Alain de Botton is a Swiss-born British philosopher, author, and entrepreneur. De Botton is best known for his work in popular philosophy and self-help literature. He has written numerous books that explore a wide range of topics, including love, work, travel, architecture, and philosophy.
In 2008, Botton was one of a group of writers to found The School of Life. This global organisation brings together psychology, philosophy, psychotherapy, art, and culture to teach its students how life can be lived in the most fulfilling ways. The School of Life organisation offers courses, events, and services to foster emotional intelligence and self-improvement. He is known for his ability to make complex philosophical ideas accessible to a broader audience and for his contributions to popular philosophy. His work often emphasises the practical application of philosophical concepts to lead a more fulfilling life.
We spend every day inside our minds, and despite this, we’re woefully self-ignorant. How many times have we felt irritable, guilty, or furious without being able to pinpoint the root cause? We compulsively destroy salvageable relationships, but we can’t explain why. And many of us choose a profession without knowing if we’re genuinely suited for it.
“We’re reacting to each situation in isolation as it unfolds. But our reactions to the present are heavily influenced by the past – especially our childhoods.”
His latest book, A Therapeutic Journey Lessons from the School of Life, is a therapeutic journey is a deeply personal process that can vary significantly from person to person. Alain de Botton explores how we can cope with various forms of mental pain and illness, from mild to severe. It considers how and why we might become ill, how we can explain things to friends, family and colleagues, how to recover, and how to build resilience to live wisely alongside our difficulties. Botton’s book premise offers compassion and the possibility of healthier relationships with yourself and your loved ones; God forbid It may make your existence slightly less awful. Indeed, it is A Therapeutic Journey, a guide to happiness and mental well-being, and a tool to help you understand yourself and plot your way to emotional maturity.
The fundamental guide to mental health from the bestselling author of The School of Life This is a book about getting unwell. About losing direction and hope. About imagining that we have let ourselves and everyone down. But it is also a book about recovering better, rediscovering purpose and finding a way back to connection and joy. Here, Alain de Botton pursues the arch of a mental health journey from crisis to healing: the moments we realise we cannot cope, the acts of self-care or therapy in which we find respite, and the days we ultimately reclaim a feeling of serenity. Written with understanding and kindness, it is a source of companionship in our loneliest moments – whether it’s a relationship breakdown, a career setback or anxiety around the everyday – and a practical guide that will help us find reasons for hope. In A Therapeutic Journey, de Botton shares the lessons from the School, exploring collapse and recovery with his trademark wisdom and insight. How can we cope with mental pain and illness in all its forms? How might we become ill, and how might we explain it to those around us? And, perhaps most importantly, how can we build resilience and recover to lead lives of connection and fulfilment? It is challenging to think of a more pertinent read in this era.
Everything worth fighting for unbalances your life.
A Therapeutic Journey is a collection of essays about mental challenges and health. Written with kindness, knowledge and sympathy, it is a practical guide to well-being and a source of consolation and companionship in what might be some of our loneliest, most frantic moments.