What Is Psychoanalytic Therapy

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.
Specifically, it examines how your experiences (often from childhood) may
be contributing to your current actions.

Freud described the unconscious as the reservoir of desires, thoughts, and

memories that are below the surface of conscious awareness. He believed
that these unconscious influences could often lead to psychological distress
and disturbances.

Techniques
People undergoing psychoanalytic therapy often meet with their
psychoanalyst at least once a week. They can remain in therapy for months
or even years.

Psychoanalysts use a variety of techniques to gain insight into your

behavior. Some of the more popular techniques include:

 Dream interpretation: According to Freud, dream analysis is by far the

most important psychoanalytic technique. He often referred to dreams as
"the royal road to the unconscious." 1 Psychoanalysts may interpret dreams
to get insight into the workings of your unconscious mind.
 Free association: Free association is an exercise during which the
psychoanalyst encourages you to freely share your thoughts. They may give
you a word (or show you an image) and ask you to say the first thing that
pops into your head. Psychoanalysts hold that repressed memories can
emerge during this process.
 Transference: Transference occurs when you project your feelings about
another person onto the psychoanalyst. You'll then interact with them as if
they were that other person. This technique can help your psychoanalyst
understand how you interact with others.

Psychoanalysts spend a lot of time listening to people talk about their lives,
which is why this method is often referred to as "the talking cure."

What Psychoanalytic Therapy Can Help

With
Psychoanalytic therapy may be used to treat a number of different
psychological conditions, including:
  Anxiety
 Depression
 Emotion struggles or trauma
 Identity problems
 Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
 Phobias
 Psychosomatic disorders
 Relationship issues
 Self-destructive behavior
 Sexual problems

People who are likely to benefit from this form of therapy are often those
who have been experiencing symptoms for some time.

Benefits of Psychoanalytic Therapy

What makes psychoanalytic therapy different from other forms of treatment?
A review of the research comparing psychoanalytic approaches to cognitive
behavioral therapy (CBT) identified seven features that set the
psychoanalytic approach apart.2

 Focuses on emotions. Where CBT is centered on cognition and behaviors,

psychoanalytic therapy explores the full range of emotions that a patient is
experiencing.
 Explores avoidance. People often avoid certain feelings, thoughts, and
situations they find distressing. Understanding what a client is avoiding can
help both the psychoanalyst and the client understand why such avoidance
comes into play.
 Identifies recurring themes. Some people may be aware of their self-
destructive behaviors but unable to stop them. Others may not be aware of
these patterns and how they influence their behaviors.
 Experience-oriented. Other therapies often focus more on the here-and-
now, or how current thoughts and behaviors influence how a person
functions. The psychoanalytic approach helps people explore their pasts and
understand how it affects their present and future.
 Explores interpersonal relationships. Through the therapy process,
people are able to explore their relationships with others, both current and
past.
 Emphasizes the therapeutic relationship. Because psychoanalytic
therapy is so personal, the relationship between the psychoanalyst and the
patient is an important part of the treatment process.
 Free-flowing. Where other therapies are often highly structured and goal-
oriented, psychoanalytic therapy allows the patient to explore freely. Patients
are free to talk about fears, desires, and dreams.