Two weeks with Irvin Yalom

Several years ago, I remember my aunt and mother speaking about Irvin Yalom's book "When Nietzsche wept" It is only recently that I read it. What a wonderful book ! I was captivated by this hypothetic psychoanalysis of Nietzsche by Dr Breuer in Freud's time in Vienna.

It is not only about certain aspects of psychology, it is about an inner quest of a man, how a relationship, a trust relationship with a therapist can be the most important success factor of a therapy, it is about how in such a relationship, the therapist also receives. I very much appreciated how Irvin Yalom paints this relationship and the honesty necesary to a trusty relationship.

Before I knew it I was reading another book of Irvin Yalom " Lying on the couch" that captivated me even more I think. To which extend can the therapist share of himself with his patient? Which of course leads me to ask myself to which extend can a coach share of himself with his client? I personally have always taken the party of honnesty and the question that I always ask myself is "how will this help my client?", if it does, why not ? Actually it can be a great way of showing that your empathy is not a professional obligation but rather a true felt feeling and that even if you are coach you are still human.

While "When Nietzsche wept" is a quite philosophical book, "Lying on the couch" is a fantastic thriller!

I am now reading a book on the hidden face of Che Guevara by Jacobo Manchover, and must confess I still have half of my brain thinking of Marshall Streider and Ernest Lash !