Harry Tiebout AA's First Shrink: The Act of Surrender

Father Bill continues a series centered on Dr. Harry Tiebout, the first psychiatrist to recognize why AA worked while so many other methods (including his own) had failed. Tiebout also treated Bill Wilson for his depression and later served as an AA Trustee. The series uses Hazelden’s book: Harry Tiebout: The Collected Writings as a source and, where available, adds pdf articles in the Show Notes. In this episode Fr. Bill explores Tiebout’s 1949 article: The Act of Surrender in the Therapeutic Process. A free pdf version is available.

Show Notes:

Tiebout’s Collected Writings

Tiebout’s article: The Act of Surrender in the Therapeutic Process in pdf 

What Is a Psychic Change Podcast Episode – William James

Stages of Change

Tiebout Quote: “The dilemma of the alcoholic is now obvious. The unconscious mind rejects, through its capacity for defiance and grandiosity what the conscious mind perceives. Hence, realistically, the individual is frightened by his or her drinking and at the same time is prevented from doing anything about it by the unconscious activity that can and does ignore or override the conscious mind.”