Semrad: The heart of a therapist

For the past half-century, Harvard trained psychiatrists who learned their art and skill from a genius have quoted his observations about life in their work with patients and in teaching others the practice of psychotherapy.Here is the unique and heralded collection of remarks by this extraordinary teacher, Dr. Elvin Semrad, originally recorded by Susan Rako and Harvey Mazer during residency-training at Harvard's Massachusetts Mental Health Center in the 1960's."The book brings the reader a sense of closeness to the personal, informal aspects of this man who combined knowledge, gentleness, and strength in a most unusual way."-Otto Will, M.D.

Susan Rako practices psychiatry in Newton, Massachusetts. She is the author of two groundbreaking books, The Hormone of Desire and The Blessings of the Curse: No More Periods? and of the memoir, That's How the Light Gets In: Memoir of a Psychiatrist.Harvey Mazer has an office in Harvard Square. He practices psychoanalysis, psychotherapy, and psychopharmacology. He is basically an optimist, and believes that someday the Red Sox once again will win the World Series.