Erik Erikson

Erik Erickson made a strong impact in the world of psychology alongside his developmental theory, and often compared to the father of psychology Sigmund Freud. Erikson like Freud believed human developed in stages during their lifespan. Erikson was brilliant with the concept of each of his developmental stages. Erik Erikson was born June 15, 1902 in Frankfort Germany. He was raised by his mother a young Jewish woman by the name of Karla Abrahamsen. Erikson’s biological father left before he was born, and his mother later married his pediatrician Dr. Theodor Homberger. Unaware of his past Erikson knew himself as Erik Homberger, due to his parents keeping his biological father a secret.
Erikson had to endure a lot as a child being from Northern Germany and for also being a Jewish he was constantly teased by the other throughout temple school and grammar school. After high school Erikson concentrated on being an artist so he traveled around Europe touring museums and sleeping outdoors. When Erikson was 25 he was psychoanalyzed by Anna Freud personally after taking on a teaching job at a experimental school. Erikson also met his wife Joan Serson who later became the mother of his three children while teaching art at the experimental school. Joan was a Canadian dance teacher and she was Erikson’s soul mate.
Erikson moved his family away from Europe and worked at Harvard Medical School. It was here that he had the opportunity to meet many psychoanalysis and anthropologists that later had a great impact on his life, such as Henry Murray and Ruth Benedict. Erikson also taught at universities such as Yale and Berkeley, here is where he did his studies on current life between the Lakota and the Yurok. He changed his name officially to Erik Erikson after becoming an American citizen, which his son saw as his way of seeing himself as a self- made man. Erikson was awarded the Pulitzer Prize which is a U.S Award for achievement in newspaper, online journalism, literature and...