She described her father, Berndt Danielsen, as a strict disciplinarian.
Her mother, while less strict than her husband, was described as domineering and irritable.
Karen Horneydealt with depressionearly in life.
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It was during her teens that she experienced her first serious depressive episode.
She was very close to her older brother, Berndt.
She was intelligent and ambitious but believed that she was unattractive.
Horney devoted herself to school, believing that she would be smart if she could not be beautiful.
In 1904, Horney’s mother left her husband, taking her children with her.
Horney began medical school in 1906 at the University of Freiburg Medical School.
The school was one of only a few that admitted women to its medical program.
She later attended the University of Gottingen and the University of Berlin.
In medical school, Horney began studyingpsychoanalysis, which was still in its early stages.
She went on to marry a law student named Oskar Horney in 1909.
The death of her mother and then brother in 1911 and 1923 were extremely difficult for Horney.
Her husband’s business also failed, and he became ill with meningitis soon after.
She experienced another serious episode of depression during this time.
In 1926, Horney left her husband, and they divorced in 1927.
Recap
Karen Horney’s early experiences played a part in the later development of her theories.
She struggled with depression as a teen and was devastated by the death of her mother and brother.
Horney’s Theory of Neurotic Needs
Karen Horney developed atheory of neurosisthat is still prominent today.
She rejected his concept of penis envy, declaring it to be both inaccurate and demeaning to women.
In 1941, Horney became the dean of the American Institute of Psychoanalysis.
Because of her departure from Freud’s ideas, she eventually resigned from her position at the Institute.
She later taught at New York Medical College and founded theAmerican Journal of Psychoanalysis.
Horney is regarded today as a neo-Freudian.
Her own theories emphasized how neurotic needs served as a way to cope with the challenges of everyday life.
She made significant contributions to humanism, self-psychology, psychoanalysis, and feminine psychology.
Her refutation of Freud’s theories about women generated more interest in the psychology of women.
A collection of her papers were also collected and published as “Feminine Psychology” (1967).
“Life itself still remains a very effective therapist,” she suggested.
Takeaway
Karen Horney became an influential psychologist when women faced considerable obstacles.
Her own experiences with depression helped shape her approach to psychoanalysis.
Her work also focused more attention on the environmental factors that influence development and personality, includingparent-child interactions.
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