Anna Terruwe

Dr. Anna A. Terruwe, born in 1911, was a Catholic psychiatrist from the Netherlands. She discovered Emotional Deprivation Disorder and how Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder could be healed. She based her work on that of Thomas Aquinas and "the relevance of Thomistic rational psychology to neurosis and its treatment." Her work is also based on that of Professor W.J.A.J. Duynstee, C.SS.R., LL.D. who studied Aquinas. Her theories are based on Aquinas’ understanding of what he calls the "nature of man." Dr. Terruwe’s ideas about the nature of man and his emotional life are discussed in depth in the first chapter of "Psychic Wholeness and Healing" by her and Dr. Conrad W. Baars, M.D.

Dr. Terruwe embraced the spiritual aspect of the human person in the treatment of her patients. Her ideas included topics about man’s emotional life, his intellect and free will, how "love is the passion of the intellect", and how the "nature" of man’s emotional life is to "follow reason". The discussion continues into topics of affirmation and what it means to be "authentically human".

Dr. Baars discovered her work and went on to translate some of her work into English and further the work on "Emotional Deprivation Disorder" and the repressive disorders.

She discovered "Frustration Neurosis" in the 1950s (also known as "Deprivation Neurosis", but now called Emotional Deprivation Disorder). She also discovered that repressive disorders (e.g. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or Scrupulosity) could be healed by teaching patients a correct understanding of the emotional life. 

Dr. Terruwe died on April 28, 2004 in The Netherlands (Deurne). She was 92 years old.