Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy
Psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic psychotherapy are unique forms of intensive psychotherapy that foster personal development and liberation from unsatisfying or painful patterns of living. In pursuit of those goals, the individual and the analyst work together in close collaboration. Together, they pay careful attention to the interactions of personal and interpersonal experience, of past and present, of body and mind, of fantasy and reality. It is expected that such an in-depth exploration, in an intense therapeutic relationship, can set in motion a process of personal transformation.
People seek psychoanalysis or psychoanalytic therapy for many reasons. Some want help with specific emotional problems such as depression and anxiety, or wish to come to terms with a painful or traumatic personal history. Others may feel stuck in distressing patterns that prevent them from feeling satisfied, from connecting with others, or from finding meaning in their lives. Many people simply desire a deeper self-understanding or greater creativity in their lives.
The process of psychoanalysis or psychoanalytic therapy depends on the establishment of a safe, confidential and collaborative therapeutic relationship. The frequency of sessions ranges from one to five times per week. (More frequent sessions lead to greater depth, in which the patient’s dilemmas come more to the surface, and are played out in the analytic relationship.) The client and analyst work together to understand the meaning of the individual's emotional reactions, thoughts, memories, fantasies, dreams, images and sensations in an effort to alleviate personal suffering and to expand the capacity for work, love and creativity. Many individuals find that the use of a couch allows them to speak more freely about their most personal concerns and to access unconscious experience. For others, a face-to-face dialogue is more comfortable.
The client’s responsibility in psychoanalytic treatment is to talk as freely as possible, about whatever comes to mind. Eventually, hints of unconscious fantasies, conflicts or feelings will become apparent in what is said, and in how the client relates these thoughts and feelings to the analyst. The analyst’s role is to elucidate, clarify and interpret these observations, and then observe how the patient confirms, rejects or adds to the understanding. This process can be expected to unfold over a considerable period of time. These processes are repeatedly worked over, eventually leading to change in symptoms, behaviors, self-esteem, relationships and problems. The relationship between the analyst and the client is extremely important, as aspects of past and present relationships are often played out in the analytic relationship.
In children, emotional problems will often cause normal development to be halted or diverted. So the goal of child therapy or analysis is to work through the problems, and to re-establish normal development. The psychoanalytic process is essentially the same, but play is the primary medium for the psychoanalytic process.
The psychoanalytic process weaves a complex tapestry in which analyst and patient can explore the rich and intricate texture of human relationship. Psychoanalysis offers a unique and comprehensive method of thinking and working therapeutically. The theory and methods of psychoanalysis originated with Sigmund Freud’s exploration of the unconscious. However, contemporary psychoanalysts draw on a vast body of knowledge, both within psychoanalysis and across disciplines, to understand their patients and to respond empathically and effectively.
Psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic psychotherapy are unique forms of intensive psychotherapy that foster personal development and liberation from unsatisfying or painful patterns of living. In pursuit of those goals, the individual and the analyst work together in close collaboration. Together, they pay careful attention to the interactions of personal and interpersonal experience, of past and present, of body and mind, of fantasy and reality. It is expected that such an in-depth exploration, in an intense therapeutic relationship, can set in motion a process of personal transformation.
People seek psychoanalysis or psychoanalytic therapy for many reasons. Some want help with specific emotional problems such as depression and anxiety, or wish to come to terms with a painful or traumatic personal history. Others may feel stuck in distressing patterns that prevent them from feeling satisfied, from connecting with others, or from finding meaning in their lives. Many people simply desire a deeper self-understanding or greater creativity in their lives.
The process of psychoanalysis or psychoanalytic therapy depends on the establishment of a safe, confidential and collaborative therapeutic relationship. The frequency of sessions ranges from one to five times per week. (More frequent sessions lead to greater depth, in which the patient’s dilemmas come more to the surface, and are played out in the analytic relationship.) The client and analyst work together to understand the meaning of the individual's emotional reactions, thoughts, memories, fantasies, dreams, images and sensations in an effort to alleviate personal suffering and to expand the capacity for work, love and creativity. Many individuals find that the use of a couch allows them to speak more freely about their most personal concerns and to access unconscious experience. For others, a face-to-face dialogue is more comfortable.
The client’s responsibility in psychoanalytic treatment is to talk as freely as possible, about whatever comes to mind. Eventually, hints of unconscious fantasies, conflicts or feelings will become apparent in what is said, and in how the client relates these thoughts and feelings to the analyst. The analyst’s role is to elucidate, clarify and interpret these observations, and then observe how the patient confirms, rejects or adds to the understanding. This process can be expected to unfold over a considerable period of time. These processes are repeatedly worked over, eventually leading to change in symptoms, behaviors, self-esteem, relationships and problems. The relationship between the analyst and the client is extremely important, as aspects of past and present relationships are often played out in the analytic relationship.
In children, emotional problems will often cause normal development to be halted or diverted. So the goal of child therapy or analysis is to work through the problems, and to re-establish normal development. The psychoanalytic process is essentially the same, but play is the primary medium for the psychoanalytic process.
The psychoanalytic process weaves a complex tapestry in which analyst and patient can explore the rich and intricate texture of human relationship. Psychoanalysis offers a unique and comprehensive method of thinking and working therapeutically. The theory and methods of psychoanalysis originated with Sigmund Freud’s exploration of the unconscious. However, contemporary psychoanalysts draw on a vast body of knowledge, both within psychoanalysis and across disciplines, to understand their patients and to respond empathically and effectively.