The Man Who Introduced Freud to Psychiatry
Psychology Today
by Wallace B. Mendelson M.D.February 24, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
The article explores the pivotal yet tumultuous relationship between Sigmund Freud and Theodor Meynert, a neuropathologist and psychiatrist whose influence shaped Freud’s early career in clinical psychiatry. While Freud is renowned for founding psychoanalysis, his initial focus was on internal medicine before being steered toward psychiatry by mentor Wilhelm von Brücke. In 1883, Freud joined Meynert’s psychiatric clinic in Vienna, where Meynert’s emphasis on linking psychiatric symptoms to brain anatomy deeply impacted Freud’s thinking, eventually inspiring his *Project for a Scientific Psychology*. Despite their professional collaboration, their personal and intellectual differences escalated over time.
During his tenure at Meynert’s clinic, Freud became fascinated with hypnosis after studying under Jean-Martin Charcot in Paris. He believed hypnosis could treat hysteria, a condition he argued affected both men and women. However, upon returning to Vienna, Freud faced sharp criticism from Meynert and the academic community for these ideas. This led to a professional fallout that left Freud without access to university facilities, forcing him to establish his own private practice focused on treating hysteria—a move that ultimately made his career successful but strained his relationship with Meynert.
The article highlights how Freud’s early exposure to Meynert’s biological psychiatry and their subsequent conflict fundamentally shaped the trajectory of modern psychotherapy. While their partnership laid groundwork for understanding the brain’s role in mental health, their disagreements over treatment methods underscored a broader debate between biological and psychological approaches in psychiatry. This tension remains relevant today as it reflects
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Originally published on Psychology Today on 2/24/2026