjamin Yalom owned a grocery store in Washington, DC; the boy spent his childhood reading books at home and in the local library.
After graduating from high school, Irwin attended George Washington University and then Boston University School of Medicine, from which he graduated in 1956.
The MD internship took place at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, as well as at the Phipps Clinic of Johns Hopkins Hospital. After completing his studies, Yalom served for two years in the army at the Tripler General Hospital in Honolulu.
Carier start
After serving, Yalom began his career at Stanford University. Irwin is a representative of one of the areas of modern humanistic psychology - existential psychology. Yalom has written several novels about the history of psychotherapy and the professional work of psychotherapists.
Irwin Yalom's views on psychotherapy
Irwin Yalom is considered the most consistent opponent of the de-individualized, bureaucratic, so-called formal approach in psychotherapy. The psychotherapist spoke out especially sharply against, as he himself put it, "short-term diagnosis-oriented therapy." He is deeply convinced that "short-term diagnosis-oriented therapy" is driven by economic forces and is based on extremely narrow, formal diagnoses.
Such psychotherapy is one-sided, protocol-driven, the so-called "therapy for all" does not take into account the most important thing - the personality and personality of the patient. Therefore, according to Irwin Yalom, it cannot bring any significant benefit.
Yalom rightly believed, first of all, that a new psychotherapy should be invented for each patient, because each person has a unique story. The basis of this "new" therapy should be a therapy built on the interpersonal relationship "here and now" of the patient and the therapist, on their mutual revelations to each other. Therefore, no formalized approach can be applied here and will even be harmful in work.
Psychoanalysis also played an important role in shaping the views of Irwin Yalom. In his literary works, Yalom went from psychoanalysis to existential-humanistic therapist. An important place in his works such as "Mom and the Meaning of Life", "Liar on the Couch", "Gift of Psychotherapy" is given to overcoming the existential fear of death.
In one more of his fundamental works “Peering into the sun. Life without the fear of death”, published in 2008, Yalom summarizes the study of this problem. In particular, he writes: “Once a person is able to confront the fact of his own mortality, he is inspired to realign his priorities, communicate more deeply with those he loves, and appreciate more sharply the beauty of life. A person can increase their willingness to take on the risks necessary for personal fulfillment and the growth of their personality."
Scientific and popular science literature:
- Existential psychotherapy. - 2000.
- The gift of psychotherapy. - 2005.
- Group psychotherapy. Theory and practice. - 2007.
- Peering into the sun. Life without fear of death. - 2008.
- Stationary group psychotherapy. - 2016.
Novels and short stories:
- When Nietzsche cried. - 1992.
- Liar on the couch. - 1996.
- Treatment for love (and other psychotherapeutic novels). - 2004.
- Psychotherapeutic stories. Chronicle of Healing. - 2005.
- Schopenhauer as medicine. - 2005.
- Mom and the meaning of life. - 2006.
- Spinoza's problem. - 2012.
- How I became myself. Memories - 2018.
Personal life
Irwin Yalom is married to Marilyn Yalom. The Yaloms studied at the same school in Washington, DC, their romance began when Irwin was 15, and Marilyn was only 14 years old. The couple have been married for over 60 years and have 4 adult children and 5 grandchildren. The wife of the famous psychotherapist is a philologist and writer. She is known to the Russian reader for her work "Love in French" ("How the French discovered love").
Marilyn Yalom is a devoted associate of her husband and in every possible way supports him in his work. She holds a PhD in Comparative Literature in French and German from Johns Hopkins and is pursuing a successful career as a university professor and writer.
