1915年4月20日，出生于南非约翰内斯堡市，取名为约瑟夫·沃尔普。
1933年，进入南非维特沃特斯兰德大学学医，开始了六年的医学课程训练。
1942年，在第二次世界大战中入伍，被安排到南非金伯利的一家军队医院工作。
1946年，从军队退役，回到母校维特沃特斯兰德大学，在精神病学系攻读博士学位。同年6月，开始对猫进行神经症实验研究。
1948年，获得医学博士学位。同年5月，和斯黛拉在南非约翰内斯堡结婚。
1949年，在雷纳和泰勒的鼓励下，根据自己的实验与临床经验，完成书稿《条件反射和神经症》。
1951年，第一个儿子戴维（David）出生。
1954年，第二个儿子艾伦（Allan）出生。
1956年，带家人离开南非，在斯坦福大学的行为科学研究中心工作一年。
1957年，和家人回到南非约翰内斯堡，一边在母校维特沃特斯兰德大学任教，一边继续新疗法的临床实践。
1958 年，出版个人第一本专著《交互抑制心理疗法》。
1960年1月，全家移民到美国弗吉尼亚州的夏洛茨维尔市。
1965年，在美国弗吉尼亚州开办了第一个行为治疗培训班，名为“六月研究院”。
1969年，制订评估主观不适的心理困扰量表——主观焦虑程度量表。
1982年，到了退休年龄，继续被美国宾夕法尼亚州精神病研究所返聘留任。
1988年，退休后带着妻子回到加利福尼亚州的洛杉矶安度晚年。
1990年，相濡以沫42年的妻子斯黛拉因患淋巴癌去世。
1996年，和伊娃·焦尔马蒂再婚。
1997年12月4日，因肺癌在美国加利福尼亚州洛杉矶与世长辞，享年82岁。
沃尔普主要著述列表
1.Wolpe J. Learning Versus Lesions as the Basis of Neurotic Behavior［J］.American Journal of Psychiatry, 1956,112：542-544
2.Wolpe J. New Facts and Old Misconceptions about Neuroses［J］. South African Medical Journal, 1956,30：542-544.
3.Wolpe J. Psychotherapy by Reciprocal Inhibition［M］. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1958.
4.Wolpe J. Psychotherapy Based on the Reciprocal Inhibition Principle［M］// Burton A （Ed.）. Case Studies in Counseling and psychotherapy. New York: Prentice-Hall, 1959.
5.Wolpe J. Psychotherapy by Reciprocal Inhibition: A Reply to Dr.Glover［J］. British Journal of Medical Psychology, 1959,32：232-235.
6.Wolpe J. Truth about Psychoanalysis［J］. British Medical Journal, 1960 ,May 28：1659.
7.Wolpe J. The Systematic Desensitization Treatment of Neuroses［J］. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 1961,132：189-203.
8.Wolpe J. The Prognosis in Unpsychoanalyzed Recovery from Neuroses［J］. American Journal of Psychiatry, 1961,117：35-39.
9.Wolpe J. Psychotherapy: The Nonscientific Heritage and the New Science［J］. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 1963,1：23-28.
10.Wolpe J. Quantitative Relations in the Systematic Desensitization of Neuroses［J］. American Journal of Psychiatry, 1963,119：1062-1068.
11.Wolpe J. The Conditioning Therapies: The Challenge in Psychotherapy［M］. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1964.
12.Wolpe J. Behavior Therapy in Complex Neurotic States［J］. British Journal of Psychiatry, 1964,110：28-34.
13.Wolpe J. Conditioned Inhibition of Craving in Drug Addiction: A Pilot Experiment［J］. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 1965,3：185-189.
14.Wolpe J. Comment on H. J. Eysenck’s the Effects of Psychotherapy［J］. International Journal of Psychiatry, 1965,1：173-175.
15.Wolpe J. Behaviour Therapy Techniques［J］. British Journal of Psychiatry, 1967,113：239.
16.Wolpe J. Psychotherapy by Reciprocal Inhibition［J］. Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science, 1968,3（4）：234-240.
17.Wolpe J. The Practice of Behavior Therapy［M］. New York: Pergamon Press, 1969.
18.Wolpe J. Experimental Psychology and Psychoanalytic Theory［J］. International Journal of Psychiatry, 1969,7：558-561.
19.Wolpe J. Psychotherapeutic Efficacy and Objective Research［J］. International Journal of Psychiatry, 1969,7：157-159.
20.Wolpe J. Basic Principles and Practices of Behavior Therapy of Neuroses［J］. American Journal of Psychiatry, 1969,125：136-141.
21.Wolpe J. Transcript of Initial Interview in a Case of Depression［J］. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 1970,1：71-78.
22.Wolpe J. The Applied Science of Behavior Therapy［M］// R. H. Bradfield （Ed.）. Behavior Modification: The Human Effort. San Francisco, Calif.: Dimensions, 1970.
23.Wolpe J. The Compass of Behavior Therapy［J］. Behavior Therapy, 1971,2：403-405.
24.Wolpe J. Behavior Therapy: Breaking the Freudian Habit［J］. Hospital Physician, 1971,11：58-63.
25.Wolpe J. Correcting Misconceptions in a Case of Frigidity: A Transcript［J］. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 1971,2：251.
26.Wolpe J. Advances in Behavior Therapy［M］// J. H. Masserman （Ed.）. Current Psychiatric Therapies （Vol. 12）. New York: Grune & Stratton, 1972.
27.Wolpe J. My Philosophy of Psychotherapy［J］. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 1973,6：59-62.
28.Wolpe J. Behavior Analysis Versus Psychoanalysis［J］. Psychoanalytic Forum, 1974,5：378-379.
29.Wolpe J. Behavior Therapy in Anorexia Nervosa［J］. Journal of the American Medical Association, 1975,233：317-318.
30.Wolpe J. Relaxation as an Instrument for Breaking Adverse Emotional Habits［M］// McGuigan F J （Ed.）. Tension Control.Chicago: University of Chicago, 1975.
31.Wolpe J. Theme and Variations: A Behavior Therapy Casebook［M］. New York: Pergamon Press, 1976.
32.Wolpe J & Reyna L J （1976）. Behavior Therapy in Psychiatric Practice［M］. New York: Pergamon Press.
33.Wolpe J. Review of A. Beck, Cognitive Therapy and the Emotional Disorders［J］. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 1977,8：219.
34.Wolpe J. Inadequate Behavior Analysis: The Achilles Heel of Outcome Research in Behavior Therapy［J］. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 1977,8：13.
35.Wolpe J. Cognition and Causation in Human Behavior and Its Therapy［J］. American Psychologist, 1978,33（5）：437-446.
36.Wolpe J. Research Methodology［J］. American Journal of Psychiatry, 1978,138：8.
37.Wolpe J. The Human Value of Behavior Therapy［J］. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 1978,29：58-64.
38.Wolpe J. Behavior Therapy：A Humanistic Activity［J］. Psychiatric Opinion, 1979,16：6.
39.Wolpe J. Behavior Therapy Versus Psychoanalysis: Therapeutic and Social Implications［J］. American Psychologist, 1981,36（2）: 159-164.
40.Wolpe J. Life without Fear: Anxiety and Its Cure［M］. Oakland: New Harbinger Publications, 1988.
41.Wolpe J & A A Lazarus. Behavior Therapy Techniques: A Guide to the Treatment of Neuroses［M］. Oxford: Pergamon Press, 1966.
42.Wolpe J & Wolpe D. Our Useless Fears［M］. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1981
