Overworking — Book Notes

Overworking¶

The content draws on cases a counseling psychologist collected through their work.

The cases here are mostly different stories of people who have pushed themselves too hard.

The chapters follow a sequence: introduction, deepening understanding of the predicament, resistance, and finally the client's change.

I'm skeptical that every real-world client goes through this neat arc — many probably stop attending counseling at some point without changing. But the book reads smoothly as the counselor distills the most significant moments from their work. Each case is a living, breathing person — quite possibly someone who looks like a colleague you know.

This is also where counseling and psychology meet practical application: doctors treat the body; counselors treat the mind. They help people become aware of the unconscious they've buried, or patterns absorbed in childhood without realizing it. You are allowed to make requests — and the other person is allowed to refuse. That is a boundary. This is my choice does not equal this is my fault. Most people conflate taking responsibility with having done something wrong, making self-criticism almost impossible to avoid. #psychology