Love's Executioner and Other Tales of Psychotherapy

Main Characters and Their Development

• Theodora - a woman suffering from an obsessive love for her former therapist. Through therapy with Yalom, she comes to terms with her illusions and frees herself from them.
• Carl - a patient who fears death and suffers from an existential crisis. During therapy, he learns to accept the inevitability of death and finds meaning in life.
• Paula - a woman experiencing the loss of a loved one and feelings of guilt. Through her work with the therapist, she learns to forgive herself and cope with grief.
• Marjorie - a patient suffering from depression and low self-esteem. Through therapy, she begins to recognize her inner resources and gains self-confidence.
• Seymour - a man who fears aging and losing attractiveness. Through therapy, he comes to accept his age and finds new sources of joy in life.