Hoffman, Lynn

Hoffman, Lynn (1924–  ) family/marriage therapist; born in Paris, France. Child of American parents—her mother was Ruth Reeves, a noted textile designer—she grew up in a New York artists' colony. She graduated from Radcliffe (1946) and held a series of jobs before she began to concentrate on family therapy (1963) in a program influenced by the ideas of Gregory Bateson. She took a master's degree from the Adelphi School of Social Work (1971) and worked for family therapy organizations in Philadelphia, New York City, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Connecticut. She conducted workshops and addressed many conferences around the world, and taught at the Smith College School of Social Work (1983). Among her publications, Foundations of Family Therapy (1981) is recognized internationally as an important textbook.