Heinz Kohut, born in 1913 in Vienna, Austria–Hungary, emerged as a transformative figure in the field of psychoanalysis. After fleeing the Nazi annexation of his homeland, he settled in Chicago, where he built a career at the University of Chicago and established a new framework known as self psychology, fundamentally altering modern analytic and dynamic treatment approaches.
Early Life and Migration
The only child of Felix and Else Kohut, he grew up in the Ninth District of Vienna. Educated at the Döblinger Gymnasium, he later entered the University of Vienna's medical faculty in 1932. Following the 1938 German annexation of Austria, he fled to England and subsequently moved to the United States in 1940. His arrival in Chicago was facilitated by his friend Siegmund Levarie.
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Initially practicing as a neurologist at Billings Hospital, Kohut found the laboratory setting disconnected from human emotion. He sought entry into the Chicago Institute for Psychoanalysis in 1942 but was initially rejected. He persevered, undergoing analysis with Ruth Eissler, and eventually gained acceptance in 1946. By 1950, he had passed his exams, becoming a fully qualified analyst and a staff member of the institute by 1953.
Professional Contributions
Throughout his tenure at the Chicago Institute, Kohut prioritized clinical work and teaching, eventually reshaping the institute's curriculum alongside colleagues Louis Shapiro and Joan Fleming. His approach to treatment emphasized the patient's perspective, eschewing short-term agendas in favor of a patient-led process. He influenced many future analysts, including Michael Franz Basch and Paul Tolpin, before his death in 1981.
Fast facts
- Born: 1913, Vienna, Austria–Hungary
- Died: 1981, Chicago, United States
- Citizenship: Austria–Hungary, Austria, United States
- Education: University of Vienna
- Primary Employer: University of Chicago
- Field: Psychoanalysis
- Burial Site: Forest Home Cemetery
Questions readers ask
What core school of thought did Heinz Kohut develop?
He developed self psychology, which became an influential approach within psychoanalytic theory.
Where is Heinz Kohut buried?
He is buried at Forest Home Cemetery.
Achievements
- Held posts at University of Chicago
- Educated at University of Vienna
- Fields of research: psychoanalysis
