Psychoanalysis

Psychoanalysis was developed by Sigmund Freud in the early twentieth century. While it was the most common type of therapy for the first half of the century, many other types of therapy exist today. In psychoanalysis, the therapist helps the patient be more aware of unconscious influences of childhood experiences. By identifying early conflicts or traumas, the therapist can integrate aspects of the past that the patient has not dealt with. Treatment can last several years with sessions scheduled four or five times a week.

A key element of psychoanalysis is defense mechanisms. Traditionally, psychoanalysis is not accompanied by medication therapy.

Treatment Approach

Patient Therapist Interaction

• Transference is when the patient transfers feelings and reactions of past experiences onto the therapist. This process allows the patient to understand how past experiences effect who they are now.
• Countertransference is when the therapist transfers feelings and reactions of past experience onto the patient. Being aware of past experiences and feelings helps the therapist focus on the current patient.
• Resistance is the reluctance to think about or discuss something. This provides the therapist with cues to which topics are sensitive to the patient.

Techniques

• Free Association In free association, a person talks about anything that comes to mind. The different associations that people make may give insight to a person 's own conflicts and usual defense mechanisms.
• Dream Analysis Freud believed that dreams were keys that could help unlock the doors of unconsciousness. By analyzing dreams, patients can better understand what their repressed wishes are and how these wishes affect their personality.