Margaret Naumburg

Naumburg's directive of choice was scribble drawing. Naumburg would have her client close their eyes and then scribble on a piece of paper. She would then ask the client to develop the images they saw in the scribble. Scribble drawing was developed by her sister Florence Cane. She used this technique believing it helped release unconscious imagery.Many notable individuals taught at the Walden School including Lewis Mumford, Hendrik van Loon, and Ernest Bloch Naumburg used art as the means for clients to visually project their conflicts.

"The science of the mind can only have for its proper goal the understanding of human nature by every human being, and through its use, brings peace to every human soul." - Alfred Adler

"Art Therapy is used to promote physical, and emotional health by using creative expression as a tool to communicate feelings."

"Every individual acts and suffers in accordance with his peculiar teleology, which has all the inevitability of fate, so long as he does not understand it."

-Alfred Adler

Naumburg was influenced by Freud, Jung and Adler.

She also worked with Dr. Beatrice Hinkle who was Jungian and Dr. A.A. Brill, a Freudian.

Naumburg finished undergraduate studies at Vassar and Barnard colleges in New York. She did graduate work at Columbia University with John Dewey in education and at the London School of Economics. While in Italy she studied with Maria Montessori. She opened Walden School in New York City. It began with two teachers and ten students focusing on letting children develop their own interests and ideas. Naumburg believed children would not only learn knowledge, but learn how to use knowledge to their advantage

Many notable individuals taught at the Walden School including Lewis Mumford, Hendrik van Loon, and Ernest Bloch.

The Mother of Art Therapy

Married writer Waldo Frank, with whom she had a son, Thomas, in 1917 and divorced in 1924.

Naumburg's directive of choice was scribble drawing. Naumburg would have her client close their eyes and then scribble on a piece of paper. She would then ask the client to develop the images they saw in the scribble. Scribble drawing was developed by her sister Florence Cane. She used this technique believing it helped release unconscious imagery.

Oriented Art Therapy is based on recognizing that man's fundamental thoughts and feelings come from the unconscious. Often thoughts and feelings are reached through expression in images rather than words.

• Naumburg taught at NYU until her eighties.
• Naumburg was awarded the Ernest Kris Prize
• Fellow of the American Psychological Association

President of the Socialist Club

Naumburg used art as the means for clients to visually project their conflicts.

Naumburg hired staff that did not have degrees in education.

Margaret Naumburg (May 14, 1890 – February 26, 1983)

Florence Cane

1882 - 1952

In 1920 her sister Florence joined the staff at the Walden School

"She was forever pointing out to the unconscious than the usual verbal approach of psychoanalysis and dynamic psychotherapy" - Thomas Frank

Focused on music and child education