Sheldon Bernard Kopp (29 March 1929 – 29 March 1999) was a psychotherapist and author. Born in New York City, he worked in Washington, D.C. for 35 years and lived in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Education

Kopp graduated from Brooklyn College in 1951 and received a PhD degree in 1960 for research on deductive reasoning in patients with schizophrenia completed at The New School.

Career

In addition to his private practice, he served as a psychotherapy supervisor for the pastoral counselling and consultation centres in Washington D.C.

Published books

Kopp was a prolific author, and wrote 17 books, mostly on self-esteem including:

  • Guru: Metaphors from a Psychotherapist
  • If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him!
  • The Hanged Man
  • No Hidden Meanings
  • Naked Therapist
  • Back to One: A Practical Guide for Psychotherapists
  • This Side of Tragedy: Psychotherapy as Theater
  • An End to Innocence: Facing Life without Illusions
  • What Took You so Long: An Assortment of Life's Everyday Ironies
  • Mirror, Mask, and Shadow: The Risk and Rewards of Self-acceptance
  • The Pickpocket and the Saint: Free Play of the Imagination
  • Even a stone can be a teacher
  • Here I am, Wasn't I! The Inevitable Disruption of Easy Times
  • Who Am I Really?
  • Raise Your Right Hand against Fear: Extend the Other in Compassion
  • Rock, Paper, Scissors: Understanding the Paradoxes of Personal Power and Taking Charge of Our Lives
  • All God's Children Are Lost, but Only a Few Can Play the Piano: Finding a Life That Is Truly Your Own
  • Blues ain't nothing but a good soul feeling bad

Personal life

Kopp died of cardiac arrhythmia and pneumonia.