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Quote by Irvin D. Yalom

“Live your life to the fullest; and then, and only then, die. Don't leave any unlived life behind.”

Author

Irvin D. Yalom is an American author renowned for his psychological novels and philosophical reflections. His works delve into the essence of human existence, as well as psychotherapy and interpersonal relationships. more

“I think we ripple on into others, just like a stone puts its ripples into a brook. That, for me, too, is a source of comfort. It kind of, in a sense, negates the sense of total oblivion. Some piece of ourselves, not necessarily our consciousness, but some piece of ourselves gets passed on and on and on.”

Thinking Kind Consciousness Pieces Source Comfort Stones Oblivion Brooks Ripple

Author:Irvin D. Yalom

“The death anxiety of many people is fueled ... by disappointment at never having fulfilled their potential. Many people are in despair because their dreams didn't come true, and they despair even more that they did not make them come true. A focus on this deep dissatisfaction is often the starting point in overcoming death anxiety.”

People Dream Focus Despair Anxiety Overcoming Starting Disappointment Fulfilled Dissatisfaction Starting Point

Author:Irvin D. Yalom

“The real issue is not talent as an independent element, but talent in relationship to will, desire, and persistence. Talent without these things vanishes and even modest talent with those characteristics grows.”

Real Desire Grows Issues Talent Design Elements Independent Persistence Characteristics Modest Graphic Artist Graphic Designer Creative Design

Author:Milton Glaser

“None of my patients are really troubled by the idea that some part of what they say might be in a book in the future. Some have expressed the very opposite feeling--the fear that they would not be interesting enough to write about.”

Writing Book Ideas Enough Feelings Might Interesting Opposites Patient

Author:Irvin D. Yalom

“Therapists need to have a long experience in personal therapy to see what it's like to be on the other side of the couch and see what they find helpful or not helpful. And if possible, get into therapy at different stages of their life with different kinds of therapists just to sample a bit.”

Ifs Needs Kind Long Different Bits Sides Stage Therapy Helpful Different Kinds Couches Therapists Sample

Author:Irvin D. Yalom

“Death cures psychoneurosis. In a sense all these neurotic concerns--fear of rejection, interpersonal concerns--seem to melt away, and people get another perspective on their lives. The important things are really important, and the trivia of life is trivialized.”

People Important Seems Life Is Perspective Concern Important Things Cures Rejection Neurotic Trivia Interpersonal Fear Of Rejection

Author:Irvin D. Yalom

“One doesn't do existential therapy as a freestanding separate theory; rather it informs your approach to such issues as death, which many therapists tend to shy away from.”

Issues Theory Approach Therapy Shy Existential Therapists

Author:Irvin D. Yalom

“You know, I think everybody I've seen has come from some other therapy, and almost invariably it's very much the same thing: the therapist is too disinterested, a little too aloof, a little too inactive. They're not really interested in the person, he doesn't relate to the person. All these things I've written so much about. That's why I've made such a practice really, over and over to hammer home the point of self-revelation and being more of yourself and showing yourself. Every book I write I want to get that in there.”

Thinking Knows Want Writing Littles Persons Made Book Self Home Practice Written Relate Therapy Revelations Hammers Therapists Disinterested Aloof Self Revelation

Author:Irvin D. Yalom

“In a study we did of bereavement, we found that rather impressive numbers of widows and widowers had not simply gone back to their pre-loss functioning, but grown. This was due to a kind of increased existential awareness that resulted from this confrontation with the death of another. And I think it brought them in touch with their own death, so they began to experience a kind of preciousness to life that comes with an experience of its transiency.”

Thinking Kind Found Loss Numbers Gone Study Awareness Dues Existential Impressive Bereavement Confrontation Widows Widowers

Author:Irvin D. Yalom

“One reason patients are reluctant to work in a therapy group is they fear that things will go too far, that the powerful therapist or the collective group might coerce them to lose control--to say or think or feel things that will be catastrophic. The therapist can make the group feel safer by allowing each patient to set his or her limits and by emphasizing the patient's control over every interaction.”

Thinking Feels Reason Might Loses Powerful Groups Limits Patient Therapy Collectives Allowing Interaction Reluctant Therapists Coerce

Book:Inpatient Group Psychotherapy

Source: Inpatient Group Psychotherapy

Quote by Irvin D. Yalom

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