Anna Freud
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Anna Freud Scavenger Hunt
Anna Freud was an Austrian National who lived in the two centuries, late 18th century up late 19th century. Anna Freud Scavenger Hunt is an internet based Scavenger Hunt of Anna Freud. The purpose of this Scavenger Hunt is to dig deeper into life history of Anna Freud, find out how this aggressive and focused lady lived and the contributions she made on the Earth during her time.
Freud Family
Sigmund Freud and his wife Martha Freud both lived in Vienna with their six children: Mathilde, Jean Martin, Oliver, Ernst and Sophie. Sigmund, Freud and youngest Anne. Sigmund was a professor with a major in psychology field, he later passed on at the age of thirty eight. Anna Freud in particular, had a bad relationship with his mother, “ Anna was not close to her mother and was said to have tense relationships” (Cherry, K). She lived in the wing of her father considering him as her role model and later joining him in his field of Psychology. She considered her fathers’ friends to be her role model and even learned some of the working skills in her career. In his career, Sigmund Freud faced a serious challenge, his close friend Wilhelm Fliess travelled from Berlin to Vienna to perform nasal surgery on a Sigmud’s patient. The operation was not successful leaving Sigmund in a tricky situation taking care of the patient who was in critical condition. The operation had negative impacts in her career, most of the patients shunned away from his services. Much about Anna Freud’s mother is not told, but according to her she was at the age of 34 when she had Anne’s pregnancy. She had difficulties with pregnancy, and even after the birth of Anne, the problem still followed her, she had a bad relationship with her daughter. Anna Freud was taken to a private school, but despite being one of the best schools, she never considered school education as such.
Early life
In the Book psychology, (Cherry, K) Cherry confirmed,”Anna Freud was born December 3, 1895 in Vienna, Austria”, in the family of six. (Mathilde, Martin, Ernst, Oliver, and Sophie). She was the youngest among the children of Sigmund Freud and Martha Freud. She had a very close relationship with her father, to the extent that her father influenced her carrier when she grew up. In fact, her mentors were close allies of her father. Mother and the other five siblings’ did not mater in her life; she cared only about her father.
Education
Freud started her primary school education in 1901 at the age of six, her father being scholar and rich man, a professor to be specific, was able to take her to elementary private school, which was believed to be one of the high quality schools at the time. It is believed that Anna Freud was not a pro school; she never liked her times in school at all. She had confidence just being in the hands of the father and his friends, and believed that her future is much bright if she follow the steps of her father. Her dream was to be successful just like the father. At one time, she clearly exhibited her negative attitude towards school, in her book, Psychology (Cherry, K). “Later said she learned little at school”. Education was just a system that she had to go through; she was psychologically out of school, always having complaints about everything she encountered. At one time, she was given a nickname “Black Devil” because of her whining and negativity behaviours. Her father had friends from different parts of the world, and the fact that she was too close to her father she learned several foreign languages including Italian, Hebrew, English, German and French. In 1908, Anna was diagnosed of suffering from Appendectomy, which meant that she had to undergo a surgery, and after the surgery, she was admitted for several months. It was after the surgery that coincidentally, her siblings split, each one going his or her direction. First, her older sister Methilde got married in Vienna. She clearly displayed how she disliked her sister as well from her letter to her father,” I am glad that Sophie is getting married, because the unending quarrel between us was horrible for me." Her brother Martin returned from war and decided to live in Vienna while Ernst attended his studies in Munich and Oliver in Berlin respectively. This was a great challenge to her as a young lady who always looked up on her elder sister, who used to take up most of the major roles a daughter can do at home (Life and work of Anna Freud). “She grew up in the shadow of her sister Sophie who was 2 and ½ years older than her”. It was during this time when her family was separated that she decided to follow what her father was doing, psychoanalysis. Anna did not just assume that she could join her father casually. She formalised her entrance by writing a letter to her father showing her interest in the business. "I have read some of your books, but you should not be horrified by that, for I am already grown up and so it is no surprise that I am interested" (Young-Bruehl, 1994).
Career
Still after Anna finished her education in 1912, at Cottage Lyceum in Vienna, she seems not yet decided what to take as carer and in 1914, she moved to England to learn good English. While in England the war was declared, she had to move back to Vienna. In Vienna She began teaching work at her former school, (Cottage Lyceum elementary school).
Anna never stopped doing what she knew best, her arrogance, dominating and big ego was extended to her pupils, and at one time one of them wrote, "This young lady had far more control over us than the older 'aunties'." (Life and work of Anna Freud). Her intense involvement in her father’s work started in the year 1918. In 1942, Anna Frued become of Vienna Psychoanalytical Society and the following year 1943 she started her own Children psychoanalytical practice, which gave her an opportunity to teach seminar on the technique of child analysis in Vienna Psychoanalytic Training Institute. In 1932 her father was diagnosed with cancer and could not perform normal duties well, he depended on Anna for care. Anna’s love to her father was unconditional, she was always there for him, and his father felt proud having such caring daughter. Anna becomes the secretary General of Psychoanalytical society in 1927 to 1934. Her managerial role continued to expand when in 1935 she become the director of Vienna psychoanalytic training institute.
Anna Freud in England
Life in Austria took a different twist for Freud’s family when Nazis took over Austria in 1938. They did not go well with Nazis leadership and family had to move to London, and settled. In England, she becomes a lecture of psychology. Her hard work really helped Freud family, as she was the sole bread winner. Despite all these responsibilities, Anna decided to multitask, in addition to her new job, she started to involve herself in charitable works as well. She advanced further and established child psychoanalysis with the main aim of understanding children psychology. Later she founded Hampstead war nursery, the facility provided foster care for young kids who belonged to single parents, who would otherwise be out there languishing in stressed life. She latter managed to have hundreds of orphans into this program, she felt proud her hard work was bearing fruits, and how people in England responded to her initiative, it was recommendable. Hundreds of young kids benefited from her initiative, her vibrant and aggressive personality were not yet at the peak. In the year 1947 together with Friedlander established children clinic. Here therapy services were offered to young kids. Hampstead war nursery received another boost when
Years before she passed on, Anna worked as a part time lecturer at Yale law school where she taught seminars on crime and family. Other Institutions where she worked include Harvard University and Clerk University. Anna’s persistent personalities were unique, in 1970 at the age of 75years, she become so attached to helping emotionally and socially challenged children that, she had to study “deviations and delays in development” to have professional skills to handle her new passion.
In her lifetime, Anna Freud received several honorary awards. Vienna University awarded her with honorary medical doctorate, was made honorary president of the International Psychoanalytic Association, and in 1978 she received C.E.B from Queen Elizabeth II. Until her death in 1982, she remains in the history as one of the most hardworking ladies on the planned, who have touched on lives of many.
Achievements
The links provided bellows are video clips of Anna Freud’s centre and her work as a psychoanalyst. These are believed to be some of the greatest achievements for Anna Freud.
Anna Freud Centre: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vdtAhfDDEc
Anna Freud –Psychoanalysis: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUB85lSj4pM
Criticism
Despite the great work done by Anna Freud, some researches believed that, her background coupled with her characters made her system of working have negative sides. Sarah Boxer in her article Flogging Freud suggested (Boxer, S 1997) “Freud has proved to be a great whipping boy for our time”. Claims were that Freud was influencing young people to turn against their parents, instead of helping them; this worsened their relationships with her folks. Others criticised the way Anna Freud’s evaded tackling some issues concerning their family. When she defended her father’s faith (orthodox) instead of involving herself in evolutionary activities, “Analysis affirms it to be a narrow and unjustified interpretation of her life and work.” (Cash, 2003).
References