Margaret Naumburg (1890-1983)

Professional Life
Margaret Naumburg was born in New York City on May 14, 1890. She was studied at Barnard College and became the president of the Socialist Club. She graduated from Barnard and continued studying at the London School of Economics. While there, she focused on music and child education, learning with Maria Montessori. In 1914, Naumburg returned to the United States and held an openly romantic relationship with Waldo Frank, whom she married two years later. Naumburg continued her practice of child development and education with the introduction of the first Montessori school in America. After only one year there, Naumburg realized that her own developing theories on childhood education differed from the Montessori theories and she parted from the school and founded her own school, known as the Walden School.

Initially, the Walden School only accepted two year olds, but continued to incorporate additional grades each year. The school saw its first graduating class in 1928 and met with high praise from the academic and professional field. It was touted by the press as an innovative and intellectual experience. Naumburg based her school on the belief that a child’s success was dependent on the development of their abilities, not how much knowledge they acquired. Through the use of psychoanalysis, art and music, Naumburg focused on Jung and Freud, and encouraged creativity in all of the children who attended.

After leaving the Walden School in the mid 1920’s, Naumburg shifted her focus to writing. She began to explore her other passion, art. Naumburg took a position at the New York Psychiatric Institute and combined her artistic skills and her therapeutic experience in her work with children. This developed into art therapy, and led to several books, including An Introduction to Art Therapy, Psychoneurotic Art, and Schizophrenic Art. Over the next several years, Naumburg began teaching art therapy classes and gave lectures throughout the state. She joined the New School for Social Research in New York, where she continued to teach and develop her theories, and stayed with the school until she was well into her eighties. She was recognized for her contributions to her field with the Ernest Kris Prize and was also a fellow of the American Psychological Association.

Contribution to Psychology
Art therapy is a form of creative therapy that allows a client to express parts of their unconscious through a medium other than verbal communication. Using art as a tool, a therapist helps a client release inner thoughts, emotions and feelings, and acts as the interpreter. Together, the therapist and client analyze the art and derive their own meaning of the symbols. Art therapy relies on free association between the client and therapist, and the ability of the client to engage transference techniques in order to maintain a fluid and progressive dialogue with himself and the therapist.

Margaret Naumburg was the first American psychologist to provide training and graduate level courses in art therapy. When she left New York University, Edith Kramer continued her tradition and created a master’s degree program for those interested in pursuing art therapy. The program remains one of the most highly accredited art therapy programs in the world.