Herbert Freudenberger
| Herbert J. Freudenberger | |
|---|---|
| Born |
November 26, 1926 Frankfurt, Germany |
| Died | 29 November 1999 (aged 73) New York City, United States |
| Residence | United States |
| Nationality | United States, Germany |
| Fields | Psychology |
| Alma mater |
New York University Ph.D, 1956 Brooklyn College B.A., 1951 |
| Known for | Burnout (psychology) |
| Notable awards | American Psychological Foundation Gold Medal Award for Life Achievement in the Practice of Psychology (1999) |
Herbert J. Freudenberger (1926–1999) was a Jewish, German-born American psychologist. Though Freudenberger had many jobs in his life, including practitioner, editor, theoretician, and author, his most significant contribution is in the understanding and treatment of stress, burnout, and substance abuse.
Freudenberger was one of the first to describe the symptoms of exhaustion professionally and conduct a comprehensive study on burnout. In 1980, he published a book dealing with burnout, which became a standard reference on the phenomenon. His most prestigious award was the American Psychological Foundation Gold Medal Award for Life Achievement in the Practice of Psychology in 1999.
Freudenberger was born on November 26, 1926 in Frankfurt, Germany, to a middle-class Jewish-German family. His father was a cattle dealer, while his mother had three jobs: bookkeeper, housekeeper, and business partner.
In 1933, Hitler came to power in Germany. Freudenberger's family faced persecution at the hands of the Nazis. After the beating of Freudenberger's grandmother and the death of his grandfather, he fled to the United States, with his parents' approval and false passport in hand. Traveling alone through multiple cities and countries, Freudenberger arrived in New York, where he cared for himself until a relative took him in. Once he had settled in New York, Freudenberger quickly learned English, and graduated from a junior high school with honors. When his parents finally made it to the U.S., Freudenberger went to work as a tool and die maker's apprentice to support them, instead of moving on to high school.
Without a high school diploma and working at the manufacturing plant, Freudenberger began attending night classes at Brooklyn College. In a psychology class, he made the acquaintance of Abraham Maslow, who steered Freudenberger towards a degree in psychology and was his model and mentor. In 1951, Freudenberger received his bachelor's degree in psychology from Brooklyn College. He entered New York University's (NYU) clinical psychology program, and earned his master's degree in psychology in 1952, followed by his doctorate in psychology in 1956. While attending NYU, Freudenberger studied alongside Florence Halpern and Bernard Kalinkowitz. During this time, Freudenberger was also a student at the National Psychological Association for Psychoanalysis (NPAP) (as well as NYU) and continued to work at the factory at night. In 1962, he finished his analytic training alongside Theodore Reik at NPAP.
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