18 Facts About Margaret Naumburg

Margaret Naumburg was an American psychologist, educator, artist, author and among the first major theoreticians of art therapy.

Margaret Naumburg completed graduate work at Columbia University at the London School of Economics, and Oxford.

Margaret Naumburg believed children would not only acquire knowledge but learn how to use knowledge to their advantage.

Margaret Naumburg believed understanding yourself was so important that she encouraged her staff at the school to undergo psychoanalysis.

Margaret Naumburg married writer Waldo Frank in 1916, with whom she had a son, Thomas, in 1922.

Margaret Naumburg started writing shortly after and published her first book in 1928.

Margaret Naumburg later published a series of case studies where she used art for diagnosis and therapy in the institution.

Margaret Naumburg called her approach Dynamically Oriented Art Therapy, which was based primarily on Freudian theory.

Margaret Naumburg believed that this release of imagery acted as a way to connect with the unconscious mind.

Margaret Naumburg viewed art therapy as a distinctive form of psychotherapy.

Margaret Naumburg was sympathetic to Jungian notions of universal symbolism and Harry Stack Sullivan's ideas about interpersonal psychiatry.

However, Margaret Naumburg insisted that the only valid interpretation of anyone's art came from the creator.

Margaret Naumburg was skeptical of simple or rigid approaches to symbolic meaning, which was consistent with Freud's teaching about dream analysis.

Margaret Naumburg used large sheets of paper and allowed the patient to move their chosen material, paint or chalk pastel, around the page until satisfied but asked that the material not be lifted from the page from start to finish.

Margaret Naumburg used this technique believing it helped release unconscious imagery.

Margaret Naumburg used art as the means for clients to visually project their conflicts, and when it was too difficult for the client to relax, she would provide them with art lessons or specific directive projects instead.

Margaret Naumburg taught art therapy at undergraduate level at New York University.

Margaret Naumburg successfully lobbied for the creation of a graduate level program at the university that began in 1969.