Irvin David Yalom M.D.

(born 13 June 1931) is an American existential psychiatrist who is Emeritus Pro essor o Psychiatry at !tan or" #ni$ersity% as well as author o both iction an" non iction. r$in Da$i" &alom was born in 'ashin(ton D).*1+ About i teen years prior to his birth in the #nite" !tates% &alom,s parents immi(rate" rom -ussia an" e$entually opene" a 'ashin(ton D) (rocery store on 1st !treet an" !eaton Place. &alom spent much o his chil"hoo" rea"in( boo.s in the amily house abo$e the (rocery store an" in a local library. A ter (ra"uatin( rom hi(h school% he atten"e" /eor(e 'ashin(ton #ni$ersity an" then 0oston #ni$ersity !chool o Me"icine A ter (ra"uatin( with a 0A rom /eor(e 'ashin(ton #ni$ersity in 1912 an" as a Doctor o Me"icine rom 0oston #ni$ersity !chool o Me"icine in 1913 he went on to complete his internship at Mount !inai 4ospital in 5ew &or. an" his resi"ency at the Phipps )linic o Johns 4op.ins 4ospital in 0altimore an" complete" his trainin( in 1936. A ter two years o Army ser$ice at 7ripler /eneral 4ospital in 4onolulu% &alom be(an his aca"emic career at !tan or" #ni$ersity. 4e was appointe" to the aculty in 1933 an" then promote" o$er the next se$eral years an" (rante" tenure in 1938. !oon a ter this perio" he ma"e some o his most lastin( contributions by teachin( about (roup psychotherapy an" "e$elopin( his mo"el o existential psychotherapy. 4is writin( on existential psycholo(y centres on what he re ers to as the our 9(i$ens9 o the human con"ition: isolation% meanin(lessness% mortality an" ree"om% an" "iscusses ways in which the human person can respon" to these concerns either in a unctional or "ys unctional ashion. ;n a""ition to his scholarly% non< iction writin(% &alom has pro"uce" a number o no$els an" also experimente" with writin( techni=ues. ;n Everyday Gets a Little Closer&alom in$ite" a patient to co<write about the experience o therapy. 7he boo. has two "istinct $oices which are loo.in( at the same experience in alternatin( sections. &alom,s wor.s ha$e been use" as colle(iate textboo.s an" stan"ar" rea"in( or psycholo(y stu"ents. 4is new an" uni=ue $iew o the patient>client relationship has been a""e" to curriculum in Psycholo(y pro(rams at such schools as John Jay )olle(e o )riminal Justice in 5ew &or. )ity. &alom has continue" to maintain a part<time pri$ate practice an" has authore" a number o $i"eo "ocumentaries on therapeutic techni=ues. &alom is also eature" in the 2663 "ocumentary Flight From Death% a ilm that in$esti(ates the relationship o human $iolence to ear o "eath% as relate" to subconscious in luences. 7he ;r$in D. &alom ;nstitute o Psychotherapy% co<"irecte" by Pro -uthellen Josselson% wor.s to a"$ance &alom,s approach to psychotherapy. 7his uni=ue combination o inte(ratin( more Philosophy into the Psychotherapy can be consi"ere" as Psychosophy. 4e is marrie" to Marilyn &alom. 1992: Commonwealth Club Gold Award for fiction best novel (When Niet sche We!t" by 7he )ommonwealth )lub o )ali ornia*12+ http:>>en.wi.ipe"ia.or(>wi.i>;r$in?D.?&alom