fei75766_ch11_345-376.indd 348  02/06/20 12:38 PM
Part III    Humanistic/Existential Theories348
From thatpoint on,Maybegan tolisten tohisinner voice, theonethatspoke tohim
ofbeauty. “Itseems ithadtaken acollapse ofmywhole former wayoflifeforthis
voice tomake itself heard” (p.13).
Asecond experience inEurope alsoleftalasting impression onhim,namely, 
hisattendance atAlfred Adler’s 1932 summer seminars ataresort inthemountains 
above Vienna. Maygreatly admired Adler andlearned much about human behavior 
andabout himself during thattime(Rabinowitz etal.,1989).
After Mayreturned totheUnited States in1933, heenrolled atUnion Theo -
logical Seminary inNewYork, thesame seminary CarlRogers hadattended 10years 
earlier. Unlike Rogers, however, Maydidnotenter theseminary tobecome aminis -
terbutrather toasktheultimate questions concerning thenature ofhuman beings 
(Harris, 1969). While attheUnion Theological Seminary, hemettherenowned exis-
tential theologian andphilosopher PaulTillich, thenarecent refugee from Germany 
andafaculty member attheseminary. Maylearned much ofhisphilosophy from 
Tillich, andthetwomenremained friends formore than30years.
Although Mayhadnotgone totheseminary tobeapreacher, hewasordained 
asaCongregational minister in1938 afterreceiving aMaster ofDivinity degree. He
thenserved asapastor for2years, butfinding parish work meaningless, hequitto
pursue hisinterest inpsychology. Hestudied psychoanalysis attheWilliam Alanson 
White Institute ofPsychiatry, Psychoanalysis, andPsychology while working asa
counselor tomale students atCityCollege ofNewYork. Atabout thistime, hemet
Harry Stack Sullivan, president andcofounder oftheWilliam Alanson White Institute. 
Maywasimpressed withSullivan’s notion thatthetherapist isaparticipant observer 
andthattherapy isahuman adventure capable ofenhancing thelifeofbothpatient 
andtherapist. Healsometandwasinfluenced byErich Fromm (seeChapter 8),who
atthattimewasafaculty member attheWilliam Alanson White Institute.
In1946, Mayopened hisownprivate practice and,2years later, joined thefac-
ultyoftheWilliam Alanson White Institute. In1949, attherelatively advanced ageof
40,heearned aPhDinclinical psychology from Columbia University. Hecontinued 
toserve asassistant professor ofpsychiatry attheWilliam Alanson White Institute 
until1974.
Prior toreceiving hisdoctorate, Mayunderwent themost profound experience 
ofhislife.While stillinhisearly thirties, hecontracted tuberculosis andspent 3years 
attheSaranac Sanitarium inupstate NewYork. Atthattime, nomedication fortuber -
culosis wasavailable, andforayearandahalf,Maydidnotknow whether hewould 
liveordie.Hefelthelpless andhadlittletodoexcept waitforthemonthly X-ray that
would tellwhether thecavity inhislungwasgetting larger orsmaller (May, 1972).
Atthatpoint, hebegan todevelop some insight intothenature ofhisillness. He
realized thatthedisease wastaking advantage ofhishelpless andpassive attitude. He
sawthatthepatients around himwhoaccepted theirillness weretheveryoneswho
tended todie,whereas those whofought against theircondition tended tosurvive. 
“Not untilIdeveloped some ‘fight’ ,some sense ofpersonal responsibility forthefact
thatitwasIwhohadthetuberculosis, anassertion ofmyownwilltolive,didImake 
lasting progress” (May, 1972, p.14).
AsMaylearned tolisten tohisbody, hediscovered thathealing isanactive, not
apassive, process. Theperson whoissick,beitphysiologically orpsychologically, 
must beanactive participant inthetherapeutic process. Mayrealized thistruth forFinal PDF to printer