Dr. Irvin Yalom: 50,000 Hours Of Therapy (from 2015)

Oh, what some people would give to have just one therapy session with Dr. Irvin Yalom. Dr. Yalom is a legendary figure in modern psychotherapy and a best-selling author.  Over half a century, he has spent roughly 50,000 hours working with patients, and many more researching, writing, and teaching at Stanford University. During this conversation, he shared with me what he has taught his patients, and what they have taught him, about how to cope with the fear, or terror, of our own mortality — how staring at the inevitability of death can help us live richer lives.  We also discuss what he considers to be the value of regret; the power of humor; standing in love versus falling in love; whether sex or writing is the more effective way to deal with existential anxiety; and much more. Yalom was 84 when we had this conversation in 2015.  I’ve pulled it out of the Wavemaker archives now, as we approach the new year — a time for empowering reflection.https://wavemaker.me