Mary Ellen Mark Quotes

Fortunately analysis is not the only way to resolve inner conflicts. Life itself still remains a very effective therapist.

To go into therapy is an adventure, not really to iron anything out.

I have therapy. Every day. I read a bit of Freud; I try to be a better person. Every day.

People who readily accept the need for a gym will resist that their personalities might need some work too.

I went to a psychotherapist for a year and a bit, and it was fantastic. I went in with a very clear question: I couldn't work out why I behaved in a certain way in certain situations, and I got that answered.

I think therapy is a helpful thing. I think everyone knows it. You do it for your life, you do it for yourself, because you want to explore some things, and get at the bottom of some things. It's about your life, the quality of your life.

Your emotional life is not written in cement during childhood. You write each chapter as you go along.

I've done thousands of interviews in my life, and it's a format that I quite enjoy, because I think of questions in interviews as an opportunity to sort of gauge my growth in a way. It gives me an idea of how I'm navigating this world that I'm in.

We may define therapy as a search for value.

I don't think we have a right to enjoy our neuroses; in fact, I believe that we have a duty not to. But we cannot walk away from ourselves. Who else is there to become?

I try to say something about the human condition whenever I can when I'm lucky.

I've been in therapy. I know enough about myself now to know that I really don't need to know anymore.

Through therapy and a lot of thinking and writing my memoirs, I've been able to use my life as a lesson.

I meet people in my daily life, people who seem to experience some change and some growth on a personal level, and that gives me hope.

It is important for you to know who you are and who you may become. It is more important than what you do, even as vital as your work is and will be.

I have to be self-conscious of what I'm trying to do with my life.

Never think you can separate who you are from what you're doing.

It's my deepest interest as an actor: I love discovering how human beings work, how their flaws reveal themselves - how to learn and grow from that - and how characters teach me things as a woman and as a parent.

There isn't anything except your own life that can be used as ground for your spiritual practice. Spiritual practice is your life, twenty-four hours a day.

Don't try to change people. It won't work, and they will end up resenting you. Only God can change people!

Psychology is action, not thinking about oneself. We continue to shape our personality all our life. To know oneself, one should assert oneself.

Many players will not improve because they cannot bear self-knowledge.

Humans don't really improve on our own functioning, we only interfere with it, distort it, and disguise it.

There are certain bad habits we've groomed our whole life -- from personality flaws to fashion faux pas. And it has been the role of parents and friends, outside of some minor tweaking, to reinforce the belief that we're okay just as we are. But it's not enough to just be yourself. You have to be your best self. And that's a tall order if you haven't found your best self yet.

The important thing is that you've got a strong foundation before you start to try to save the world or help other people.