Paul L. Wachtel

An insightful analysis of the psychological poverty of modern materialism. We have developed a culture that is good at extracting natural resources and building material wealth, but psychological wealth has not kept pace. Wachtel is especialy impressive because although his own views are psychodynamic, he is also able to draw upon other perspectives, both in psychology and economics, to make his case

Dr. Wachtel explores the largely unmapped territory of what the therapist says in the therapeutic setting, demonstrating a use of language that shows understanding, avoids inducing resistance, and yet does not sidestep the confrontation of painful realities. Extensive annotated transcripts of therapy sessions give insights into the principles discussed.