Rollo May: biography of the father of existential psychology

Rollo May was an innovator in psychology. It allowed us, among other things, to understand much better the adverse experiences of human beings. He and other figures such as Viktor Frankl provided psychotherapy with that necessary existential and humanistic approach from which to favor the person, their strengths, their internal resources and the ability to make better decisions.

May’s best-known works, such as The meaning of anxiety, Love and will or The courage to create They are a valuable and revealing example of his revolutionary mentality. We cannot forget that This psychotherapist came to change and question many of the ideas inherited from Sigmund Freud and psychoanalysis.

Rollo May helped thousands of people find enough courage to face their fears and limitations, in addition to opening the way to exercise freedom and fulfill the destiny that each person would like to set for themselves. He knew how to teach how to appreciate beauty even in the most adverse situations as well as the intrinsic power of all difficulties. May, with his works and works It offered a new way of seeing ourselves and the world.

Rollo May, a life in search of meaning

Rollo May was born in Ada, Ohio, in 1909. His childhood was not easy. He was the eldest of six siblings in a broken family. His parents were separated and it was common to see those children spending much of the day alone and taking care of each other. Such a task, in turn, was not easy, since one of his sisters suffered from schizophrenia.

After graduating high school, Rollo May decided to temporarily leave her surroundings behind. He went to Greece to work, taking advantage of this time to delve deeper into philosophy and mythology, but he had to return to care for his family once again. However, the knowledge he acquired and the experiences that surrounded him sowed more doubts than answers, to the point that upon returning to the United States, he decided to study theology in New York.

A need hovered in his mind, a very specific goal: to understand the reason for human suffering. And also, the reason for mental illness, suicide, fear, anxiety… It was then that he met a figure who marked his life and his work: the Protestant theologian and existentialist philosopher Paúl Tillich.

Influences on Rollo May’s psychological approach

In 1939, while studying theology at the University, he wrote his first book The Art of Counseling. In this work, he addressed aspects such as empathy, religion, personality problems and mental health for the first time. Thus, and after obtaining her degree, she began a new stage by enrolling at Columbia University to study clinical psychology.

During these years his work was interrupted by tuberculosis.. It was a difficult time where once again, doubts and that constant need to understand the reason for daily suffering and adversity arrived. He understood that his mission as a researcher and as a therapist should be to help people give meaning to their lives and overcome difficulties by improving their human potential.

May’s theoretical approach is based on a wide range of currents that allowed him to build a novel vision of psychology. They are the following:

The legacy of Otto Rank, psychoanalyst and colleague of Sigmund Freud, was key to his work.. He was that lesser-known figure within psychoanalysis. However, he contributed a more innovative existential and humanist current to psychology. Humanist psychologists such as Abraham Maslow were also his great references. Although May is more interested in delving into the difficulties of human beings rather than their needs.Finally, Another essential figure in his theoretical legacy was Erich Fromm and specifically, his works on self-expression and free will.

The legacy of Rollo May, an existentialist psychologist

After receiving his doctorate from Columbia University, Rollo May began working as a counselor, psychotherapist, and professor at the New School for Social Research in New York. Also He taught at Harvard, Yale, Princeton…

However, If he is known for anything, it is his books. For those works that had great significance both in the academic community and in the society of the time. Jobs like man’s search for himself, Love and will, The meaning of anxiety and The courage to create They were acclaimed throughout the world.

The American Psychological Association (APA) honored him for his contribution to clinical psychology. He was a highly appreciated figure, capable of helping us understand the existential dilemma of modern man. He spent his final years in Tiburon, San Francisco Bay, where he died in October 1994. He was 85 years old.

Rollo May’s contributions to psychology

He introduced existentialism into psychology. This type of perspective makes use of a positive approach that emphasizes the capabilities and aspirations of the human being. At the same time, it recognizes its limitations. It helped us understand the underlying mechanisms of human suffering and crises. He did it by combining existentialism with humanism.Rollo May He focused much of his work on the study of anxiety. It helped us see it differently, as a catalyst capable of making us make braver decisions.

In conclusion, Rollo May marked the opening of psychotherapy based on dialogue, where the purpose – rather than leading the patient to well-being and happiness – is provide you with strategies to face life in a safer, braver and more rational way.

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