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Women Who Have Influenced Mental Healthcare Through The Decades

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Lynn chapter.

Many times we hear of famous psychologists they are almost always male.

Mental health has become a top priority over the past few years. Although, many times we hear of famous psychologists they are almost always male. There is Albert Bandura who created the social learning theory, Sigmund Freud who was the founder of psychoanalysis, Jean Piaget who was the first to develop the theory of child cognitive development and so many more. These great psychologists have done so much in discovery in the field, however there are also many great female psychologists as well that rarely get the recognition they deserve. Throughout the decades there have been many mental health discoveries but it all comes back to the first woman to graduate with a PhD in Psychology, Margaret Floy Washburn.  

Margaret Floy Washburn  

Margaret Floy Washburn was the first woman in the United States to obtain her PhD in Psychology. Washburn began college at the age of 16 at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie. She wanted to continue her education at Columbia University and was not permitted to take classes there as women were not allowed further graduate education. Margaret was refused her doctorate degree after graduation however when she finally obtained it she made history. Magaret was interested in studying animal behavior and basic psychological processes. Margaret is a revolutionary woman in the psychology world. She followed her passion of mental health which inspires many today to push the boundaries and break gender stereotypes.  

Karen Horney 

Karen Horney was another woman in psychology who pushed the boundaries. Karen Horney was a German psychoanalyst and was not a supporter of Sigmund Freud ideologies. She rejected his theories as they were demeaning to women and she rewrote her own theories surrounding his ideology. She is known as the founder of feminist psychology. Feminist psychology can be broken down by the values and principles and it is what we know today as Feminism. Karen Horney has also made many accomplishments contributing to humanism, self-psychology, psychoanalysis, and feminine psychology. Karen Horney is just another example of a woman who does work in psychology to empower other women.  

Mamie Phipps Clark  

Mamie Phipps Clark was another famous psychologist who empowered and influenced many women. Mamie was an African American psychologist who was the first woman who opened a full-time child guidance center for psychological and casework services to families in the Harlem area in New York. The agency is known as Northside Center for Child Development. Mamie focused her work in the consciousness of African American children in schools as well as exposing racism and negative effects of segregation in African American children. Mamie Phillips Clark and her husband, Kenneth, were both the first African Americans to obtain their doctorate degrees from Columbia University. Mamie is still known today for her work in self-esteem, race, and child development. Mamie Phipps Clark is an influence to many and will be remembered for her historic work for the African American communities. 

Mary Ainsworth  

Mary Ainsworth was a developmental psychologist who specialized in child development. Mary did extensive research on maternal-infant attachments. Mary had a very important study that made her very well known in the psychology community. Mary developed the “Strange Situation Assessment” which is still analyzed to this day. Mary has been listed as the 97th most influential psychologist in the world, from her frequent journal entries, psychology textbook citations, and her survey responses. Mary Ainsworth is still getting recognized from her studies and many psychologists today incorporate her study tactics into their own experiments. Mary has been an amazing famous female psychologist that pushes women to this day to get their name on the most influential psychologists in history. 

Throughout the history of psychology, many psychologists get the respect from their research that they deserve. Many female psychologists have done as much as men and still are not mentioned in classrooms or throughout researchers’ experiments. Female psychologists are important today more than ever as over the past decade women have been standing up for respect and gaining more exposure. 

It is important to remember as a woman in the healthcare industry who has paved the path for the women who are going into that career path today. 

Kelly is a senior at Lynn University. She is currently studying Psychology in hopes of becoming a therapist. Kelly spends most of her time at the beach or listening to music. She loves helping people and learning new things everyday!