Changing People's Lives While Transforming My Own
Memoir of an Imperfect Therapist
(First Edition)
©2026, 318 pages
Paperback list price: $32.95
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Changing People's Lives While Transforming My Own: Memoir of an Imperfect Therapist is a reflective journey into the professional and personal life of Jeffrey A. Kottler, one of the most prolific writers in the fields of counseling and psychotherapy. This memoir offers an unvarnished look at the author’s experiences, achievements, and crushing disappointments in the realms of therapy, teaching, and social advocacy.
Kottler has been described as the “soul of the profession” due to his willingness to discuss the deeper and more vulnerable aspects of what it means to be a professional helper, including its privileges and burdens. For the past half century, he has explored the most forbidden, taboo, and neglected aspects of this work, such as how helping professionals process disappointments and failures, as well as how clients can serve as the best teachers.
The memoir explores the complex intersections between Kottler’s personal and professional life, revealing insights into the reciprocal influences they had on one another. It demonstrates how the practice of counseling, teaching, and therapy can become transformative, not only for those served, but also for the professional.
As insightful as it is engaging, Changing People's Lives While Transforming My Own is a compelling addition to courses in psychology, counseling, or any curriculum that offers an introspective look at the life of a mental health professional.
Kottler has been described as the “soul of the profession” due to his willingness to discuss the deeper and more vulnerable aspects of what it means to be a professional helper, including its privileges and burdens. For the past half century, he has explored the most forbidden, taboo, and neglected aspects of this work, such as how helping professionals process disappointments and failures, as well as how clients can serve as the best teachers.
The memoir explores the complex intersections between Kottler’s personal and professional life, revealing insights into the reciprocal influences they had on one another. It demonstrates how the practice of counseling, teaching, and therapy can become transformative, not only for those served, but also for the professional.
As insightful as it is engaging, Changing People's Lives While Transforming My Own is a compelling addition to courses in psychology, counseling, or any curriculum that offers an introspective look at the life of a mental health professional.
Jeffrey A. Kottler is one of the most prominent authors and presenters in the fields of counseling, psychotherapy, health, education, and advocacy. He has written over 100 books about a wide range of subjects. Jeffrey has been a counselor, therapist, supervisor, researcher, and educator for 50 years, having worked in preschool, middle school, mental health center, crisis center, hospital, medical school, refugee resettlement, nongovernmental organization (NGO), university, community college, private practice, and disaster relief settings. He is professor emeritus at California State University, Fullerton, and resides in Houston, Texas, as a base for his teaching, consulting, and travels.
Other Cognella titles by Jeffrey A. Kottler:Formats and Bulk Order Pricing for Confirmed Adoptions
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