Portrait of the artist as a young patient Book

This book is a fascinating account of a unique patient population: struggling young artists who have come to the artistic center of America to actualize their dreams but, at some point, feel defeated by the overwhelming competitiveness of this subculture. Gerald Alper, psychotherapist specializing in this heretofore unstudied group, draws upon his own artistic background to form an empathic bond with these troubled, talented individuals. He provides unusual insight into the relationship of the artist to his own creativity, his teacher, his imagined public, and his therapist.