Sigmund Freud

Sigmund Freud was born in 1856 in what is now the Czech Republic. He grew up in Austria and became a doctor. He was curious about how the mind works. He started a new kind of study called psychoanalysis. He is famous for his ideas about dreams.

Ideas About the Mind

Freud thought our minds have hidden parts we do not know about. He said people keep some feelings deep inside. He helped his patients by talking with them about their thoughts. This was a new way to treat worried or sad people. Many of his ideas are still talked about today.

A signed photograph of the thinker Sigmund Freud.
A signed photograph of the thinker Sigmund Freud. (Max Halberstadt / Wikimedia Commons)

Dreams and Feelings

Freud believed that dreams have secret meanings. He wrote a book called 'The Interpretation of Dreams.' He thought dreams could show what we really feel inside. Some of his ideas are not used much anymore. But he started people thinking about the mind in new ways.

Fun Facts

  • He had a dog named Jofi that sat with him during meetings.
  • He was good friends with another thinker, Carl Jung.
  • His office in Vienna is now a museum.

Did You Know?

Freud is often called the father of psychoanalysis, a way to help people by talking about feelings.