Wurmser was born in
Zürich. He was the author of more than 350 scientific papers, 15 books, and several book chapters and essays. His works deal with issues of
masochism and
depression, focusing on problems of shame, guilt, resentment, and the "archaic
superego," both in the individual and in culture, religion, and history. Wurmser has written papers and one book on
Judaism: The World of Ideas and Values of Judaism: A Psychoanalytic View (published in German). He also dealt with the understanding and treatment of
drug addicts, drawing on his experience running
drug rehabilitation programs for addicts. In recent years[when?], he has published several papers and one book on jealousy and envy, in partnership with German psychoananalyst Dr. Heidrun Jarass.
His approach to psychoanalysis was
Freudian. His major works, published in English and German, include The Mask Of Shame (
ISBN978-0801825279), published in 1981 and frequently reprinted; "The Hidden Dimension: Psychodynamics of Compulsive Drug Use " (1978,
ISBN978-0876683088) on the
psychodynamics of drug addiction; The Power of the Inner Judge (2000,
ISBN978-0765701770); and Torment Me, But Don't Abandon Me: Psychoanalysis of the Severe Neuroses in a New Key (2007,
ISBN978-0765704702).
He resided in
Towson, Maryland, where he maintained a
private practice. He supervised colleagues in the United States and in Europe in
psychoanalysis and
psychotherapy. He lectured in Europe and was an honorary member of a number of psychoanalytic societies in Germany and in Austria[which?].
Wurmser, L. "The Power of the Inner Judge: Psychodynamic Treatment of the Severe Neuroses" (New York, J. Aronson, 2000) 0765701774
Wurmser, Leon. "Das Rätsel des Masochismus" (Berlin: Springer, 1993) 3540637397
Wurmser, Leon. "Raubmörder and Räuber, Kriminalistik," 1959
Wurmser, Leon. "The Hidden Dimension" : Psychodynamics in Compulsive Drug Use" (New York : J. Aronson, 1978, republished 1995. (English and German eds. cited by 81 articles on Web of Science) 0876683081
Wurmser, Leon, co-editor with G. Balis et al. "Psychiatric Foundations of Medicine" Volumes I - VI. (Butterworth, 1978)
Wurmser, Leon. "The Mask of Shame" Johns Hopkins Press, 1981, republished 1994, Jason Aronson. 080182527X,
translated into German as "Die Maske der Scham" Berlin: Springer, 1990) (English and German eds. cited by 271 articles on Web of Science)
Wurmser, Leon. "Flucht vor dem Gewissen" –– Analyse von Über-Ich und Abwehr bei schweren Neurosen, Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg, 1987, 1993, V & R 2000
Wurmser, Leon. "Die zerbrochene Wirklichkeit –– Psychoanalyse als das Studium von Konflikt und Komplementarität" Springer Verlag, Heidelberg, 1989, 1993, V & R 2001/2002
Wurmser, Leon. "Die Maske der Scham" (translated, revised and enlarged version of Mask of Shame, 1981) Springer Verlag, Heidelberg, March, 1990, 1993, 1997
Wurmser, Leon. "Das Rätsel des Masochismus" 1993, Springer-Verlag Die verborgene Dimension: 1997 Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.
Wurmser, Leon. "The Hidden Dimension"
Wurmser, Leon. "Magische Verwandlung und tragische Verwandlung. Die Behandlung der schweren Neurose." Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1999
Wurmser, Leon. "Die eigenen verborgensten Dunkelgänge." Mit Fr. H. Gidion. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1999
Wurmser, Leon. "The Power of the Inner Judge." Jason Aronson, 2000
Wurmser, Leon. "Flight from Conscience" (unpublished)
Wurmser, Leon. "Ideen- und Wertewelt des Judentums. Eine psychoanalytische Sicht." Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2001
Wurmser, Leon. "Torment me, but do not abandon me." 2007, Rowman & Littlefield
Wurmser, Leon and Heidrun Jarass: "Jealousy and Envy –– New Views about Two Powerful Feelings." Monograph, Psychoanalytic Inquiry, Francis & Taylor; 2007
Wurmser, Leon, ed. "Psychoanalytic Inquiry": "Superego Revisited –– Relevant or Irrelevant", 2004
Wurmser, Leon, Jarass, Heidrun, ed., "Nothing Good is Allowed to Stand - An Integrative View of the Negative Therapeutic Reaction" - Routledge, 2013
Selected journal articles
Wurmser, L. "A defense of the use of metaphor in analytic theory formation" Psychoanalytic Quarterly, 46:466-498. (1977)
Wurmser, L. Psychoanalytic Considerations of the Etiology of Compulsive Drug... J. Amer. Psychoanal. Association, 22:820-843. (1974) (cited by 125 articles on Web of Science)
Wurmser, Leon "Abyss Calls Out to Abyss": Oedipal Shame, Invisibility, and Broken Identity" The American Journal of Psychoanalysis 63:4 (Dec. 2003.)
Wurmser, Leon. "Flight from conscience: experiences with the psychoanalytic treatment of compulsive drug users." Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment 4:157-168. (2001)