28 Quotes by Harry Stack Sullivan

If you do not feel equal to the headaches that psychiatry induces, you are in the wrong business. It is work - work the like of which I do not know.

When the satisfaction or security of another person becomes as important to one as one's own, then a state of love exists.

If you do jot feel equal to the headaches that psychiatry induces, you are in the wrong business. It is work - work the like of which I do not know.

The psychiatric interviewer is supposed to be doing three things: considering what the patient could mean by what he says; considering how he himself can best phrase what he wishes to communicate to the patient; and, at the same time, observing the general pattern of the events being communicated. In addition to that, to make notes which will be of more than evocative value, or come anywhere near being a verbatim record of what is said, in my opinion is beyond the capacity of most human beings.

The supply of interpretations, like that of advice, greatly exceeds the need for them.

[O]ne of the greatest difficulties encountered in bringing about favorable change is this almost inescapable illusion that there is a perduring, unique, simple existent self, [which is] in some strange fashion, the patient's, or the subject person's, private property.

If you have to maintain self-esteem by pulling down the standing of others, you are extraordinarily unfortunate.

It may be possible through detachment, to gain knowledge that is 'useful;' but only through participation is it possible to gain the knowledge that is helpful.

As you love yourself, so shall you love others. Strange but true, with no exceptions.