Psychotherapy of a Schizophrenic

It is something of a distinction, which I appreciate, to be invited to address the members and guests of this organization dedicated to the perpetuation and development of the work of Karen Horney. In order to establish some special community of interest with you, I am fortunate to be able to report that in the early days Karen Horney was a frequent visitor to the Washington-Baltimore Psychoanalytic group, and that it was my rare fortune to know something of her and her work at first hand. Certainly none of us who knew her well will ever forget our vivid impression that here was one who was outstandingly gifted, both personally and professionally, and ready to contribute of herself.

I propose to begin with a somewhat lengthy account of one patient, to furnish illustrative material about which a few theoretical and practical remarks can then be made.

Some relevant facts about Millicent: Her father was an artist. He was absent from the home and seen only rarely and briefly by his daughter, but he was described to her by his sisters, so that he became a very real personality in her memory. He was improvident, alcoholic, and died in a mental hospital of some organic brain disease. Millicent describes him as a fine-looking man, grave, gentle, and humorous. Once, when she asked him if he would ever spank her if he lived at home, he said, quietly, that he probably would. His sisters were gentle women who loved Millicent, but there was a rule which interdicted her talking with them about her troubles, specifically about her mother.

Please do not let this short and mild account of Millicent's father give you the impression that he was insignificant in his impact upon her. He meant, and means, at least two important things to her. The first of these is a set of values which she attributes to him. It is based upon his qualities of warmth, gentleness, intelligence, sensitivity, appealing sadness, and his acceptance of her, even as a little girl, as a person in her own right. The o