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Think Like a Shrink: 100 Principles for Seeing Deeply into Yourself and Others
A Companion for the Uncouched Based on a highly regarded article in Psychology Today that has been reprinted worldwide, Think Like a Shrink is a personality primer that refines years of psychiatric training into 100 principles. Here you will quickly learn to understand what motivates your boss, your spouse, your parents -- and yourself. Incorporating the most basic fundamentals that drive the human personality, these principles are short, clear, and simple, but not simplistic. They include enlightening observations and real eye-openers, such Some people never forgive a favor. In any marriage, there can only be one number one. Too much love may mean hate; too much hate may mean love. Successful neuroses help people fail. Electra and Oedipus keep psychiatrists in business.
- GenresPsychologyNonfiction
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 24, 2024
The purpose of this book, as stated near its end, is to "help illuminate reasons for puzzling behavior and problematic interactions."
Like everyone, I've experienced my share of such things. I usually try to shrug them off and forget them. My interest in psychology is probably mild in comparison with the average reader's, but I read this because over the last few years I've become friends with the author. In the course of several long discussions, I've learned something from him about psychopaths. I'd never thought to classify—certainly not to diagnose—anyone with such a term, but with the new perspective provided by Dr. Rosen I realized the people who've given me the most trouble in life were almost definitely psychopaths. That's the insight that led me to his book.
There are other labels, too, of course. For example, it seems I've also known a few narcissists. Understanding that helps me put those relationships in a new perspective.
The more useful question then is why people act and react as they do. There is some high-level exploration along those lines. I presume anything substantive would require individual therapy.
The chapters are quite short. They cut to the chase, providing little more than the text one might underline (for those of us who like to mark up our books). I'm kind of a bottom-line person myself, and yet here sometimes I wanted more. I told Dr. Rosen the book might've been helped by the inclusion of model cases, e.g., a hypothetical person who sees the world in such-and-such a way because of certain past experiences, and who can learn to see it differently by deploying a recommended strategy. (The point is made that although we may be more comfortable avoiding the things that worry us, that is not the path to personal growth.) Of course, a model would serve only to illustrate the point being made; reading any book would still not be a substitute for one-on-one counseling.
My progress through it was very slow, partly because I stopped frequently to ponder personal experiences and my own behavior in the light of the information presented.
Also, for me at least, a presentation of varieties of dysfunction can be wearying if they're read one after another.
This is a good book, written with deep understanding of human nature, and I'm glad to have read it.
Like everyone, I've experienced my share of such things. I usually try to shrug them off and forget them. My interest in psychology is probably mild in comparison with the average reader's, but I read this because over the last few years I've become friends with the author. In the course of several long discussions, I've learned something from him about psychopaths. I'd never thought to classify—certainly not to diagnose—anyone with such a term, but with the new perspective provided by Dr. Rosen I realized the people who've given me the most trouble in life were almost definitely psychopaths. That's the insight that led me to his book.
There are other labels, too, of course. For example, it seems I've also known a few narcissists. Understanding that helps me put those relationships in a new perspective.
The more useful question then is why people act and react as they do. There is some high-level exploration along those lines. I presume anything substantive would require individual therapy.
The chapters are quite short. They cut to the chase, providing little more than the text one might underline (for those of us who like to mark up our books). I'm kind of a bottom-line person myself, and yet here sometimes I wanted more. I told Dr. Rosen the book might've been helped by the inclusion of model cases, e.g., a hypothetical person who sees the world in such-and-such a way because of certain past experiences, and who can learn to see it differently by deploying a recommended strategy. (The point is made that although we may be more comfortable avoiding the things that worry us, that is not the path to personal growth.) Of course, a model would serve only to illustrate the point being made; reading any book would still not be a substitute for one-on-one counseling.
My progress through it was very slow, partly because I stopped frequently to ponder personal experiences and my own behavior in the light of the information presented.
Also, for me at least, a presentation of varieties of dysfunction can be wearying if they're read one after another.
This is a good book, written with deep understanding of human nature, and I'm glad to have read it.
December 10, 2008
This book had a few pieces here & there that I found helpful, but over all I wouldn't recommend wasting your time. The author is full of himself & if he's the example of how shrinks think, no wonder they have a bad rap. The principle topic titles were attention grabbing & that's about as far as the depth went. His writing was shallow at best & the title of the book is misleading. I fail to see how anyone could walk away feeling like they now see "deeply" into oneself or others after reading this book. I felt like he tried to compensate by throwing in occassional words that I have NEVER read, or heard ANYONE use in my entire life!
April 17, 2019
It’s helpful if you haven’t taken a high-school AP psychology course
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews