Guide to the Betty Grover Eisner papers SC0924
University Archives staff
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
February 2009; January 2024
Green Library
557 Escondido Mall
Stanford 94305-6064
Fax Number: (650) 723-8690
specialcollections@stanford.edu
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Contributing Institution:
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Title: Betty Grover Eisner papers
Identifier/Call Number: SC0924
Physical Description:
10 Linear Feet
Date (inclusive): 1927-2002
Abstract: Papers documenting
Betty Grover Eisner's career in clinical psychology and experimental use of LSD and other
drugs. Includes narrative reports and audio recordings of drug therapy sessions, articles
and conference papers, book manuscripts, journals, legal documents, journals, personal and
professional correspondence, and other materials.
Language of Material:
English .
Biography
Betty Grover Eisner (1915-2004), a clinical psychologist best known for her experiments
with LSD and other psychoactive drugs, was born Helen Elizabeth Grover in Kansas City, MO.
After completing high school in Kansas City, she attended Stanford University and earned a
B.A. in political science in 1937. She volunteered with the Red Cross during World War II,
then spent a year in the late 1940s traveling Europe, Asia, and Africa with her first
husband, fellow Stanford graduate Will Eisner. She documented their trip in a series of
columns published in the
Los Angeles Times.
Eisner earned a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of California, Los
Angeles, in 1956. She completed her dissertation on the psychology of infertile women, but
by the time she graduated her primary professional interest had shifted to the use of LSD as
an aid to psychotherapy. She conducted LSD experiments with Dr. Sidney Cohen at a Veterans'
Administration hospital in Los Angeles, and later established a private psychotherapy
practice in Santa Monica. After psychiatric research with LSD was banned in the United
States in the late 1960s, Eisner experimented with using other drugs to promote
psychological breakthroughs in patients, including ketamine and injectable Ritalin. Other
treatments favored by Eisner included the inhalation of carbogen (a mix of 70% oxygen and
30% carbon dioxide), hot mineral baths, massage, and "blasting," a technique in which a
patient was encouraged to release hostility by yelling while muffled by a washcloth.
In 1976, one of Eisner's patients died following mineral bath treatment and blasting
therapy. A wrongful death investigation ensued, as well an ethics investigation by the
American Psychological Association. The Psychology Examining Committee of the California
Board of Medical Quality Assurance revoked Eisner's license to practice in 1978. Eisner
twice attempted to have her license restored in the early 1980s. Both attempts were
unsuccessful.
Eisner was the author of
The Unused Potential of Marriage and
Sex
, published in 1970, as well as an unpublished book based on her group therapy
work,
I Can't, You Can't, But We Can. During the late 1950s
and early 1960s, she authored several journal articles and conference papers on her use of
LSD and other drugs in psychotherapy In 2002, she wrote a memoir titled
Remembrances of LSD Therapy Past. Although unpublished, this
memoir is available on the World Wide Web. Eisner also wrote song lyrics in the 1970s under
the pseudonym Rev. B. Later in life, she wrote poetry under the name Abigail Bradbury. She
and her second husband, Bill Micks, helped to found the Center for Learning, a school for
the teaching of English in Mexico.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Betty Grover Eisner papers, (SC0924). Stanford University
Archives, Stanford, Calif.
Arrangement
The collection consists of six series: Series 1: Personal and Family Papers; Series 2:
Writing; Series 3: Correspondence; Series 4: Legal Files; Series 5: Therapy and Research
Files; and Series 6: Audio Materials.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Betty Grover Eisner, 2001.
Publication Rights
Property rights reside with the repository. Literary rights reside with the creators of the
documents or their heirs. To obtain permission to publish or reproduce, please contact the
Public Services Librarian of the Dept. of Special Collections.
Access
With the exception of Series 2, Series 3 and the world trip materials in Series 1, access
to the collection is restricted according to the Department's Access to Health Information
of Individuals Policy. Please contact the University Archivist for more information.
Scope and Content of Collection
The papers document Betty Grover Eisner's career in clinical psychology as well as the
intersection of her career with her personal life. Included are detailed narrative reports
on Eisner's use of LSD and other drugs in conjunction with psychotherapy; audio tapes of
drug sessions; numerous articles and conference papers as well as drafts of two books by
Eisner; dream journals, free association writing, and other personal writing; legal papers
and supporting documents related to an investigation of Eisner for wrongful death and the
subsequent revocation of her professional license; and professional and family
correspondence. Prominent correspondents include Sidney J. Cohen, Herman Denber, Albert
Hoffman, Krishnamurti, Anais Nin, Ron Sandison, and Lewis Terman.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Group psychoanalysis
Group psychotherapy
Psychoanalysis
Correspondence.
sound recordings
Psychotherapy
Psychologists
Articles.
LSD (Drug) -- Therapeutic use
Writing Series 2
1957-2002,
undated
Series Description
The bulk of this series consists of journal articles, conference papers, and other
professional writing by Eisner. Most of these works have been published, although some
are unpublished manuscripts. There is also a copy of a manuscript for Eisner's book
The Unused Potential of Marriage and Sex (published
1970) and an unpublished manuscript based on Eisner's experiences with group therapy
titled
I Can't, You Can't, But We Can.
Later in life Eisner pursued creative writing and composed poetry under the name
Abigail Bradbury. Although there are no examples of her poetry in this series, there are
manuscripts of a series of fables, titled "New Fables for New Times," written by Eisner
in the early 1990s.
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically.
Box 5, folder 1
"Current Thinking on LSD Therapy" (with Sidney Cohen)
1957
Box 5, folder 2
"Psychotherapy with Lysergic Acid Diethylamide" (written with Sidney
Cohen)
1958
Box 5, folder 3
"Subjective Reports on Lysergic Acid Experiences... " (with Sidney Cohen and
Lionel Fischman)
1958
Box 5, folder 4
"The Influence of LSD on Unconscious Activity"
1961
Box 5, folder 6
"Some Psychological Differences Between Fertile and Infertile
Women"
1963
Box 5, folder 7
"Notes on the Use of Drugs to Facilitate Group Psychotherapy"
1964
Box 5, folder 8
"Psychedelics and People as Adjuncts to Psychotherapy"
1964
Box 5, folder 9
"The Importance of the Non-Verbal"
1965
Box 5, folder 10
The Unused Potential of Marriage and Sex, original manuscript [1 of
3]
1970
Box 5, folder 11
The Unused Potential of Marriage and Sex, original manuscript [2 of
3]
1970
Box 5, folder 12
The Unused Potential of Marriage and Sex, original manuscript [3 of
3]
1970
Box 5, folder no folder
The Unused Potential of Marriage and Sex
1970
Box 5, folder 13
"The Group as a Means and Matrix for Change"
1971
Box 5, folder 14
See You To-Morrow, by the Children of Mexcales (words by Betty Eisner,
pictures by Les McCann)
1972
Box 5, folder 15
"The Use of an Alpha Feedback Machine in a Therapeutic Problem Solving
Setting" (with Jonathan D. Melvin)
1972
Box 5, folder 16
"The Two Faces of Man's Problem Today"
1974
Box 5, folder 17
"Networking Provides Realtime Application Upgrade from TRT-11 to VMS" (with
Jonathan D. Melvin)
1987
Box 5, folder 18
"New Fables for New Times," manuscripts and drafts [1 of 2]
circa 1987
Box 6, folder 1
"New Fables for New Times," manuscripts and drafts [2 of 2]
circa 1987
Box 6, folder 2
"New Fables for New Times," manuscripts and drafts [3 of 3]
circa 1987
Box 6, folder 3
"Huaulta -- Place Where Eagles Are Born," manuscript and drafts
circa 1994
Box 6, folder 4
"Physical and Psychical Loading," paper read at Society for Scientific
Exploration meeting
1995
Box 6, folder 5
Response to Daniel J. Benor's comments on "loading" and "telesomatic
reactions"
1996
Box 6, folder 6
"The Sick Role Versus the Dying Role," (written with Humphrey
Osmond)
1996
Box 6, folder 7
"Body Work and Psychological Healing"
1997
Box 6, folder 8
"Set, Setting, and Matrix"
1997
Box 6, folder 9
Excerpt from Remembrance of LSD Therapy Past
2002
Box 6, folder 10
I Can't, You Can't, But We Can, third draft (final?) [1 of 3]
undated
Box 6, folder 11
I Can't, You Can't, But We Can, third draft (final?) [2 of 3]
undated
Box 6, folder 12
I Can't, You Can't, But We Can, third draft (final?) [3 of 3]
undated
Box 6, folder 13
Living in the Now, foreword, chapter 1, and appendix D
undated
Box 6, folder 14
"Observations on Possible Order Within the Unconscious"
undated
Box 6, folder 15
"Observations on the Psychotherapeutic Use of Ritalin"
undated
Box 6, folder 16
"The Paradox of Carroll John Daly," manuscript and research material
(includes manuscript of a Daly short story)
undated
Box 6, folder 17
"Parallel Experiences"
undated
Correspondence Series 3
1946-1998
Series Description
This series consists primarily of Eisner's professional correspondence. However, since
Eisner developed close friendships with many colleagues who shared her interest in LSD
and other drug research, much of the content is of a personal nature. Some files also
include clippings and other materials. Researchers should note the presence of
additional correspondence in other series, particularly in Series 1: Family Papers.
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by last name of correspondent.
Box 7, folder 1
Abramson, Harold
1957-1968, 1994
Language of Material: English.
Box 7, folder 2
Cohen, Sidney J. [1 of 2]
1967-1997, undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 7, folder 3
Cohen, Sidney J. [2 of 2]
1967-1997, undated
Language of Material: English.
Box 7, folder 4
Denber, Herman [1 of 3]
1957-1998
Language of Material: English.
Box 7, folder 5
Denber, Herman [2 of 3]
1957-1998
Language of Material: English.
Box 7, folder 6
Denber, Herman [3 of 3]
1957-1998
Language of Material: English.
Box 7, folder 7
Graf, Stanya
1965-1993
Language of Material: English.
Box 7, folder 8
Harman, Willis
1957-1997
Language of Material: English.
Box 7, folder 9
Hoffman, Albert [1 of 2]
1976-1997
Language of Material: English.
Box 7, folder 10
Hoffman, Albert [2 of 2]
1976-1997
Language of Material: English.
Box 8, folder 1
Hubbard, Al
1957-1965,
undated
Box 8, folder 3
Krishnamurti, J. [1 of 3]
1946-1986
Box 8, folder 4
Krishnamurti, J. [2 of 3]
1946-1986
Box 8, folder 5
Krishnamurti, J. [3 of 3]
1946-1996
Box 8, folder 6
Martin, Joyce
1957,
1963-1970
Box 8, folder 7
Naranjo, Caludio
1965, 1981
Box 8, folder 8
Nin, Anais, correspondence and clippings
1958-1992
Box 8, folder 14
Osment, Humphrey
1961-1970
Language of Material: English.
Box 8, folder 9
Powers, Tom and Zip Riley
1957-1995
Box 8, folder 10
Sandison, Ron and Margaret [1 of 3]
1958-1997
Box 8, folder 11
Sandison, Ron and Margaret [2 of 3]
1958-1997
Box 8, folder 12
Sandison, Ron and Margaret [3 of 3]
1958-1997
Box 8, folder 15
Miscellaneous correspondence