Carolyn Lewis Attneave (July 2, 1920 – June 22, 1992) was born in El Paso, Texas, to Scandinavian and Delaware Native American parents.
Attneave earned a bachelor's in English and Theatre at Chico State College in California in 1940.
After spending six years as a school teacher, she earned both her master's and doctorate in clinical psychology from Stanford University in 1947 and 1952, respectively.
[1][2][3] Attneave was the first Native American woman who earned her Ph.D. in psychology and is arguably the most "well-known psychologist of American-Indian background.
This work would go on to influence her later efforts to provide Native American-specific mental health treatment.