Ackerman, Nathan W(ard) (1909-1971)

Russian-born psychiatrist, family therapist, and educator. Ackerman was most widely known for pioneering ‘family therapy’, the approach that treated individuals with mental illness in the context of their families. In 1960 he founded the Family Institute, now the Ackerman Family Therapy Institute, in New York City, which is a major clinical centre and training ground for family therapy.

Ackerman became a US citizen in 1920. He studied at Columbia University and served his medical residency in Kansas. In 1937 he became chief psychiatrist of the Jewish Board of Guardians. In addition to various other teaching and staff posts in the field of psychiatry, he was a professor of psychiatry at Columbia's medical school from 1957-71. He wrote widely and received much acclaim.