Allen Wheelis

Who was Allen Wheelis?

Dr. Allen Wheelis was a psychoanalyst and writer who lived in San Francisco, CA. He achieved renown for his psychoanalytic practice, which spanned five decades, though during his lifetime he expressed ambivalence and doubt about the field and his own work in it. He wrote prolifically, authoring 14 books including novels and memoirs, as well as several pieces for Commentary, the New Yorker and various professional journals.

Many of Wheelis's writings were acclaimed by critics, though readers have often found them depressing or disturbing in tone and substance, which may help to explain why Wheelis is barely known today. His writings were typified by a profound philosophical pessimism, and "drew heavily from his experiences as both a doctor and a man hobbled by neuroses." However, his wife Ilse Wheelis is not alone in pointing out that though Wheelis "had a pessimistic outlook on the human condition... he also celebrated it. He believed people could find happiness."

Wheelis died June 14 in a San Francisco hospital after back surgery, at the age of 91.