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caufeegal's review against another edition
5.0
The journey of life.
We all carry things with us through life. This story is a great reminder of how we let things shape us and hold us back at times, right or wrong. Enjoyable story.
We all carry things with us through life. This story is a great reminder of how we let things shape us and hold us back at times, right or wrong. Enjoyable story.
whattojoread's review against another edition
2.0
As someone who has been in therapy for a decade, this book was full of red flags for me. I thought her therapist’s actions and “prescriptions” were unethical and the lack of boundaries was appalling.
girlglitch's review against another edition
3.0
Group is an interesting memoir on the experience of group therapy.
Tate is a skillful autobiographical writer, approaching her subject with brutal honesty and striking just the right balance between humour and misery. Her story makes for a compulsive, engaging read.
The therapy itself made me a little uncomfortable at times, with Dr Rosen's unconventional approach and problematic line-crossing. In many ways it was a bit like reading about a cult.
But red flags aside, it was interesting to see the effect the group had on its attendees and the bond they shared, and I genuinely cared about every success and every pitfall.
Group is affirming, but never saccharine - a bold and bare-faced memoir.
*Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review*
Tate is a skillful autobiographical writer, approaching her subject with brutal honesty and striking just the right balance between humour and misery. Her story makes for a compulsive, engaging read.
The therapy itself made me a little uncomfortable at times, with Dr Rosen's unconventional approach and problematic line-crossing. In many ways it was a bit like reading about a cult.
But red flags aside, it was interesting to see the effect the group had on its attendees and the bond they shared, and I genuinely cared about every success and every pitfall.
Group is affirming, but never saccharine - a bold and bare-faced memoir.
*Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review*
alesha_b's review against another edition
4.0
Her vulnerability made my humanity more tolerable. Challenged my concept of therapy and boundaries. Very Questionable strategies
amypodzarz's review against another edition
I chose not to give a star rating to this because I did not want to discredit the author's very real pain and trauma. However, I have some THOUGHTS. I will preface them by saying that I do not have any personal experience with therapy or group therapy, but if I was contemplating it and read this book, I would NEVER go.
As I began reading I had very early thoughts of "this sounds like a cult." Those thoughts only strengthened as I read. This "doctor" came across as manipulative and exploitative. First of all, the author had to take out addition loans to afford his early 2000s therapy price of $70 for a 90 minute GROUP session THEN eventually recommended coming THREE times a week. That's $840 a month for group sessions. I mention the cult again because when he recommended that much it didn't seem like she questioned it at all.
Then there's his very toxic way of going about therapy. I'm all for pushing people out of their comfort zones to help them grow - but he made them do humiliating tasks and we were never really given a good explanation as to how they helped in the therapy practice. Other situations that stood out - he encouraged her to have a relationship with someone in one of his other groups which was doomed from the start but also crossed some ethical bounds for me, in addition to him not really saying anything about her relationship with a very much married father of two in her group. There was the situation of keeping a stranger's baby's ashes in her closet, the relationship where she was chastised because a boyfriend didn't want his personal details shared, and probably so many more cringe worthy moments that I can't recall right now.
Also, what happened to confidentiality?? Apparently they were free to talk about others in their group outside of group... I googled the author and she was mad that she had to change their names and locations. So you're fine exploiting other people's personal trauma for your own monetary gain?? Another thing that popped up in my Google search was her 9 year old daughter asking her to stop publishing humiliating stories about her online and she refused. SWEETIE, WHAT?!
Hope you're saving up for her therapy and she gets to go to a REAL therapist! (Mentioned in the author's note was the line "I'm giving my kids plenty of reasons to need therapy".)
So yea unless you want to read about several toxic, failed relationships and very obscure therapy practices, I don't recommend.
As I began reading I had very early thoughts of "this sounds like a cult." Those thoughts only strengthened as I read. This "doctor" came across as manipulative and exploitative. First of all, the author had to take out addition loans to afford his early 2000s therapy price of $70 for a 90 minute GROUP session THEN eventually recommended coming THREE times a week. That's $840 a month for group sessions. I mention the cult again because when he recommended that much it didn't seem like she questioned it at all.
Then there's his very toxic way of going about therapy. I'm all for pushing people out of their comfort zones to help them grow - but he made them do humiliating tasks and we were never really given a good explanation as to how they helped in the therapy practice. Other situations that stood out - he encouraged her to have a relationship with someone in one of his other groups which was doomed from the start but also crossed some ethical bounds for me, in addition to him not really saying anything about her relationship with a very much married father of two in her group. There was the situation of keeping a stranger's baby's ashes in her closet, the relationship where she was chastised because a boyfriend didn't want his personal details shared, and probably so many more cringe worthy moments that I can't recall right now.
Also, what happened to confidentiality?? Apparently they were free to talk about others in their group outside of group... I googled the author and she was mad that she had to change their names and locations. So you're fine exploiting other people's personal trauma for your own monetary gain?? Another thing that popped up in my Google search was her 9 year old daughter asking her to stop publishing humiliating stories about her online and she refused. SWEETIE, WHAT?!
Hope you're saving up for her therapy and she gets to go to a REAL therapist! (Mentioned in the author's note was the line "I'm giving my kids plenty of reasons to need therapy".)
So yea unless you want to read about several toxic, failed relationships and very obscure therapy practices, I don't recommend.
akshewan's review against another edition
2.0
Entertaining to read, but spreads some really dangerous ideas about what therapy is and should be.
makennakunz's review against another edition
3.0
Probably 3.5/5 - I think it was well written but I just couldn’t get over how unorthodox the counseling approach was. Very interesting.
ktamen's review against another edition
2.0
This wasn't very good, was sexually graphic, & not what I expected at all. The ending was nice, & I appreciate the need for therapy, but I was glad when this book was over.