Gerald Jampolsky

Gerald Jampolsky – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Discover the life and work of Gerald Jampolsky—American psychiatrist, spiritual teacher, and pioneer of Attitudinal Healing. Explore his biography, key contributions, famous quotes, and lessons we can learn from his teachings.

Introduction

Gerald Gersham Jampolsky (February 11, 1925 – December 29, 2020) was an American psychiatrist, author, and spiritual teacher whose work bridged psychology, healing, and the transformative power of love. He is best known for founding the Center for Attitudinal Healing and developing the “attitudinal healing” philosophy, based on twelve principles that guide individuals toward forgiveness, letting go of fear, and deeper peace.

Jampolsky’s message continues to resonate today as people struggle with inner fear, guilt, and the desire for emotional healing. His writings and workshops remain a source of inspiration for those seeking more compassion, resilience, and spiritual wellbeing.

Early Life and Family

Gerald Jampolsky was born on February 11, 1925, in Long Beach, California, to Leo Jampolsky and Tillie Fellman Jampolsky.

Despite these early struggles, Jampolsky pursued education and eventually enrolled in Stanford University’s medical program. He graduated with a medical degree in about 1950.

Though much of his personal family life is less documented, his marriage to Diane V. Cirincione (a psychologist) became a central partnership in his later work. Together, they co-authored books and supported the growth of Attitudinal Healing centers worldwide.

Youth and Education

At Stanford, Jampolsky completed his premedical studies and medical schooling, graduating with a medical degree in the early 1950s.

Jampolsky also worked as a staff psychiatrist at Travis Air Force Base during part of the Korean War era, before transitioning into child psychiatry fellowship, and later, academic roles at UCSF.

Through this medical and psychiatric training, Jampolsky gained credentials and clinical experience—but his later shift toward spiritual psychology would merge his medical background with more transcendent healing ideas.

Career and Achievements

Traditional Psychiatric Practice

Early in his career, Jampolsky worked in child and adult psychiatry, taught at medical institutions, and served in clinical roles.

Turning Point & Spiritual Awakening

In the 1970s, Jampolsky experienced a personal crisis: he faced depression, marital breakdown, alcohol addiction, and existential questions. A Course in Miracles (a spiritual text) and underwent what he described as a transformative spiritual awakening.

This experience inspired him to shift his professional direction, moving away from strictly medical psychiatry toward what he later called “attitudinal healing” — healing through shifts in mindset, forgiveness, and letting go of fear.

Founding the Center for Attitudinal Healing & Peer Support

In 1975, Jampolsky founded the first Center for Attitudinal Healing in Tiburon, California, offering free services to children and adults facing serious illness, emotional crisis, or grief.

He also pioneered peer support groups as a healing modality — people healing together through shared experience rather than solely through a clinician-patient model.

Writing, Teaching & Influence

Jampolsky authored numerous books, many of which became influential in spiritual and self-help circles. Some of his notable works include:

• Love Is Letting Go of Fear (1970/1979)

• Teach Only Love: The Twelve Principles of Attitudinal Healing (1983)

• Goodbye to Guilt: Releasing Fear Through Forgiveness (1985)

• Forgiveness, the Greatest Healer of All (1999)

• Simple Thoughts That Can Change Your Life (with Diane Cirincione)

His works propagated via workshops, lectures, media appearances, and endorsements by figures like Oprah Winfrey, who credited him with having a profound influence on her perspective on forgiveness and healing.

He also launched the “Children as Teachers for Peace” project (circa late 1970s), giving children a voice in envisioning a more peaceful world.

Throughout his life, Jampolsky emphasized integration of spiritual principles into health, education, business and community fields, influencing how organizations incorporate emotional wellness and forgiveness practices.

Later Life & Passing

Gerald Jampolsky lived much of his later life in California (including Sausalito).

Historical Milestones & Context

• 1975: Founding of the first Center for Attitudinal Healing in Tiburon, California.

• Late 1970s: Jampolsky’s Love Is Letting Go of Fear gains wide attention, including media exposure (e.g. Johnny Carson show) that boosts its popularity.

• Late 1970s–1980s: Expansion of attitudinal healing centers globally; launch of peer support models and initiatives like Children as Teachers for Peace.

• 1983: Publication of Teach Only Love, articulating the twelve principles that underlie his attitudinal healing philosophy.

• 1985+: Additional books on guilt, forgiveness, and letting go further disseminated his ideas.

• 2000s onward: Institutionalization of his work through Attitudinal Healing International, publication, workshops, and integration into broader fields of wellness, education, and spiritual development.

In the broader context, Jampolsky emerged during an era when psychology, spirituality, and self-help were increasingly intersecting (1970s onward). His bridging of clinical psychiatry and spiritual teaching made him a distinctive figure in the movement toward holistic healing.

