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Erna Furman (1926-2002)
Erna Furman was the world-renowned author of several books and nearly 200 articles. Her writings have been translated into German, French, Spanish, Dutch, Finnish, Italian, and Polish. She wrote, edited, and contributed to most of the books that have been published based upon the research conducted at Hanna Perkins, work that encompassed the clinical, theoretical, and applied aspects of psychoanalysis, focusing on a wide range of interests. Among these publications are the study of parental bereavement (“A Child’s Parent Dies”); the theory and practice of treatment-via-the-parent (“The Therapeutic Nursery School”); normal and pathological child development and parenting (“Helping Young Children Grow”); and early personality growth (“Toddlers and Their Mothers). Throughout her career she made more than 450 presentations to scientific and lay audiences. She had a special interest in mothers and mothering. One of her own favorite articles was “Mothers have to be there to be left,” and her last book, “On Being and Having a Mother,” is a collection of her essays on this topic. As with all of Poppy’s work, the simplicity of her writing makes complex and profound ideas completely available to the reader. The Heinz Hartmann, Marianne Kris, and Lily Gondor awards are among those recognizing her work. In 1999, she was made an honorary member of the American Psychoanalytic Association in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the field. Her professional memberships included the Association for Child Psychoanalysis (for which she served on several committees and as Councilor and President), the Cleveland Psychoanalytic Society, the Ohio Psychological Association, the Association for Child Psychotherapists of Great Britain, and the Cleveland Association for the Education of Young Children. Following her death, many sent notes of condolence and shared their memories. One such message from Baird Wiehe, a former Hanna Perkins Trustee and high school teacher was typical. Baird worked with Poppy in a project at Shaker Heights High School that led to the development of a course on parenting for high school students and one of Poppy’s most widely read books, Helping Young Children Grow. He wrote, “Outside of my own family, there is no one who more influenced my teaching…and parenting. I became aware of the importance for children to develop their inner controls. Poppy’s always-patient manner and deliberate speaking conveyed the information on children so well. I can see her now, as I write, leaning forward in her chair in her living room and patiently developing a clear, insightful understanding of a child/student’s behavior. I sat there for two hours each week for two years and never grew tired of hearing her speak about the behavior of children.” On July 26, 2002, the Board of Trustees of Hanna Perkins appointed both Robert and Erna Furman to the position of Honorary Trustee. In part, the resolution said, “What makes it so fitting that they be jointly elected to Honorary Trusteeship, is that they have been a remarkable couple – a true partnership of support and inspiration for one another, and in turn for all who have had the good fortune to have known them, learned from them, and worked with them.” This tribute brought great joy to Poppy and to Bob. The next day Poppy wrote a note to the Board, “Thank you so much for your moving and eloquent tribute, for your kindness and thoughtfulness. I was deeply touched and feel the warmest appreciation for what you did for both of us. My words are brief but they come from the heart. Nobody has a Board like we do. It’s the caring that counts.” (Access the links below for additional materials related to the life and work of Erna "Poppy" Furman.) AN APPRECIATION OF ERNA FURMAN’S PAPERS ON WORK AND ITS PLEASURES - Elizabeth Daunton HELPING EARLY CHILDHOOD CONSULTANTS GROW - Maria Kaiser & Gann Roberts |
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Erna Furman, known to many as, “Poppy,” was a child psychoanalyst, a
licensed psychologist, and a teacher. At Hanna Perkins she participated in the
training of child analysts, treated children of all ages and worked with
parents, particularly those of preschool age children. She developed and
directed the Hanna Perkins Mother-Toddler program and, until the time of her
death, taught mental health professionals, child life specialists and early
childhood educators and caregivers.