Henri Ellenberger
Encyclopedia
Henri F. Ellenberger was a Canadian
-Swiss psychiatrist, medical historian, and criminologist, sometimes considered the founding historiographer of psychiatry
.
Ellenberger was born in Rhodesia
of French parents. He was a student of Professor Henri Baruk
. He obtained his doctorate in 1924, and became the head of psychiatric services at the Menninger Clinic in the USA, and later Professor of Criminology at the Université de Montréal
, in Canada
. Ellenberger was not a psychoanalyst, but went through a didactic analysis with Oskar Pfister
between 1949 and 1952.
Ellenberger is chiefly remembered for his encyclopedic study of the history of dynamic psychiatry, entitled The Discovery of the Unconscious
, published in 1970. This 900-page work traced the origins of psychoanalysis
and psychotherapy
back to its 18th century prehistory in the attempts to heal disease through exorcism
, as practiced by the Catholic priest Johann Joseph Gassner
, and from him through the researchers of hypnotism, Franz Mesmer
and the Marquis de Puységur
, to the 19th century neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot
and the main figures of 20th century psychotherapy Sigmund Freud
, Alfred Adler
and Carl Jung
.
His historical investigative work on subjects such as the fate of some of Freud's patients has been used by critics of psychoanalysis, who have judged that it could support their claims.
The Institut Henri Ellenberger in Paris was named in his honor. During his lifetime he received many awards, including the Gold Medal of the Beccaria Prize in 1970, and the Jason A. Hannah Medal of the Royal Society of Canada.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
-Swiss psychiatrist, medical historian, and criminologist, sometimes considered the founding historiographer of psychiatry
Psychiatry
Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the study and treatment of mental disorders. These mental disorders include various affective, behavioural, cognitive and perceptual abnormalities...
.
Ellenberger was born in Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
of French parents. He was a student of Professor Henri Baruk
Henri Baruk
Henri Baruk was a French neuropsychiatrist of Jewish descent, an apostle of moral psychiatry, whose studies have been used to advance concepts such as Marxism and other liberal movements of the 1960s.-Biography:Baruk spent his childhood among patients at the Lesvellec's Asylum where his father,...
. He obtained his doctorate in 1924, and became the head of psychiatric services at the Menninger Clinic in the USA, and later Professor of Criminology at the Université de Montréal
Université de Montréal
The Université de Montréal is a public francophone research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It comprises thirteen faculties, more than sixty departments and two affiliated schools: the École Polytechnique and HEC Montréal...
, in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Ellenberger was not a psychoanalyst, but went through a didactic analysis with Oskar Pfister
Oskar Pfister
Oskar Pfister was a Swiss Lutheran minister and lay psychoanalyst who was native of Wiedikon. He studied theology, philosophy and psychology at the Universities of Zurich and Basel, and earned his degree in 1898 at the philosophical faculty...
between 1949 and 1952.
Ellenberger is chiefly remembered for his encyclopedic study of the history of dynamic psychiatry, entitled The Discovery of the Unconscious
The Discovery of the Unconscious
The Discovery of the Unconscious: The History and Evolution of Dynamic Psychiatry is a classic work of medical history and historiography, written by the Swiss medical historian Henri F. Ellenberger...
, published in 1970. This 900-page work traced the origins of psychoanalysis
Psychoanalysis
Psychoanalysis is a psychological theory developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud. Psychoanalysis has expanded, been criticized and developed in different directions, mostly by some of Freud's former students, such as Alfred Adler and Carl Gustav...
and psychotherapy
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is a general term referring to any form of therapeutic interaction or treatment contracted between a trained professional and a client or patient; family, couple or group...
back to its 18th century prehistory in the attempts to heal disease through exorcism
Exorcism
Exorcism is the religious practice of evicting demons or other spiritual entities from a person or place which they are believed to have possessed...
, as practiced by the Catholic priest Johann Joseph Gassner
Johann Joseph Gassner
Johann Joseph Gassner was a noted exorcist.While a Catholic priest at Klösterle he gained a wide celebrity by professing to "cast out devils" and to work cures on the sick by means simply of prayer; he was attacked as an impostor, but the bishop of Regensburg, who believed in his honesty,...
, and from him through the researchers of hypnotism, Franz Mesmer
Franz Mesmer
Franz Anton Mesmer , sometimes, albeit incorrectly, referred to as Friedrich Anton Mesmer, was a German physician with an interest in astronomy, who theorised that there was a natural energetic transference that occurred between all animated and inanimate objects that he called magnétisme animal ...
and the Marquis de Puységur
Marquis de Puységur
Although Armand-Marie-Jacques de Chastenet, Marquis de Puységur , was a French aristocrat from one of the most illustrious families of the French nobility, he is now remembered as one of the pre-scientific founders of hypnotism .The Marquis de Puységur learned about Mesmerism from his brother...
, to the 19th century neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot
Jean-Martin Charcot
Jean-Martin Charcot was a French neurologist and professor of anatomical pathology. He is known as "the founder of modern neurology" and is "associated with at least 15 medical eponyms", including Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis...
and the main figures of 20th century psychotherapy Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud , born Sigismund Schlomo Freud , was an Austrian neurologist who founded the discipline of psychoanalysis...
, Alfred Adler
Alfred Adler
Alfred Adler was an Austrian medical doctor, psychotherapist, and founder of the school of individual psychology. In collaboration with Sigmund Freud and a small group of Freud's colleagues, Adler was among the co-founders of the psychoanalytic movement as a core member of the Vienna...
and Carl Jung
Carl Jung
Carl Gustav Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist and the founder of Analytical Psychology. Jung is considered the first modern psychiatrist to view the human psyche as "by nature religious" and make it the focus of exploration. Jung is one of the best known researchers in the field of dream analysis and...
.
His historical investigative work on subjects such as the fate of some of Freud's patients has been used by critics of psychoanalysis, who have judged that it could support their claims.
The Institut Henri Ellenberger in Paris was named in his honor. During his lifetime he received many awards, including the Gold Medal of the Beccaria Prize in 1970, and the Jason A. Hannah Medal of the Royal Society of Canada.
Works
- The Discovery of the UnconsciousThe Discovery of the UnconsciousThe Discovery of the Unconscious: The History and Evolution of Dynamic Psychiatry is a classic work of medical history and historiography, written by the Swiss medical historian Henri F. Ellenberger...
: The History and Evolution of Dynamic Psychiatry. New York: Basic Books. Hardcover edition: 1970, ISBN 0465016723. Paperback edition: 1981, ISBN 0-465-01673-1. The complete text is available online from Questia.