PSYCHOANALYTIC

 THERAPY  
 
Key  Figures  and  Major  Focus  
Original  key  figure:  Sigmund  Freud,  father  of  psychoanalysis.  Ego  psychologist:  Erik  Erikson.  Object  
relations:  Margaret   Mahler.  Historically,  psychoanalysis  was  the  first  system  of  psychotherapy.  It  is  a  
personality  theory,  a  philosophy  of  human  nature,  and  a  method  of  therapy.  
 
Philosophy  and  Basic  Assumptions  
Although   the   Freudian   view   of   human   nature   is   basically   deterministic   and   focuses   on   irrational  
forces,   biological   and   instinctual   drives,   and   unconscious   motivation,   later   developments   in  
psychoanalysis   stressed   social   and   cultural   factors.   Contemporary   psychoanalytic   thinking  
emphasizes   the   development   of   the   ego   and   the   differentiation   and   individuation   of   the   self.   The  
contemporary   psychoanalytic   approaches   deviate   significantly   from   traditional   or   Freudian  
psychoanalysis,   yet   these   modern   versions   retain   the   emphasis   on   the   unconscious,   the   role   of  
transference  and  countertransference,  and  the  importance  of  early  life  experiences.  
 
Key  Concepts  
Key  notions  include  the  division  of  the  personality  into  the  id,  ego,  and  superego;  the  unconscious;  
anxiety;   the   functioning   of   ego-­‐defense   mechanisms;   an   understanding   of   transference   and  
countertransference;   a   focus   on   the   past   for   clues   to   present   problems;   and   the   development   of  
personality   at   various   stages   of   life.   Healthy   personality   development   is   based   on   successful  
resolution   of   both   psychosexual   and   psychosocial   issues   at   the   appropriate   stages   throughout   the  
life  span.    
 
Psychopathology   is   the   result   of   failing   to   meet   some   critical   developmental   task   or   becoming  
fixated   at   some   early   level   of   development.   Freudian   psychoanalysis   is   basically   an   id   psychology,  
whereas  the  newer  formulations  of  psychoanalytic  therapy  are  based  on  an  ego  psychology.    
 
The   contemporary   psychoanalytic   approaches   include   object-­‐relations,   self   psychology,   and  
relational   psychoanalysis.   These   newer   formulations   concentrate   on   the   development   of   the   ego,  
and  they  pay  more  attention  to  the  social  and  cultural  factors  that  influence  the  differentiation  of  an  
individual   from   others.   Contemporary   psychoanalysis   gives   increased   emphasis   to   the   therapeutic  
relationship  and  views  therapy  as  an  interactive  process  between  client  and  therapist.  
 
Therapeutic  Goals  
A   primary   goal   is   to   make   the   unconscious   conscious.   Both   psychoanalysis   and   psychoanalytically  
oriented   therapy   seek   the   growth   of   the   ego   through   analysis   of   resistance   and   transference,  
allowing  the  ego  to  solve  the  unconscious  conflicts.  The  restructuring  of  personality  is  the  main  goal,  
rather   than   solving   immediate   problems.   Contemporary   analytically-­‐oriented   therapists   are  
interested  in  their  clients’  pasts,  but  they  intertwine  that  understanding  with  the  present  and  with  
the   future.   The   past   is   relevant   to   the   extent   that   it   sheds   light   on   a   client’s   present   and   future  
direction.  
 
 
 
Therapeutic  Relationship  
In   classical   psychoanalysis   the   anonymity   of   the   therapist   is   stressed,   so   that   clients   can   project  
feelings   onto   the   therapist.   The   focus   is   on   resistances   that   occur   in   the   therapeutic   process,   on  
interpretation  of  a  client’s  life  patterns,  and  on  working  through  transference  feelings.  Through  this  
process,   clients   explore   the   parallels   between   their   past   and   present   experience   and   gain   new  
understanding  that  can  be  the  basis  for  personality  change.  
 
With  the  modern  psychoanalytic  approaches,  the  therapist  does  not  remain  anonymous,  emphasis  is  
given  to  the  here-­‐and-­‐now  interactions  between  client  and  therapist,  and  therapists  can  decide  when  
and  what  to  disclose  to  clients.  Both  transference  and  countertransference  are  central  aspects  in  the  
relationship   that   are   addressed.   Contemporary   relational   theorists   have   challenged   the   authoritarian  
nature  of  classical  analysis  and  replaced  it  with  a  more  egalitarian  model.  
 
Techniques  and  Procedures  
All  techniques  are  designed  to  help  the  client  gain  insight  and  bring  repressed  material  to  the  surface  
so  that  it  can  be  dealt  with  in  a  conscious  way.    
 
Major   techniques   of   traditional   psychoanalysis   include   maintaining   the   analytic   framework,   free  
association,   interpretation,   dream   analysis,   analysis   of   resistance,   and   analysis   of   transference.  
These   techniques   are   geared   to   increasing   awareness,   gaining   intellectual   insight,   and   beginning   a  
working-­‐  through  process  that  will  lead  to  a  reorganization  of  the  personality.    
 
In   contemporary   psychoanalytic   practice,   more   latitude   is   given   to   the   therapist   in   using   a   diverse  
range   of   techniques   and   in   developing   the   therapeutic   relationship.   In   contemporary   relational  
psychoanalysis,  the  therapist  does  not  strive  for  a  nonparticipating,  detached,  and  objec-­‐  tive  stance,  
but   is   attuned   to   the   nature   of   the   therapeutic   relationship,   which   is   viewed   as   a   key   factor   in  
bringing  about  change.  The  newer  psychoanalytic  theorists  have  enhanced,  extended,  and  refocused  
classical  analytic  techniques.  
 
Applications  
Good  candidates  for  analytic  therapy  include  professionals  who  wish  to  become  therapists  as  well  as  
people   who   have   been   helped   by   intensive   therapy   and   want   to   go   further.   This   therapy   demands  
sacrifices   of   time,   money,   and   personal   commitment   and   is   typically   a   long-­‐term   process.  
Psychoanalytic   concepts   and   techniques   can   be   adapted   to   both   time-­‐   limited   therapy   and   group  
therapy.  
 
Limitations  
Classical   psychoanalysis   involves   lengthy   training   for   the   therapist   and   a   great   amount   of   time   and  
expense  for  clients.  The  approach  stresses  the  role  of  insight  but  does  not  give  due  recognition  to  
the   importance   of   action   methods.   The   model   is   based   on   the   study   of   neurotic   individuals,   not   of  
healthy  people.  The  orthodox  Freudian  approach,  with  its  stress  on  instinctual  forces,  does  not  give  
adequate   attention   to   social,   cultural,   and   interpersonal   factors.   The   techniques   of   this   long-­‐term  
approach  are  of  limited  applicability  to  crisis  counseling,  working  with  many  culturally  diverse  client  
populations,  and  social  work.