Psychoanalytic therapy is a form of psychotherapy rooted in the idea that all people are motivated by unconscious desires, thoughts, emotions, and memories. Also known as psychodynamic psychotherapy, psychoanalytic therapy is based on the theory of psychoanalysis. Show
Maskot / Getty Images The Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud developed psychoanalysis in the late 19th century. Today, psychoanalytic therapists help people uncover their unconscious feelings and memories, identify negative patterns of thinking and behavior, and overcome past traumas. In this article, learn about psychoanalytic therapy, including history, techniques, and benefits. What Is Psychotherapy?Psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy, is a method of helping people manage emotional distress, stress, conflicts, and mental health disorders. Psychotherapy is conducted by a therapist in individual, family, or group settings. What Is Psychoanalytic Theory?Psychoanalytic therapy evolved out of the theory of psychoanalysis, which Freud developed in the 1890s. Some of the core beliefs within psychoanalysis include:
Many of Freud's ideas about mental health have since been widely debated, disputed, and refuted. However, the core tenets of psychoanalysis remain highly influential in the fields of psychology and psychiatry. How It WorksAccording to the American Psychoanalytic Association (APsaA), the goal of psychoanalytic therapy is to identify patterns of thinking and behavior that cause emotional distress. Usually, this involves working with a therapist one on one multiple times per week to make unconscious drives and defenses conscious and to reconcile these. Through in-depth
conversations and other therapeutic techniques, psychodynamic psychotherapists help their patients to analyze, confront, and heal from the past in order to achieve greater well-being in the future. Psychoanalysis and the SubconsciousYou might associate psychoanalysis with the stereotype of someone lying on the couch while an analyst scribbles notes. While the couch has mostly gone by the wayside, there’s some truth to this image. Because psychoanalytic therapy is focused on uncovering your subconscious, the first goal in therapy is to make you feel comfortable enough to explore memories and thoughts that you usually don’t like to confront. What It Can Help WithPsychoanalytic therapy can help with anything in your life that causes emotional distress or impairs your daily functioning. It can also be used to treat certain mental health conditions, such as depression and some anxiety disorders. By gaining a greater understanding of your underlying motivations and fears, you may be able to address conflicts in your relationships and resolve problems at work or school. Confronting the thoughts and emotions you normally avoid under the guidance of a psychotherapist may help you to address your issues head-on. Techniques Psychoanalytic therapy usually involves free-flowing, in-depth conversations in one-on-one sessions with a trained
therapist. Psychoanalytic therapists also use techniques like transference analysis, dream analysis, interpretation, and free association to help patients identify self-defeating patterns. Transference AnalysisThe therapist-patient relationship is highly important in psychoanalytic therapy. Transference refers to the idea that the patient’s feelings and behaviors toward their therapist can provide insight into their childhood experiences with caregivers and authority figures. In turn, countertransference refers to the therapist’s unconscious feelings and thoughts about the patient. Psychoanalytic therapists analyze these patterns to gain insight into their patient’s past experiences and unconscious mind. Dream Analysis Psychoanalytic theory holds that many thoughts, memories, drives, and emotions that remain outside of conscious awareness show up in
dreams and fantasies. Psychoanalytic therapists often analyze recurring symbols and imagery from their patients’ dreams to discover key themes and patterns that may emerge. Interpretation Interpretation refers to the process through which a psychoanalytic therapist pieces various observations about their patient’s conscious and unconscious behavior into a cohesive narrative. This may include interpretations of body language, emotional expressions, and other forms of verbal and nonverbal
communication. Free AssociationWhile other forms of psychotherapy often involve controlled, targeted discussions with clear goals in mind, psychoanalytic therapy is deliberately more free flowing. Developed by Freud, free association is a psychoanalytic technique that involves encouraging the patient to talk openly about whatever is on their mind
