The life of Bertha Pappenheim (Breuer's “Anna O.”) is examined in an attempt to understand her breakdown at age 21 and her emergence as a creative leader and reformer 8 years later. We believe that understanding any life demands a theory that considers the individual's unique biological, familial, and sociocultural background, recognizes continuity over the lifespan, and contains a principle to account for such continuity. Classical drive theory does not meet these criteria. This article attempts to apply these criteria to Bertha Pappenheim's apparently discontinuous life.