The Collected Works of Emile Coue

Book excerpt: This edition includes: Work: Self Mastery Through Conscious Autosuggestion Thoughts and Precepts Observations on What Autosuggestion Can Do Education As It Ought To Be Tribute: The Practice of Autosuggestion by the Method of Emile Coue by C. Harry Brooks Emile Coue, The Man and His Work by Hugh Macnaghten Émile Coué (1857-1926) was a French psychologist and pharmacist who introduced a popular method of psychotherapy and self-improvement based on optimistic autosuggestion.Working as an apothecary Coué quickly discovered what later came to be known as the placebo effect. He became known for reassuring his clients by praising each remedy's efficiency and leaving a small positive notice with each given medication. The application of his mantra-like conscious autosuggestion, "Every day, in every way, I'm getting better and better" is called Couéism or the Coué method.In some American translations it was quoted differently, "Day by day, in every way, I'm getting better and better." The Coué method centered on a routine repetition of this particular expression according to a specified ritual—preferably as much as twenty times a day, and especially at the beginning and at the end of each day. Unlike a commonly held belief that a strong conscious will constitutes the best path to success, Coué maintained that curing some of our troubles requires a change in our unconscious thought, which can be achieved only by using our imagination.Although his teachings were, during his lifetime, more popular in Europe, many Americans who adopted his ideas and methods became famous by spreading his words.