Don't Push the River

by Barry Stevens

A classic work of the 1970s - long out-of-print - now available in a new GJP edition that includes all the author's original calligraphic illustrations plus new photographs of the Gestalt community she established on a ranch in Utah shortly after the book was published.Considered a classic by thousands in and outside the Gestalt therapy community, the book is a first-person account of Stevens' investigations of Gestalt Therapy, Zen Buddhism, the philosophy of J. Krishnamurti, and American Indian religious practices in an effort to deepen and expand personal experience and work through difficulties. In this autobiographical journal, the author reflects on a three-month period in association with Fritz Perls at the Gestalt Institute of Canada in 1969 and discusses how these other philosophies integrate with an enhance Gestalt therapy.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Spirituality

Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1970

Reviews

[Fr Meyers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the handbooks I devoured while living in a commune in Booneville, California.

During the same time as experimenting with organic psychedelics (avoiding the manufactured "bad" ones), I remembered so many of this book's lessons.

While spending 35 years in governmental heath service, frequently being frustrated, I found peace by reminding myself that "it (all) flows by itself.

Now at age 71 and in declining health, I realize how truly this book's message has been to me.

I highly recommend this book to help with managing the impossibilities of understanding and accepting life's twists and turns.

Life truly is unfolding exactly as it is supposed to be.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barry Stevens illustrates a life better lived then read. The book flows just like life; sometimes exciting, boring, thought provoking etc.

[Fabiola Castillo Autora · Rating 3 out of 5]

un clásico de psicología, humanista y con elementos de gestalt. Explica en simple el ejercicio de la aceptación consciente

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an attractive free-spirited premise - Barry Stevens of "Person to Person: The Problem of Being Human" retreats in the late 1960s to the Canadian wilderness and Fritz Perls Gestalt community. (I anticipated an interesting contrast to the formalism of Petruska Clarkson's 1980s "Gestalt Counselling in Action" which I had read a year earlier).

The book is initially enthusing with insightful Native American wisdom/parables peppering her acclimatization period, and a profound awareness arises from the author's engagement with the first stage of the Gestalt - the human being as natural organism. But, the book quickly becomes a laborious diary, limited, and confused. We realise that Gestalt here is the way of any way, and no way; of which the originator Fritz seems disinterested. The community consists of members organising themselves in a kind of self-absorbed and self-defeating neurotic relativism. The author's form of communicating follows this environment; she moves from kitchen, to group therapy room, to her private quarters, concerned with the immediate problems of group relations. She has made an ethical decision to withhold from us the details of the people in these relationships and conflicts. The attitude is extended to the world she brings to the community. Historical issues are suggested as motivating factors for her interest in psychotherapies but they remain opaque, and this is the big problem with the book... or problem with this context of Gestalt. The therapeutic form is unclear, which is then difficult to communicate on the page. What happens to the person over time in a particular self-searching environment? How does this affect the continuity of the person? If a person expects to change their relationship to past experiences then why would it not be necessary to address them (the experiences) directly? The answers have probably been answered in other Gestalt texts, but "Don't push the river" - in the best sense - inadvertently answers them by the authors choice of journalistic form. Intriguingly, the Gestalt way was a recommendation from her son, and it would seem that he (in his familiarity with her) would be the person who would find this book most rewarding. A lovely thought.

[Harley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh gosh, those wonderful 60s and 70s. We were so in touch.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good, sort of a relic of the late 60s and early 70s period – probably not that easy to find these days but worth the effort if you’re interested in the counterculture of the period, particularly in the realm of psychology. Sort of a journal kept by Stevens while she was doing Gestalt Therapy training as a therapist with Fritz Perls, she also includes a few stories that she’d written previously which have a Gestalt vibe to them. Definitely on the four to five star spectrum, I’m going with five because I enjoyed the book itself and the trip back to that era so much.

[Andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without a doubt, the most amazing book I have ever read. Barry is incredible, this is a book that redefines how you see your moments, its all about living each of them and experiencing them to the full by being self aware. Gestalt Therapy is intriguing, a way to move towards becoming free within yourself and seeing yourself as you truly are, which is a difficult task. Barry gives some glimpses into what this is like as the book is written in the moment, very unique, hard to explain, it will either blow your mind or do your head in I suppose :) The thing I love is that just reading a couple of pages when in the right frame of mind can radically change the way you see things for a while and help you to live in the moment. That may be just my experience though, as that is what I am trying hard to do with my life at the moment. Essentially Barry lives by having less should and must do and more feel/react. I also recommend 'Person to Person' (with carl Rogers) she is a true shining star!

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stevens uses autobiographical accounts to illustrate the effects of Gestalt therapy in her own life. She has a unique style and draws on a number of sources from modern psychotherapy to American Indian culture to East Asian philosophy to stories from her life and her family. While so much similar literature of the era has thankfully been swept away by time, her writing stands out for its sincerity, clarity and humor.

It's a bit dense and at times I found it hard to get though. I strongly recommend starting with her final book Burst Out Laughing, which is in a more accessible format.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was attracted to this because of the title quoation: 'Don't Push the river, it flows by itself'. The poetic observation about her daily life in the first half of the book and the awakening that is happening to her, are beautifully written in a stream of consciousness way that captures how thinking and attention flit about moment to moment. She really manages to document the textures of her thoughts and emotions beautifully, and there are also some interesting bits about Gestalt and Fritz Perls both of which I knew nothing about before reading this. I learned one other amazing Fritz Perls quotation from the book: 'get out of your mind and come to your senses' so it was definitely worth reading for that alone! But I didn't manage to finish the book in the end as it is so meandering, it really lacks a driving structure.

[Robert Rainville · Rating 1 out of 5]

I will attempt to make this non-scathing. This is just a confusing mix of confusing ideology mixed with diary entries / random musings. Whatever Gestalt Therapy is…i have gained 0% more understanding of it. This may be for some people but not for me. Couldn’t wait to be done with it. Hard to imagine someone giving this 5 stars. On a positive note I’m looking forward to my next read!

[Yamid Zuluaga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maravilloso!!!

[Terry Anna Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Bible for many years.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ich kenne bisher kein Buch, mit dem ich "Don't Push The River" vergleichen könnte.
Der Titel war mir im Bereich der Literatur zur Gestalttherapie schon ein paar Mal untergekommen, ich war neugierig.

Ich würde das Buch so beschreiben: der/die Leser*in hat Teil am Gewahrsein der Autorin Barry Stevens in einem bestimmten Zeitraum ihres Lebens. Soweit sich dieses Gewahrsein eben in Worte packen lässt.
Für mich hat es damit diesen Aspekt der Gestaltarbeit auf eine einzigartige Weise erlebbar gemacht.

Ich hatte Hintergrundwissen zur Gestalttherapie und glaube, das mir das den Zugang zum Buch erleichtert hat. Allen Neugierigen würde ich sagen: einfach mal in den Fluss eintauchen und ein paar Meter treiben lassen, vielleicht ist es ja auch etwas für euch.

[Andreas · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Happiness is letting all the happenings happen" – Barry

This is simply the best book I've read. And what do I meant with "best"? Books are good in different ways. I think I what I appreciate the most with this book is the way it's written. It's simply about what is. And "about" might be the wrong word here. I hesitate to to say (write) "it's simply what is"... and yet the feeling I get when I read the book is that the author was indeed simply writing what was, in the moment of writing. No selling. No making good stories and conclusions. At the time she wrote this book, that was. Now that I write this, this is.

I think that sums it up.

[Modya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read of someone's take on life with Fritz Perls. Her blend of gestalt and First Nations philosophy was interesting, but a little too much journal entry style writing - "I put the kettle on, then I took it off," type of thing.

Glad I read the book, but I wouldn't list it high on my recommend list for anyone interested in gestalt, or biographies or otherwise.

[Nada]

to read

[Scott J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soulfully real, good

[Adam Gossman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a new friend.