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Nathaniel Branden

Nathaniel Branden
Nathaniel Branden.jpg
Publicity photo of Nathaniel Branden
Born Nathan Blumenthal
(1930-04-09)April 9, 1930
Brampton, Ontario, Canada
Died December 3, 2014(2014-12-03) (aged 84)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Citizenship United States
Occupation Psychotherapist
Known for Founder of self-esteem movement in psychology, former associate of Ayn Rand
Spouse(s) Barbara Weidman (1953–1968; divorced)
Patrecia Scott (née Gullison; 1969–1977; her death)
Estelle Devers (1978–2003; divorced)
Leigh Horton (2006–2014; his death)

Nathaniel Branden (born Nathan Blumenthal; April 9, 1930 – December 3, 2014) was a Canadian–American psychotherapist and writer known for his work in the psychology of self-esteem. A former associate and romantic partner of Ayn Rand, Branden also played a prominent role in the 1960s in promoting Rand's philosophy, Objectivism. Rand and Branden split acrimoniously in 1968, after which Branden focused on developing his own psychological theories and modes of therapy.

Nathaniel Branden was born Nathan Blumenthal in Brampton, Ontario, and grew up alongside three sisters, two older and one younger. A gifted student, he became impatient with his studies during his first year of high school and skipped school often in favor of the library. After getting failing grades as a result, he convinced his mother to send him to a special accelerated high school for adults, and subsequently did well in that environment.

After graduating from high school, Branden went on to earn his BA in psychology from the University of California Los Angeles, an MA from New York University, and in 1973, a Ph.D. in psychology from the California Graduate Institute (CGI), then an unaccredited, state-approved school whose graduates may be licensed by the state to practice psychology. (Graduates of unaccredited state-approved schools such as CGI are limited to associate membership in the American Psychological Association.)

In 1950, after he had read The Fountainhead and exchanged letters and phone calls with Ayn Rand, Branden and his then-girlfriend Barbara Weidman visited Rand and her husband Frank O'Connor at their Los Angeles home. The four became close friends, with Branden and Rand in particular sharing a vivid interest in philosophical exploration and development. After the publication of Rand's novel Atlas Shrugged, and sensing an interest on the part of Rand's readers in further philosophic education, Branden created in 1958 the Nathaniel Branden Institute (NBI) to disseminate Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism, by offering live and taped lecture courses by Rand, Branden, and a variety of other Objectivist intellectuals (including Alan Greenspan, whom Branden had brought into Rand's fold). During this time Branden also contributed articles to Rand's newsletters on subjects ranging from economics to politics to psychology.


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