Arthur Janov facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Arthur Janov
Born	(1924-08-21)August 21, 1924 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Died	October 1, 2017(2017-10-01) (aged 93) Malibu, California, U.S.
Other names	Art Janov
Alma mater	University of California, Los Angeles Claremont Graduate School
Occupation	Psychologist, psychotherapist, writer
Years active	1952–2017
Known for	Creator of Primal therapy
Notable work	The Primal Scream
Spouse(s)	Vivian Glickenstein ​ ​ (m. 1949; div. 1980)​ France Daunic ​ (m. 1980)​

Arthur Janov (born August 21, 1924 – died October 1, 2017) was an American psychologist and writer. He was also known as Art Janov. He became famous for creating primal therapy. This is a special way to help people with mental health issues. It involves deeply feeling and experiencing old, hidden childhood pain.

Janov wrote many books. His most famous one is The Primal Scream (1970). Other books include The Biology of Love and Life Before Birth: The Hidden Script That Rules our Lives.

Early Life of Arthur Janov

Arthur Janov was born in Los Angeles, California. He grew up in Boyle Heights. This was a neighborhood with many different groups of people. His parents were immigrants from Russia.

He went to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). There he earned degrees in psychiatric social work. Later, he got his Ph.D. in psychology from Claremont Graduate School in 1960.

Arthur Janov's Career in Psychology

Janov started his career as a regular therapist in California. He worked at hospitals and had his own practice. He helped develop a special unit at Los Angeles Children's Hospital. This unit focused on how emotions can affect physical health.

What is Primal Pain?

Janov believed that very painful childhood experiences can hurt a person emotionally. These experiences are not just big injuries. They can also be smaller things. For example, parents not comforting a child when they needed it. He called this deep, hidden hurt "Primal Pain."

How Primal Therapy Began

Janov said his work changed in 1967. During a therapy session, he heard a young man make a powerful scream. It seemed to come from deep inside him. This led Janov to develop primal therapy.

In this therapy, people are encouraged to re-live and express old, hidden feelings. The goal is to release the "Primal Pain."

Impact of Primal Therapy

Primal therapy became very popular in the 1970s and 1980s. His book The Primal Scream (1970) was a big hit.

Some people questioned if primal therapy really worked. Janov said in 2016 that his work was based on science. He mentioned studies published in scientific journals. He believed his research showed the therapy was helpful.

Interestingly, the idea for The Primal Scream came from a patient. This patient told Janov about a performance where an artist acted like a baby and shouted for his parents. Janov was fascinated. He then asked his patient to cry out for his own "mommy" and "daddy."

Janov's patients included famous people. Musician John Lennon and artist Yoko Ono were among them.

Arthur Janov's Personal Life

Arthur Janov was married twice. His first marriage was to Vivian Glickstein in 1949. They divorced in 1980. He then married France Daunic in 1980. They were still married when he passed away.

He had two children from his first marriage: Rick and Ellen. Rick became a primal therapist. Ellen was a singer and actress who sadly passed away in 1976. He also had an adopted son, Xavier, from his second marriage.

Janov died on October 1, 2017. He was 93 years old. He passed away peacefully in his sleep in Malibu, California. He had been dealing with a throat illness that made it hard for him to speak.

Selected Works

• The Primal Scream (1970) ISBN: 0-349-11829-9 - (revised 1999)
• The Anatomy of Mental Illness ISBN: 978-0-4250364-2-6 (1971)
• The Primal Revolution: Toward a Real World (1972) ISBN: 0-671-21641-4
• The Feeling Child (1973) ISBN: 0-349-11832-9
• Primal Man: The new consciousness (1976) ISBN: 0-690-01015-X
• Prisoners of Pain (1980) ISBN: 0-385-15791-6
• Imprints: The Lifelong Effects of the Birth Experience (1984) ISBN: 0-399-51086-9
• New Primal Scream: Primal Therapy 20 Years on (1992) ISBN: 0-942103-23-8
• Why You Get Sick, How You Get Well: The Healing Power of Feelings (1996) ISBN: 0-7871-0685-2
• The Biology of Love (2000) ISBN: 1-57392-829-1
• Primal Healing: Access the Incredible Power of Feelings to Improve Your Health (2006) ISBN: 1-56414-916-1
• The Janov Solution: Lifting Depression Through Primal Therapy (2007) ISBN: 1-58501-111-8
• Life Before Birth: The Hidden Script That Rules Our Lives (2011) ISBN: 978-0-9836396-0-2
• Beyond Belief: Cults, Healers, Mystics and Gurus – Why We Believe (2016) ISBN: 978-0986203176

Janov in Media

• The Inner Revolution (1971 / 85 min) A personal story about primal therapy by Gil Toff.
• Primal Therapy: In Search of the Real You (1976 / 19 min) A Canadian documentary.
• Primalterapi: vintern 1977 (1978 / 130 min) A Swedish 3-part documentary by Gerard Röhl.
• Arthur Janov's Primal Therapy (2018 / 45 min) A film by Ulf Kjell Gür.