Famous Psychologist Quotes

A Compare and contrast of well-known quotes about therapy from famous psychologists.

Freud: "The great question that has never been answered and which I have not yet been able to answer, despite my thirty years of research into the feminine soul, is 'What does a woman want?"

Jung: "The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed."

Freud's quote speaks to the idea that women can be difficult to understand and that they possess a unique set of needs and desires. Jung's quote speaks to the idea that two people can be transformed through the meeting of their personalities. Both quotes emphasize the importance of understanding how people interact and how they can influence one another. They both emphasise the importance of understanding the human psyche and its potential to be transformed through contact with another person.

Freud: "The aim of all life is death."

Maslow: "What a man can be, he must be."

Freud's quote speaks to the idea that death is the ultimate goal of life and that life is ultimately a journey toward this ultimate end. Maslow's quote speaks to the idea that each person has the potential to reach their highest potential and that this potential should be realized. While the two quotes emphasize different aspects of the therapeutic process, they both emphasise the importance of understanding the self and striving for personal growth.

Rogers: "The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change."

Ellis: "It is not what happens to us, but our response to what happens to us that hurts us."

Rogers' quote speaks to the idea that self-acceptance is essential for personal growth and that it is only when we accept ourselves just as we are that we can make changes. Ellis' quote speaks to the idea that it is not the external events that harm us, but our response to them. While the two quotes emphasize different aspects of the therapeutic process, they both emphasise the importance of understanding the self and our ability to shape our lives.


Adler: "It is the individual who is not interested in his fellow men who has the greatest difficulties in life and provides the greatest injury to others. It is from among such individuals that all human failures spring."

Horney: "It is not only important what we do, but also what we do not do for ourselves."

Both Adler and Horney are well-known psychologists who have made significant contributions to the field of therapy. Adler's quote speaks to the idea that people who are not interested in others can cause great harm and that such people can be the source of many human failures. Horney's quote speaks to the idea that it is not just actions that are important but also what we choose not to do. Both quotes emphasise the importance of understanding the human psyche and how our choices and actions can influence our relationships and our lives.

Winnicott: "The most important thing is to provide the opportunity for the creative experience to happen, for the individual to have the experience."

Perls: "The only person who is educated is the one who has learned how to learn and change."

Winnicott's quote speaks to the idea that it is important to create an environment where creative experiences can occur so that individuals can learn and grow. Perls' quote speaks to the idea that learning and change are essential in order to be educated. Both quotes emphasise the importance of understanding the self and our ability to create a learning environment that encourages growth.