in a stream-of-consciousness fashion. This open-ended approach is believed to help unconscious thoughts, fears, shame, and motivations come to light. BenefitsPsychoanalytic therapy is effective in helping people gain insight into the repetitive, self-destructive patterns that hold them back in relationships, work, school, and other aspects of everyday life. Research suggests that psychodynamic psychotherapy may be useful in treating the following medical conditions:
What Are Functional Somatic Disorders (FSDs)?Functional somatic disorders (FSDs) are chronic, complex disorders with persistent physical symptoms that may have no known explanation. Researchers believe they may involve interactions among physical, neurological, and psychological symptoms. Psychodynamic psychotherapy is unique in its intense focus on patients’ emotions, childhood experiences, interpersonal relationships, avoidance tactics, and fantasy lives. You may prefer it to other forms of therapy if you want to build a strong relationship with a single therapist, if you have long-standing problems in relationships, or if you feel “stuck” in a self-limiting cycle of thoughts and memories. EfficacyPsychoanalytic therapy has a somewhat controversial history as a clinical approach. Some researchers have expressed skepticism about the long-term efficacy of psychoanalytic therapy in treating mental health conditions. However, recent evidence suggests that both short-term (fewer than 40 sessions) and long-term psychoanalytic therapy are effective in treating mental health symptoms and preventing them from returning. Recent results about the potential efficacy of psychoanalytic techniques include:
CostEffective long-term psychoanalytic therapy may take multiple weekly sessions across several years to complete, so many patients are concerned about cost. The cost of psychoanalytic therapy varies widely based on your location, provider, and insurance plan. It may range from as little as $10 per session from an analyst-in-training to over $250 per session with a highly qualified senior analyst. Some clinicians offer sliding-scale fees based on your annual income. APsaA offers a list of low-fee clinics and other resources to help you find affordable psychoanalytic therapy in your area. Who Should Avoid It?While there is no agreed-upon group of people who should avoid psychoanalytic therapy, it may not be effective for everyone. There is limited evidence to suggest that psychoanalysis is effective in treating the following mental health conditions:
Also, most psychodynamic psychotherapists are not able to prescribe medicines. Talk to your healthcare provider about getting a referral to a psychiatrist if you think you may need medication. SummaryPsychoanalytic therapy, sometimes called psychodynamic psychotherapy, is a type of talk therapy that grew out of Sigmund Freud’s theory of psychoanalysis. Psychoanalysis is rooted in the idea that much of our behavior is motivated by unconscious thoughts, feelings, and memories that remain outside of our everyday awareness. The goal of psychoanalytic therapy is to help the patient identify self-limiting patterns, heal from past experiences, and gain insight into how their unconscious mind influences their behavior. Psychoanalytic therapists use free-flowing conversation, usually in at least one session per week, to accomplish this goal. Other psychoanalytic techniques include dream analysis, free association, interpretation, and transference analysis. A Word From Verywell If you’d like help with mental health symptoms, relationship problems, or emotional distress, you might want to consider psychoanalytic therapy. Reach out to therapists who are trained in psychoanalytic techniques to see if their approach might be right for you. Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary goal of psychoanalytic therapy?The main goal of psychoanalytic therapy is to bring unconscious material into consciousness and enhance the functioning of the ego, helping the individual become less controlled by biological drives or demands of the superego.
What is psychoanalytic therapy approach?Psychoanalytic therapy is a form of in-depth talk therapy that aims to bring unconscious or deeply buried thoughts and feelings to the conscious mind so that repressed experiences and emotions, often from childhood, can be brought to the surface and examined.
What therapy is based on Freud's psychoanalytic approach to personality?Psychoanalytic therapy is a form of talk therapy based on Sigmund Freud's theories of psychoanalysis. The approach explores how the unconscious mind influences your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
What is the basic aim of psychoanalytic therapy quizlet?What are the 4 main goals of Psychoanalytic therapy? To make the unconscious conscious. To reconstruct the basic personality. To assist the client in reliving earlier experiences and working through repressed material.
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