Silvano Arieti

Silvano Arieti (June 28, 1914 in Pisa, Italy – August 7, 1981 in New York City) was a psychiatrist regarded as one of the world’s foremost authorities on schizophrenia. He received his M.D. from the University of Pisa but left Italy soon after, due to the increasingly racial policies of Benito Mussolini.

Arieti was professor of psychiatry at New York Medical College. He was also training analyst in the Division of Psychoanalysis at the William Alanson White Institute, and editor of the six-volume American Handbook of Psychiatry. His Interpretation of Schizophrenia won the 1975 National Book Award in Science.

Arieti undertook psychotherapy of schizophrenic patients, an unusual approach that few of his colleagues chose to pursue. The views he expressed in Interpretation of Schizophrenia are now professionally called the trauma model of mental disorders and constitute one alternative to the mainstream medical model of mental disorders.

Silvano met his best friend, John Meth, while in medical school in Piza. As they were both Jews they had to escape Europe during World War II. Silvano was able to get a visa and moved to New York City. John had to escape to Ecuador. After the war was able to move to New York City. John was influenced by his friend Silvano to become a Psychoanalyst and was trained at the Karen Horney clinic. They remained best friends and had lunch weekly until Silvano passed away in 1981.

See also

• Interpretation of Schizophrenia

External links

• associazionesilvanoarieti.org/english/ - Italian and English bilingual web page about Silvano Arieti
• Silvano Arieti's biographic sketch at Find A Grave
• Schizo's Web by Harrison Mujica-Jenkins at latephilosophers.com