Otto Rank (April 22, 1884-October 31, 1939) was an Austrian psychologist who extended psychoanalytic theory to the study of legend, myth, art, and other works of creativity.Born in Vienna as Otto Rosenfeld, he was also one of Sigmund Freud's closest aides and later colleagues and finally critic. He is the most prolific author in the "Ring" besides Freud himself. His breaking with Freud was because of Rank's placing greater emphasis on birth trauma than the Oedipus complex.
Rank favored a more egalitarian relationship with patients and is sometimes considered the forerunner of client-centered therapy .Among his patients were many artists including Anais Nin.
He died in New York City in 1939 from a kidney infection.
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