You may be asking yourself: What is psychoanalysis?? Let’s take a little look behind that curtain!
“Psychoanalysis is a form of psychotherapy based on understanding the unconscious mental processes that determine a person’s thoughts, actions, and feelings. Therapy helps to identify and relate these unconscious processes to a person and to any psychological or physical issues they may be experiencing.” (Holland, 2019).
The process of psychoanalysis is therefore the exploration of these underlying unconscious thoughts and processes with the goal of gaining perspective on how they might be affecting your current feelings and well-being. The deep understanding gained allows us to make real and, in most cases, permanent changes to your current problematic thoughts and behaviors.
What are some of the methods used in this process?
Free Association
You will be coached to talk freely about whatever comes to mind, avoiding any attempts to censor or otherwise edit your thoughts. With your analyst’s help, you will identify the source of your problematic issues.
Interpretation
Your analyst will comment on your thoughts in ways that both add additional clarity for you and encourage you to explore further.
Transference
Once you and your analyst have established a trusting relationship, you may begin to transfer thoughts and feelings connected to other people in your life (e.g. sibling, spouse/partner, parent) to her. This process allows you to understand and ‘make meaning’ of these feelings you have for others, further progressing the therapeutic process. This is a very important and powerful part of psychoanalysis! (Holland, 2019)
Dream Interpretation
A very powerful tool in psychoanalysis is the interpretation of dreams. Dreams are the access to our unconscious and as such provide great insight into our hidden thoughts and feelings!
Interested in learning more about how psychoanalysis can help you? Let’s talk about it!
References
Holland, Kimberly. (2019) Psychoanalysis. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/psychoanalysis
