A wife pretends to hang herself in the basement so she can time how long it will be before her husband comes to rescue her. . . .a woman whose dead aunt was made into a mummy so the family could better grieve her passing and on occasion dine with her at family gatherings . . . a man wants his nose cut off to escape an annoying smell that haunts him . . . a teenage boy would only come to therapy if he could bring his pet snakeThese and other fascinating and revealing stories are told by some of the most famous therapists in the world. Collected in this extraordinary book, well known practitioners recount the most memorable case histories of their illustrious careers. Engaging and surprising stories of human behavior are dramatically and often humorously portrayed. Each chapter gives a behind-the-scenes look at how therapists work with clients whose problems and behaviors aren't found in standard psychology textbooks. The book also shows how these eminent therapists often cure these apparently intractable problems and learn something about themselves in the process.

Jeffrey A. Kottler is the author of more than fifty books, including On Being a Therapist and The Last Victim: Inside the Minds of Serial Killer, a New York Times bestseller. He is Chair of the Counseling Department at California State University, Fullerton.

Jon Carlson is a Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Counseling at Governors State University, Illinois, and the author of twenty-five books including Bad Therapy and Time for a Better Marriage and editor of The Family Journal. He has also developed over 150 professional and self-help commercial videotapes featuring today's leading experts in their fields.