Edoardo Weiss (1889-1970) was the earliest Italian

psychoanalyst PsychoanalysisFrom Greek language, Greek: + . is a set of Theory, theories and Therapy, therapeutic techniques"What is psychoanalysis? Of course, one is supposed to answer that it is many things — a theory, a research method, a therapy, a bo ...

, and the founder of psychoanalysis in Italy. His most important theoretical contributions were perhaps to the development of ego state theory. Weiss's first article, on the psychodynamics of asthma attacks, was published in 1922, and was followed over the next two decades by seven more, on subjects ranging from acting out to the fear of blushing. In 1950 he published his general survey, ''Principles of Psychoanalysis;'' in 1964 he published ''Agoraphobia in the light of ego psychology;'' and in 1970 he published the semi-autobiographic ''Sigmund Freud as a Consultant''. Weiss introduced the concept of

destrudo In classical Freudian psychoanalytic theory, the death drive (german: Todestrieb) is the drive toward death and destruction, often expressed through behaviors such as aggression, repetition compulsion, and self-destructiveness.Eric Berne, ''What ...

into psychoanalysis, as well as that of ''psychic presence'': the mental awareness of the internalised image of another ego, often parental, in oneself. From this and other studies in ego states stemmed his major influence on such later figures as

Eric Berne Eric Berne (May 10, 1910 – July 15, 1970) was a Canadian-born psychiatrist who created the theory of transactional analysis as a way of explaining human behavior. Berne's theory of transactional analysis was based on the ideas of Freud but ...

and

John G. Watkins John Goodrich Watkins (17 March 1913 - 12 January 2012) was a United States psychologist best known for his work in the areas of hypnosis, dissociation, and multiple personalities. With his wife, Helen Watkins, he developed ego-state therapy, which ...

Life

Weiss's interest in psychoanalysis led to him visiting the

Vienna Psychoanalytic Society The Vienna Psychoanalytic Society (, WPV), formerly known as the Wednesday Psychological Society, is the oldest psychoanalysis society in the world. In 1908, reflecting its growing institutional status as the international psychoanalytic authority ...

in 1908; he would subsequently be analysed by a leading member of that group,

Paul Federn Paul Federn (October 13, 1871 – May 4, 1950) was an Austrian-American psychologist who was a native of Vienna. Federn is largely remembered for his theories involving ego psychology and therapeutic treatment of psychosis. Life and career Feder ...

, with whom he established a lifelong collaboration. Working as an analyst in Trieste, Weiss analysed such literary figures as

Umberto Saba Umberto Saba (9 March 1883 – 26 August 1957) was an Italian poet and novelist, born Umberto Poli in the cosmopolitan Mediterranean port of Trieste when it was the fourth largest city of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Poli assumed the pen name " ...

; in the thirties he even consulted Freud about the propriety of himself providing a training analysis for his own son, and he regularly referred difficult cases to Freud for consultation. After the

Anschluss The (, or , ), also known as the (, en, Annexation of Austria), was the annexation of the Federal State of Austria into the German Reich on 13 March 1938. The idea of an (a united Austria and Germany that would form a " Greater Germany ...

of 1938, Weiss emigrated to America, to work first at the

Menninger Clinic The Menninger Foundation was founded in 1919 by the Menninger family in Topeka, Kansas. The Menninger Foundation, known locally as Menninger's, consists of a clinic, a sanatorium, and a school of psychiatry, all of which bear the Menninger name. ...

, and then with Franz Alexander in Chicago. He oversaw the publication of Federn's posthumous writings in 1953.

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Weiss
{{DEFAULTSORT:Weiss, Edoardo 20th-century American psychologists 1880s births 1970 deaths Ego psychology Austrian emigrants to the United States

Life

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