In his poignant memoir, therapist, teacher, and writer Jeffrey A. Kottler discloses how he triumphed over a troubled childhood to become a well–respected therapist who wrestles with the same issues as his clients. By focusing on the wisdom gained from his life–long journey of self–healing, Kottler reveals how his experiences have made him better able to practice the art and science of helping others. Kottler relates the details of his childhood experiences that shaped his personal and professional development. At an age when most boys were learning to play sandlot baseball, Kottler was a therapist in training'' learning to help other people survive. The incidents Kottler shares from his past, whether amusing or tormenting, are characterized by their brutal honesty: a marginal student, he enters college mainly to avoid the draft; Kottler's long–time mentor and friAnd abruptly terminates their relationship; as a young man he becomes involved in an obsessive love relationship that causes him to entertain thoughts of suicide. Through illustrative stories, Kottler shows how he used his pain to become sensitized to the anguish of others. Today, Kottler has the credentials of a successful professionalthe author of more than a dozen books, a university professor, and renowned therapist. Yet what Kottler is best able to share with others in his field is his vulnerability. Because Kottler has the courage to speak the truth about his life and work he has given comfort to others who feel as imperfect and flawed as he does. Growing a Therapist speaks to the pain, joys, and demands of embarking on the journey of becoming a caretaker of the human spirit.