£15.99 – £21.59
A searingly honest and highly personal account of the working life of a psychotherapist from Professor Brett Kahr.
| Author | Brett Kahr |
|---|---|
| ISBN | 9781912691036 |
| Format | Paperback, e-Book, Print & e-Book |
| Page Extent | 240 |
| Publication Date | November 2018 |
| Subject Areas | Counselling, Psychoanalysis, Psychoanalytic Theory, Psychotherapy |
How do you develop a truly rich and rewarding career in psychotherapy? How can you find joy in such painful work? How do you develop your skills in the field? How can you conquer your creative inhibitions? In short, how do you flourish as a psychotherapist?
Brett Kahr answers these questions, and so many more, in his brilliant new book, painting a frank portrait of the life of the psychotherapist.
Taking the reader through the life cycle of the therapist, Brett offers lots of practical advice, from assessing one’s suitability for the career, to managing one’s finances, to preparing for death. His clear voice and style shine through in this authentic, readable narrative. Professor Kahr has produced a must-read, gripping account of how you can thrive in every respect in this complex and rewarding career.
How to Flourish as a Psychotherapist should be required reading for every therapist, anyone considering taking up the career, and everyone who has ever wondered what kind of person becomes a therapist. This is a truly original work that should become compulsory reading by all in the field.
Professor Brett Kahr has worked in the mental health profession for over forty years. He is Senior Fellow at the Tavistock Institute of Medical Psychology in London and, also, Senior Clinical Research Fellow in Psychotherapy and Mental Health at the Centre for Child Mental Health. He holds posts as Consultant to The Bowlby Centre and, also, as Consultant Psychotherapist to The Balint Consultancy. Having worked for many years in the National Health Service, he currently maintains a private practice in Hampstead, North London, for individuals and couples.
Professor Kahr is a Trustee of the Freud Museum London and of Freud Museum Publications, and he is also a trained historian with a special concentration in the history of psychoanalysis. Author or editor of eleven books, his titles include, D.W. Winnicott: A Biographical Portrait, which received the Gradiva Award for Biography; Sex and the Psyche, which became a chosen title in the Sunday Times Book Club and which appeared in serial form in both The Times and The Observer; Tea with Winnicott, selected as one of the “Books of the Year” in The Guardian newspaper; Coffee with Freud; and, most recently, New Horizons in Forensic Psychotherapy: Exploring the Work of Estela V. Welldon, an edited Festschrift in honour of Dr Welldon’s eightieth birthday. He has served as series editor for over fifty-five further titles in his capacity as Series Editor of the “Forensic Psychotherapy Monograph Series” and, also, as Series Co-Editor for both the “History of Psychoanalysis Series” and the “Library of Couple and Family Psychoanalysis”, all published by Routledge.
INTRODUCTION
Survival may not be enough
Part One
Building a Secure Base
CHAPTER ONE
A Noble, Complicated Passion
Mouthwash for the Mind
Zyklon B Gas in the Consulting Room
Friends with Oesophageal Cancer and Vascular Dementia
CHAPTER TWO
Assessing One’s Own Sanity
The Perfect Candidate
Pathological Motivations
Can We Afford to Train?
CHAPTER THREE
On Marrying a Library
Bibliophilia Psychotherapeutica
Curling Up with Sigmund Freud
My Three Favourite Reading Rooms
CHAPTER FOUR
The Joys and Pitfalls of Training
A Child in a Sweet Shop
Exhausted, Frazzled, and Scrutinised
Legitimate at Last
CHAPTER FIVE
Cultivating Brilliant Mentors
Dis-identifying from Disappointing Tutors
A Most Inspiring Lecturer from Mendoza
A Great Teacher Under Whom I Never Studied
Part Two
The Art of Prospering
CHAPTER SIX
Perpetual Pupils
Training Never Ends
How to Be a Medieval Monk
Swimming in Organisations
CHAPTER SEVEN
Attracting Referrals
The Art of Advertising
My Last 500 Patients
Answering the Telephone
CHAPTER EIGHT
Managing Money
Under-Charging and Over-Charging
Collecting Fees
Financial Planning for the Future
CHAPTER NINE
The Promotion of Expertise
Flagrant Exhibitionism or Neurotic Inhibitionism?
Generativity versus Stagnation
On Stage at the Royal Opera House
CHAPTER TEN
Patients as Persecutors and as Privileges
The Prevention of Burn-Out
Hate in the Countertransference
Delightful, Honourable People
Part Three
Thriving Beyond the Consulting Room
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Nourishing Fledgling Colleagues
Enlivening the Classroom
On Being a Clinical Supervisor
A Little Drink After Work
CHAPTER TWELVE
Public Lecturing
My Very First Paper
The Length of the Applause
Addressing the United Nations
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Daring to Research
The Humiliation of Edward Glover
A Search for the Traumatic Origins of Psychosis
Sexual Fantasies at the Dinner Table
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Writing Articles and Books
The Agony of 300 Words and the Ease of 300,000
Publishing as a Relational Experience
“Not Another Book on Projective Identification”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Blue-Sky Projects
Freud Thinks Big
A Bestseller and a Serial Killer
Psychotherapists in Prison and in the Middle East
Part Four
Surviving Success
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Avoiding Isolation
The Need for Solitude
Beware the Ethics Committee
Choosing the Best Dinner Parties
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Navigating Envy
Winnicott’s Mutterings in Geneva
Thank God I’m Overweight
On Being Provocative
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Nurturing the Ageing Spine
The Ultimate Narcissistic Injury
The Ten-Minute Gymnasium
Lounging on the Beach
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Embracing Idiosyncrasy
Conquering Creative Entanglements
Mourning Unfulfilled Dreams
The Maverick in Mental Health
CHAPTER TWENTY
Preparing for Death
The Appointment of Clinical Executors
How to Retire Properly
On the Shaping of a Legacy
EPILOGUE
My Parting Thoughts
Acknowledgements
About the author
References
Index
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Dr David Van Nuys, Shrink Rap Radio –
I recommend it not only to students and prospective students but to therapists at whatever stage of their career they may be. You’ll find plenty of solid evidence and inspiration to deepen and expand your practice, indeed your life.
