Poul Carl Bjerre (24 May 1876 – 15 July 1964) was a Swedish

psychiatrist A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in psychiatry, the branch of medicine devoted to the diagnosis, prevention, study, and treatment of mental disorders. Psychiatrists are physicians and evaluate patients to determine whether their sy ...

who was a native of

Gothenburg Gothenburg (; abbreviated Gbg; sv, Göteborg ) is the second-largest city in Sweden, fifth-largest in the Nordic countries, and capital of the Västra Götaland County. It is situated by the Kattegat, on the west coast of Sweden, and has ...

. In 1907 he succeeded hypnotist

Otto Georg Wetterstrand Otto Georg Wetterstrand (14 September 1845 – 11 July 1907) was a Swedish physician and psychotherapist who was a native of Skövde. Wetterstrand studied medicine at the University of Uppsala, and in 1871 received his medical license at Karolinsk ...

(1845–1907) at the latter's medical practice in

Stockholm Stockholm () is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, largest city of Sweden as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people liv ...

. He was the brother of Andreas Bjerre. Bjerre is credited for introducing

psychoanalysis PsychoanalysisFrom Greek: + . is a set of theories and therapeutic techniques"What is psychoanalysis? Of course, one is supposed to answer that it is many things — a theory, a research method, a therapy, a body of knowledge. In what might b ...

and

Freudian Sigmund Freud ( , ; born Sigismund Schlomo Freud; 6 May 1856 – 23 September 1939) was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, a clinical method for evaluating and treating pathologies explained as originating in conflicts i ...

psychiatric concepts into Swedish medicine, which he presented to a 1911 gathering of the "Order of Swedish Physicians". He would later distance himself from a number of Freudian ideas. Bjerre believed that the workings of the

conscious Consciousness, at its simplest, is sentience and awareness of internal and external existence. However, the lack of definitions has led to millennia of analyses, explanations and debates by philosophers, theologians, linguisticians, and scien ...

mind were more important than those of the

unconscious Unconscious may refer to: Physiology * Unconsciousness, the lack of consciousness or responsiveness to people and other environmental stimuli Psychology * Unconscious mind, the mind operating well outside the attention of the conscious mind a ...

, and felt that Freud placed too much emphasis on an individual's sex life. He believed that it was important for the psychiatrist to "be human", and to view and treat his patient in an

holistic Holism () is the idea that various systems (e.g. physical, biological, social) should be viewed as wholes, not merely as a collection of parts. The term "holism" was coined by Jan Smuts in his 1926 book ''Holism and Evolution''."holism, n." OED Onl ...

manner. Bjerre was also a major advocate of hypnosis. Vårstavi 2012a

Among his written works was an influential book which theorized on the recurring cycle of "psychic death and renewal" called ''Död och Förnyelse''. He wrote a biography on

Friedrich Nietzsche Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (; or ; 15 October 1844 – 25 August 1900) was a German philosopher, prose poet, cultural critic, philologist, and composer whose work has exerted a profound influence on contemporary philosophy. He began his ...

, and is remembered for his written correspondence with Freud and

Carl Jung Carl Gustav Jung ( ; ; 26 July 1875 – 6 June 1961) was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who founded analytical psychology. Jung's work has been influential in the fields of psychiatry, anthropology, archaeology, literature, philo ...

. He died in Vårsta.

Personal life

In 1905 Poul Bjerre married Gunhild Wennerberg, who was the mother of his sister-in-law

Amelie Posse Amelie Posse-Brázdová (11 February 1884, in Stockholm – 3 March 1957) was a Swedish author. She is also known for her work against nazism during World War II. Amelie Posse was the daughter of Count Fredrik Arvidsson Posse and Auda Gunhild Wen ...

. They remained married until Wennerberg's death in 1925.

Portrayal in ''Bära bud''

The relationship between the Poul and Andreas Bjerre was the subject of the 2008 historical novel ''Bära bud'' by Norwegian author Håkan Bravinger, which was based on the diaries kept by the two brothers as well as other historical documents. In the novel Bravinger portrays Andreas Bjerre's death from suicide, leaving a note for his wife Madeleine and for his mother. His brother Poul, for whom Andreas had often expressed great hatred in his diaries, is portrayed as refusing to accept that it was suicide.

Published works

* In English:
"The history and practice of psychoanalysis", 1916
* "Death and renewal", 1929 * "The remaking of marriage; a contribution to the psychology of sex relationship", 1931 * In German: * ''Der geniale Wahnsinn. Eine Studie zum Gedächtnisse Nietzsches'', 1904 * ''Wie deine Seele geheilt wird. Der Weg zur Lösung seelischer Konflikte'', 1920 * ''Unruhe, Zwang, Angst'', 1955 * ''Psychosynthese'', 1971 - (

Psychosynthesis Psychosynthesis is an approach to psychology that expands the boundaries of the field by identifying a deeper center of identity, which is the postulate of the Self. It considers each individual unique in terms of purpose in life, and places value ...

, part of the series- "Schriftenreihe zur Theorie und Praxis der medizinischen Psychologie", Volume 20.WorldCat Identities
(publications)

References

Answers.com, Poul Bjerre
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bjerre, Poul Swedish psychiatrists 1876 births 1964 deaths Physicians from Gothenburg