Legacy and Influence

Gerald Jampolsky’s legacy can be seen in multiple spheres:

1. Attitudinal Healing Movement
   His model of healing through attitude shift (letting go of fear, forgiving, helping others) remains active through many centers worldwide. The peer support / group healing model he championed has influenced how emotional support work is done globally.

2. Integration of Spirituality and Psychology
   He was among the early thinkers who bridged mainstream mental health and spiritual frameworks. His work helped legitimize more integrative approaches that consider the mind, heart, and spirit.

3. Influence on Prominent Figures & Media
   Public endorsements (e.g. Oprah Winfrey) and media exposure expanded the reach of his ideas to mainstream audiences, shifting how people perceive inner work and forgiveness.

4. Writings & Quotes
   His books are translated into many languages and cited in spiritual, psychological, and self-help circles. His quotes on forgiveness, love, fear, and attitude circulate widely.

5. Empowerment & Resilience
   For many, his work offers a practical path to emotional resilience: recognizing fear, letting go, forgiving, and choosing love. His approach empowers individuals to take charge of their inner state, regardless of external circumstances.

6. Continuing Institutions
   Attitudinal Healing International continues to support centers globally that carry forward his mission.

His guiding maxim — that “love heals best” — remains a central tenet echoing in spiritual psychology circles.

Personality and Talents

From available accounts, several traits and talents stand out:

• Humility and openness: Jampolsky often framed himself not as an authority dictating truths, but as a fellow traveler on the path of healing.

• Empathy & Compassion: His work emphasizes meeting people where they are, offering unconditional acceptance.

• Integrative vision: He had the ability to synthesize clinical psychiatry, spiritual insight, and practical group methods into a coherent philosophy.

• Communicative skill: Through writing, teaching, workshops, and media, he could translate deep spiritual ideas into accessible language.

• Resilience and transformation: His own struggles—emotional pain, addiction, loss—became catalysts for growth and redirection, which resonate with many who face adversity.

His personality seems to combine a scientific mindset with spiritual sensitivity, making his teachings especially compelling to people who appreciate both rigor and heart.

Famous Quotes of Gerald Jampolsky

Here are some of his most well-known and resonant quotes (each reflects his core themes of love, forgiveness, fear, and attitude):

• “Other people do not have to change for us to experience peace of mind.”

• “How simple it is to see that we can only be happy now, and that there will never be a time when it is not now.”

• “The law of Love is based on abundance; we are completely filled with Love all the time … by giving our Love away we increase the Love within us and everyone gains.”

• “The ego searches for shortcomings and weaknesses. Love watches for any sign of strength.”

• “Peace of mind comes from not wanting to change other, but by simply accepting them as they are. True acceptance is always without demands and expectations.”

• “Fear and love can never be experienced at the same time. It is always our choice as to which of these emotions we want.”

• “Love is the total absence of fear. Love asks no questions. Its natural state is one of extension and expansion, not comparison and measurement.”

• “Forgiveness means letting go of the past.”

• “I can have peace of mind only when I forgive rather than judge.”

• “There is no right or wrong behavior. The only meaningful choice is between fear and love.”

These quotes, simple yet deep, often serve as daily reminders of his philosophy.

Lessons from Gerald Jampolsky

From Jampolsky’s life and teachings, we can distill several enduring lessons:

1. Attitude is a powerful choice
   Jampolsky emphasizes that while we may not control external events, we always have the power over our internal responses. Changing our attitude can shift our reality.

2. Letting go of fear is central
   Fear, guilt, blame, and judgment are barriers to love and healing. Consciously choosing love over fear opens pathways to peace.

3. Forgiveness is liberating — not condoning
   He distinguishes forgiveness from condoning; it's primarily for our own peace, releasing the emotional burden of the past.

4. Helping others heals
   Jampolsky believed that in helping others, we help ourselves. The exchange of compassion and care is itself a healing force.

5. Healing is relational, not isolated
   His peer support and group model affirms that we heal in connection, not in isolation.

6. Transformation often arises from crisis
   Jampolsky’s own life turned when he confronted suffering. Hardship can be a doorway to deeper insight.

7. Simplicity matters
   His principles are expressed simply but carry deep significance. Profound truths need not be obscure.

8. Inner change precedes outer change
   Rather than trying to force external change, the shift begins within — in perception, acceptance, love.

Conclusion

Gerald Jampolsky’s journey—from a medical psychiatrist to a spiritual pioneer—offers a compelling model of integrative healing. His legacy lives in the communities, books, centers, and hearts transformed by his message: love heals best. Through choice, forgiveness, and inner transformation, each of us can move toward greater peace, resilience, and compassionate presence in the world.

If you’d like, I can provide a curated list of his top 20 quotes with interpretations, or produce a companion article exploring The Twelve Principles of Attitudinal Healing in depth. Would you like me to do that?