Isobel Todd, Psychodynamic Counsellor, Sussex Counselling & Psychotherapy News, Spring 2019 –
I found myself responding with enjoyment and gratitude to this book… Kahr is happy to share all he has learned the long way… [and] has a very serious point to make about the importance of deriving ‘deep delight’ from our work.
Roslyn Byfield MBACP (Accred), psychodynamic counsellor in private practice, ‘Private Practice’, June 2019 –
The book seems aimed at traditional psychoanalytic psychotherapists but its wisdom applies much more widely.
Dr M.L – 5 star Amazon Review / October 2019 –
As a newly qualified Clinical Psychologist in the NHS I found this book beyond mesmerising. The book may appear to be tailored to ‘Psychotherapists’ but all mental health professionals can benefit from the content of this book. After completing clinical training and transitioning to life as a qualified professional it can be very appealing to just ‘coast’ through working life until retirement (which may be fine for some!). In fact, after qualifying your internal resources (i.e. motivation, drive, love for work etc.) may be depleted and your enthusiasm for such a career may be dampened after the immense struggle of studying and working. However, Khar’s book is packed full of useful professional guidance and advice which can be used as a stepping stone towards truly flourishing as a mental health professional and avoid the pitfall of stagnation.
I am a huge fan of Professor Brett Kahr. I sadly only discovered Brett earlier this year! I am currently working my way through all of his books. I wish I had come across his literature during my training. Brett writes in an engaging and accessible manner and I actually really struggled to put the book down! The content may not seem as exciting as his other books (Bombs in the Consulting Room, Coffee with Freud, and Tea with Winnicott etc.) but I found myself both revitalised about the endless career development possibilities and also reassured with some of the feelings and conflicts that come associated with life as a qualified professional. The chapters focus on different endeavours that may allow someone to truly flourish as a professional as opposed to being stagnant. I will not spoil the book but topics are wide ranging and include; teaching, presenting research, writing, networking, career development, fees, office space, ageing etc.
From a personal perspective, I thoroughly enjoyed two key things about this book which I appreciate may not be for everyone’s taste; 1. Brett makes numerous references and personal anecdotes about his life and his training. I found these paragraphs probably the most enjoyable as I felt inspired by Brett’s continuous passion for new clinical projects and his enthusiasm for clinical psychology infectious. I have often been intrigued about the rigorous training of the Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist so feel privileged when Brett shares these insights. I actually hope he writes a biography about himself one day! 2.) There is a short Chapter in the book on reading. Brett recommends a series of key texts and papers that would be useful for all clinicians regardless of therapeutic orientation. However, understandably (based on Brett’s background) the recommended reading tends to focus predominantly on psychoanalytic theory. I am a huge fan of psychoanalysis and have a keen interest in psychoanalytic psychotherapy. Brett’s recommendations of reading material has allowed me to start to developed a more ‘structured’ way of reading and studying psychoanalytic ideas, theories and techniques. I feel this has been a huge bonus to me and could not be more grateful for Brett deciding to include such material. I have spent years struggling with psychoanalytic ideas – never knowing where to start.
In conclusion, beyond my enthusiasm for Brett Kahr, I highlight recommend this book from one mental health professional to another (e.g. nurse, psychologist, psychiatrist, counsellor, trainees etc.). It’s one that I will be frequently be using as a reference whenever I am feeling low on drive or enthusiasm for the job I love.
Dr M.L
Claire Hershman – 4 star Amazon Review / July 2019 –
This is a truly useful grounded look at the practically impossible but wonderful profession of being a psychotherapist. Kahr has really added a depth and enthusiasm to the training and practice.
Martin Pollecoff, psychotherapist and UKCP chair, ‘New Psychotherapist’ review –
‘This is an impressive and easy read (because it is well written and interesting) – a cradle-to-grave guide to building a successful practice – about not just surviving but “flourishing”. The book tackles all the stages of a career in psychotherapy, from choosing the most suitable course to what to do when you’re approaching retirement, and deals with real-life issues such as the envy of colleagues and back pain.’
Caroline Hallett, British Journal of Psychotherapy, 35 (2019): 655-657 –
‘… this detailed and candid book … provides the reader with a comprehensive and revealing description of how to build and maintain a successful psychotherapy practice. … In lively conversational style he offers fascinating and humorous scenarios and anecdotes from different stages of his career.’