Harold Mosak, 1921–2018: Master Adlerian Teacher, Practitioner, and Scholar

Abstract

Harold Mosak, 1921–2018:Master Adlerian Teacher, Practitioner, and Scholar Raymond E. Crossman (bio) and Marina Bluvshtein (bio) Harold Mosak, Adler University cofounder and Distinguished Service Professor, died on June 1, 2018, at the age of 96 years. He was predeceased by his wife, Birdie, and son Derin, and he is survived by his children Lisa and Neal. Mosak is internationally considered one of the preeminent interpreters of Alfred Adler's psychology. He was a prolific writer, authoring nearly 200 articles and books about Adlerian practice. He trained and supervised scores of Adlerians across decades; we and our students are fortunate that he taught in every iteration of our institution, from the Adler Institute to the Adler School of Professional Psychology to Adler University. Born October 29, 1921, in Chicago, Mosak came to psychology by chance. As a math major at the University of Chicago, he found a summer job running statistics in the psychology department at Jewish Vocational Services of Chicago. The psychologists' work piqued his interest. He completed a BA in psychology in 1943 and a PhD in clinical psychology in 1950 at the University of Chicago. He served as a corporal in the U.S. Army Air Force from 1943 to 1946. Mosak trained as a psychotherapist with Carl Rogers and was among the first psychologists licensed in the United States—his Illinois license number was 37. Mosak was a diplomate in clinical psychology (American Board of Professional Psychology), and he was a life member and fellow of the American Psychological Association. It was through discussions with his mentor Rudolf Dreikurs and colleagues including Bernard Shulman that he became an Adlerian psychologist. Wanting to build an Adlerian community in Chicago, Mosak, Dreikurs, and Shulman created a membership organization that offered courses. They launched the Alfred Adler Institute—today Adler University—in 1952. The three served as faculty and staff for the institute, handling all daily tasks, from teaching classes to stuffing envelopes. With his colleagues, Mosak saw patients daily, taught nightly, and supervised and lectured in between. He also served as a trustee for most of our institution's history—from 1963 [End Page 95] until 2010. During that time, he was our longest-serving board chair (1963, 1972–1999), and in 1984 he served as the institution's interim president. Click for larger view View full resolution In the Adler Institute's early years, Mosak founded the school's library. Works by Adler and his students were hard to find, but he acquired them one by one and recruited students to the cause. His wife, Birdie, worked alongside him to reach out to students and build the collection. Through their efforts, the library grew, and students from around the world came to study at Adler. In 2011, on Mosak's 90th birthday and through benefactors' support, the university dedicated its modern library as the Harold and Birdie Mosak Library. Harold Mosak was a master teacher. We have heard stories from many alumni whose perspectives and lives were changed through an often-brief interaction during a class with him. He retired from teaching at Adler University in 2015, but he continued to mentor his students. Our alumni—young and old—could often be found sitting in consultation with him at the Presbyterian Homes in Evanston, Illinois, his residence for the final few years of his life. His teaching was often more about life than about psychology, as both of us can attest. He taught young seminary students how to deliver a sermon and fellow residents how to overcome health adversities. He invited visiting Adler University students to sit on his bed, beginning with his signature opener, "What questions do you have for me today?" In our experience, Harold loved to question everything, and he appreciated having his ideas questioned. His eyes lit up when he sensed a good [End Page 96] debate. He was a great fighter—for his institution, for respect for Adlerian psychology, for his students and clients, and for reason. He enjoyed being needed, and he was graceful and generous in offering his talents. He loved flowers and going out to a good deli or for a good steak dinner. He adored his grandson...