Sándor Ferenczi in 1922. Image courtesy of the International Sándor Ferenczi Network.
Sándor Ferenczi (1873-1933) was one of the most influential psychoanalysts of his generation.
One of Sigmund Freud’s closest associates, he was a major figure in the psychoanalytic movement.
Although loyal to Freud for much of his professional life, Ferenczi was an innovator who questioned authority and went against the grain.
Sometimes called the “enfant terrible of psychoanalysis”, his clinical and theoretical innovations went far beyond the Freudian orthodoxy, straining his relations with Freud and psychoanalysis to breaking point.
Ferenczi was a gifted clinician and a bold, imaginative theorist. His work opened up new paths for psychoanalysis and was foundational for several major traditions.
To this day, his influence can be found across the psychoanalytic field and beyond.
This resource will guide you through Ferenczi’s life and work.
We will explore:
- His family background and early life
- The context of his life and work
- His association with Sigmund Freud
- His unique contributions to psychoanalysis
- His legacy
In this resource:
Chapter 3
Sándor Ferenczi’s Life in Context
Ferenczi lived through a time of intense social and political upheaval.
Chapter 5
Sándor Ferenczi and Sigmund Freud
The ups and downs of Ferenczi's friendship with the founder of psychoanalysis.
Chapter 6
Sándor Ferenczi and the Psychoanalytic Movement
Ferenczi played a major role in the psychoanalytic movement.
Chapter 7
Sándor Ferenczi as a Psychoanalytic Pioneer
Ferenczi quickly gained a reputation as a gifted clinician and theorist.
Further Reading
Sándor Ferenczi: A Contemporary Introduction by Alberto Fergusson and Miguel Gutiérrez-Peláez.
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