Erik Erikson was one of the founding figures in naming the stages of human development. He derived his research from his own life experiences. Today we use its framework to help diagnose people with injuries with the best possible treatment. It was he who coined the term “identity crisis” that we so often hear about today. In this article I will first describe Erikson's life and all his research, then I will connect his work to occupational therapy. Biography Erikson was born on June 15, 1902 in Frankfurt, Germany. According to his obituary in the New York Times, his parents separated before he was born due to him having an affair. He has never met his biological father. His mother was young when she had him and raised him alone. She eventually married physician Dr. Theodor Homberger. For many years Erikson had no idea that Dr. Homberger was not his real father. When the truth came out, Erikson was left confused about who he really was as an individual. This is what led to his interest in how one's identity is formed. This interest continued to grow throughout his school experience. He was often teased in temple school because he wasn't like the others in terms of ancestry and because he was tall, blond, and blue-eyed. He was also rejected in high school due to his Jewish origins. Those negative experiences motivated him even more to understand how exactly one forms one's identity and continued to influence his work for the rest of his life (Cherry, 2014). After dabbling in art and traveling through Europe, a friend of Erikson's suggested he should enter psychoanalysis. He followed this advice and ended up getting certified in Vienna P...... middle of paper ......F OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY. 24, 93-101. http://www.aota.org/- /media/Corporate/Files/Publications/AJOT/Slagle/1969.pdf Mayo Clinic Staff. (2012). Traumatic brain injury. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/traumatic-brain-lesion/basics/definition/con-20029302McLeod, Saul. (2008). Erik Erikson. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/Erik-Erikson.htmlSorensen, Jane. (2014). Basic psychology in occupational therapy. Retrieved from http://occupational-therapy.advanceweb.com/Article/Basic-Psychology-in-Occupational- Therapy.aspxWhitbourne, Susan K. (2012). Achievement at any age. Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/fulfillment-any-age/201203/are-you-having-identity-crisisZemke, Ruth & Gratz, Rene. (2008). Erikson and occupational therapy. OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY AND MENTAL HEALTH. 2, 45-63. DOI: 10.1300/J004v02n03_03.