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Chapter 11    May: Existential Psychology349
himself asherecovered from tuberculosis, butitwasonlylaterthathewasabletosee
thathispsychotherapy patients alsohadtofightagainst theirdisturbance inorder to
getbetter (May, 1972).
During hisillness andrecovery, Maywaswriting abook onanxiety. Tobetter 
understand thesubject, hereadbothFreud andSøren Kierkegaard, thegreat Danish 
existential philosopher andtheologian. Mayadmired Freud, buthewasmore deeply 
moved byKierkegaard’s viewofanxiety asastruggle against  nonbeing, thatis,lossof
consciousness (May, 1969a).
After Mayrecovered from hisillness, hewrote hisdissertation onthesubject 
ofanxiety andthenextyearpublished itunder thetitleThe Meaning of Anxiety 
(May, 1950). Three years later, hewrote Man’s Search for Himself (May, 1953), 
thebook thatgained himsome recognition notonlyinprofessional circles butalso
among other educated people aswell.In1958, hecollaborated withErnest Angel 
andHenri Ellenberger topublish Existence: A New Dimension in Psychiatry and Psy -
chology. Thisbook introduced American psychotherapists totheconcepts ofexis-
tential therapy andcontinued thepopularity oftheexistential movement. May’s 
best-known work, Love and Will (1969b), became anational best-seller andwonthe
1970 Ralph Waldo Emerson Award forhumane scholarship. In1971, Maywonthe
American Psychological Association’s Distinguished Contribution totheScience 
andProfession ofClinical Psychology Award. In1972, theNewYork Society of
Clinical Psychologists presented himwiththeDr.Martin Luther King, Jr.Award 
forhisbook Power and Innocence (1972), andin1987, Mayreceived theAmerican 
Psychological Foundation Gold Medal Award forLifetime Contributions toProfes -
sional Psychology.
During hiscareer, Maywasavisiting professor atbothHarvard andPrince ton
andlectured atsuchinstitutions asYale, Dartmouth, Columbia, Vassar, Oberlin, 
andtheNewSchool forSocial Research. Inaddition, hewasanadjunct professor 
atNewYork University, chairman fortheCouncil fortheAssociation ofExistential 
Psychology andPsychiatry, president oftheNewYork Psychological Association, 
andamember oftheBoard ofTrustees oftheAmerican Foundation forMental 
Health. 
In1969, Mayandhisfirstwife,Florence DeFrees, weredivorced after30years 
ofmarriage. Helatermarried Ingrid Kepler Scholl, butthatmarriage tooended in
divorce. OnOctober 22,1994, after2years ofdeclining health, MaydiedinTiburon, 
California, where hehadmade hishome since 1975. Hewassurvived byhisthird 
wife,Georgia LeeMiller Johnson (aJungian analyst whom hemarried in1988); son,
Robert; andtwindaughters, Allegra andCarolyn. 
Through hisbooks, articles, andlectures, Maywasthebest-known American 
representative oftheexistential movement. Nevertheless, hespoke outagainst the
tendency ofsome existentialists toslipintoanantiscientific orevenanti-intellectual 
posture (May, 1962). Hewascritical ofanyattempt todilute existential psychology 
intoapainless method ofreaching self-fulfillment. People canaspire topsychologi -
calhealth onlythrough coming togrips withtheunconscious coreoftheirexistence. 
Although hewasphilosophically aligned withCarlRogers (seeChapter 10),May
tookissue withwhat hesawasRogers’s naive viewthatevilisacultural phenomenon. 
May(1982) regarded human beings asbothgood andevilandcapable ofcreating 
cultures thatarebothgood andevil.Final PDF to printer