Anna Freud was born on December 3, 1895, in Vienna, Austria.¹⁾

She was the sixth and youngest child of Sigmund Freud and his wife, Martha Bernays.²⁾

Anna was very close to her father and often referred to him as her “best friend.”³⁾

She grew up in a home that was filled with discussions about psychology and the workings of the mind.⁴⁾

Anna Freud was instrumental in the development of child psychoanalysis.⁵⁾

She founded the Hampstead Child Therapy Course and Clinic in London, which later became the Anna Freud Centre, dedicated to the treatment of children and young people with mental health issues.⁶⁾

Anna Freud never received a formal university education but learned about psychoanalysis through her close association with her father and his colleagues.⁷⁾

She began her career as a teacher and then trained as a psychoanalyst.⁸⁾

During World War I, Anna Freud worked as a volunteer nurse, caring for children who had been separated from their families due to the war.⁹⁾

She wrote numerous influential books and papers on child psychology and psychoanalysis.¹⁰⁾

Anna Freud's book “The Ego and the Mechanisms of Defense” is considered a classic in the field.¹¹⁾

She was a pioneer in the study of defense mechanisms and the ways in which individuals protect themselves from anxiety.¹²⁾

Anna Freud introduced the concept of “signal anxiety,” which is a form of anxiety that warns the ego about potential dangers.¹³⁾

She emphasized the importance of the ego in understanding human behavior and psychopathology.¹⁴⁾

Anna Freud's work on child development and psychoanalysis laid the foundation for the development of child psychology as a distinct field.¹⁵⁾

She was a strong advocate for the idea that children have their own unique psychological experiences and should be treated as individuals in therapy.¹⁶⁾

Anna Freud is often associated with the development of play therapy, a form of psychotherapy that uses play as a means of helping children express their thoughts and feelings.¹⁷⁾

She believed that children's play was a way for them to communicate their unconscious thoughts and emotions.¹⁸⁾

Anna Freud also made significant contributions to understanding the effects of war and separation on children's mental health.¹⁹⁾

She wrote about the impact of wartime experiences on children, particularly those who were evacuated from cities during World War II.²⁰⁾

Anna Freud's work with child refugees and her observations on the effects of displacement and trauma greatly influenced the field of child psychology.²¹⁾

She was a lifelong advocate for the welfare of children and young people.²²⁾

Anna Freud played a key role in the establishment of the Hampstead Nursery and Infant School, which aimed to provide quality education and care for young children.²³⁾

She believed that early intervention and a nurturing environment were crucial for children's healthy development.²⁴⁾

Anna Freud's work contributed to the understanding of the development of guilt in children and how it relates to their moral development.²⁵⁾

She was a prolific writer, with her works being translated into many languages and widely read by psychologists and educators.²⁶⁾

Anna Freud was a founding member of the Vienna Psychoanalytic Society and later became a prominent member of the British Psychoanalytic Society.²⁷⁾

She moved to London in 1938 to escape the rise of the Nazi regime in Austria.²⁸⁾

Anna Freud's work with children helped transform the way society viewed and treated childhood mental health issues.²⁹⁾

Anna Freud received numerous awards and honors for her contributions to psychology, including honorary doctorates from universities around the world.³⁰⁾