About Helen Block Lewis
Lived 1913 – 1987 (aged 73). Helen Block Lewis was an American writer, psychologist, journalist and psychoanalyst, known for Shame.
Helen Block Lewis (August 22, 1913 – January 18, 1987) Lewis graduated from Columbia University with a doctorate degree. She married classicist Naphtali Lewis. Her daughter is psychiatrist Judith Herman and Lewis encouraged her in academia while suggesting that she attend medical school to have "more power". Unable to be hired elsewhere so she used her father's inheritance to train as a psychoanalyst. She was the psychoanalysis division president of the American Psychological Association from 1984 to 1985. Her books include Shame and Guilt in Neurosis, Psychic War in Men and Women, Freud and Modern Psychology volume 1 and 2, Sex and the Superego, and The Role of Shame in Symptom Formation.
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Important facts
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Helen Block Lewis?
American psychiatrist (1913–1987)
When was Helen Block Lewis born?
Helen Block Lewis was born on 22 August 1913 in Manhattan.
When did Helen Block Lewis die?
Helen Block Lewis died on 18 January 1987 in Cambridge.
What was Helen Block Lewis's occupation?
Helen Block Lewis was a writer, psychologist, journalist and psychoanalyst.
What was Helen Block Lewis known for?
Helen Block Lewis was known for Shame.
What nationality was Helen Block Lewis?
Helen Block Lewis was American.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: Helen Block Lewis
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Helen Block Lewis. https://biography.guide/helen-block-lewis/
MLA: "Helen Block Lewis." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/helen-block-lewis/.
Chicago: "Helen Block Lewis." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/helen-block-lewis/.
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