Mary Pipher's groundbreaking investigation of America's "girl-poisoning
culture," Reviving Ophelia, has sold nearly two million copies and
established its author as one of the nation's foremost authorities on
family issues. In Letters to a Young Therapist, Dr. Pipher shares what
she has learned in thirty years as a therapist, helping warring
families, alienated adolescents, and harried professionals restore peace
and beauty to their lives. Letters to a Young Therapist gives voice to
her practice with an exhilarating mix of storytelling and sharp-eyed
observation. And while her letters are addressed to an imagined young
therapist, every one of us can take something away from them.
Long before "positive psychology" became a buzzword, Dr. Pipher
practiced a refreshingly inventive therapy -- fiercely optimistic, free
of dogma or psychobabble, and laced with generous warmth and practical
common sense. But not until now has this gifted healer described her
unique perspective on how therapy can help us revitalize our emotional
landscape in an increasingly stressful world. Whether she's recommending
daily swims for a sluggish teenager, encouraging a timid husband to
become bolder, or simply bearing witness to a bereaved parent's sorrow,
Dr. Pipher's compassion and insight shine from every page of this
thoughtful and engaging book.