Psychoanalytic/Psychodynamic

Theory

FREUD
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Psychoanalysis
 Theory of Personality
 Method of Therapy
 Technique of Investigation

 Freud developed his theories based on

intensive clinical studies of individual
cases – women with hysterical symptoms

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Brief History 1856-1939
 1881 – Practices medicine in neurology
and nervous diseases
 Basic research in “nerve” cells in simple animals 
neurons- bdng. blocks brain
 Breuer “talking cure” Anna O.
 Under hypnosis connect symptoms to earlier traumas
that are repressed
 Re-lives the early emotional experience and
symptoms disappear - catharsis

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Hypnosis vs. Free Association
How to make the patient remember the
“forgotten” traumatic experience while
awake.
Freud assumes that all behavior is
purposeful, therefore,
Patient verbalizations, interpreted by the
analyst, will lead to the repressed material

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Concept of Humans
 Humans are an energy system
 Basic source of energy – Instincts
 States of excitation in the body that seek
expression and tension reduction
 Biologically rooted
 Behavior is purposeful--determined by
instinctual forces
 Instincts are governed by the pleasure
principle
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Instinctual energy exists in a state of
tension created by opposing forces
 EROS Life Instinct Preservation of
self and species

 THANATOS Death instinct Source of

aggression and drive to die

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Instinct may be satisfied
 By external objects – Real or displaced
 The object is energized by the instinct
 In fantasy
 By becoming fused in one action
 Eating – aggression and self-preservation

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Instinct gratification vs. society’s
demands for restraint
 Direct Gratification – Possible sometimes

 Sublimation – positive and culturally

valued activities

 Neurosis – maladaptive but more

acceptable ways to the person or to society

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Levels of Awareness: Unconscious,
Pre-conscious, Conscious
 Unconscious
 A-logical
 Disregards time and space
 Symbolic language
 Many ideas may be condensed in one
 Part = Whole

 One whole = several objects

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Clinical evidence for postulating
the unconscious
 Dreams
 Slips of the tongue
 Posthypnotic suggestions
 Material derived from free-association
 Material derived from projective techniques
 Symbolic content of psychotic symptoms
 NOTE: consciousness is only a thin slice of the
total mind

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Implications of the Unconscious
 Significant part of our behavior is
controlled by forces out of our awareness

 Psychic energy is used to

 find acceptable ways to express unconscious
ideas and wishes
or
 to keep them repressed

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Structure of Personality
 Three psychic structures or mental
functions that are grouped according to the
role they play in the dynamic conflict
 ID
 EGO
 SUPER EGO

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THE STRUCTURE OF THE PSYCHE
New Introductory
Lectures on
Psychoanalysis
Freud, 1933

Pcpt.-cs.: Perceptual
consciousness

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 ID
 Unconscious Biological Component
 Base of instinctual life
 Source of drive energy – Libido
 Guided by pleasure principle, seeks
gratification of instinct in action or fantasy
 A-social – no regard for social norms
 Life and death drives co-exist in dynamic
tension

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 EGO
 Conscious Aspect of Self –Reality Principle
 Acts in the external world – behaviors
 Site of perceptual cognitive skills
 Mediates between Id and Super-Ego
 Able to separate wish from fantasy
 Tolerates tension and is able to compromise
 Changes with time

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 SUPER EGO
 Learned Aspect of Self, Ego ideal
 Both conscious and unconscious
 Moral aspect, guided by ideals
 Lacks reality testing
 Actions = Thoughts
 Black –White judgments – no ability to
compromise
 Formed by Ego out of the Id

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Theory of Psychological Development

 Focuses on the development of the

instincts, therefore it is rooted in biology
 Genetic approach – earlier stages are
important determinants of later stages

It is a rather abstract aspect of the theory

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 The Development of Personality
 ORAL STAGE First year
 Related to later mistrust and rejection issues
 ANAL STAGE Ages 1-3
 Related to later personal power issues
 PHALLIC STAGE Ages 3-6
 Related to later sexual attitudes

Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 4 (1)

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The Development of Personality
 LATENCY STAGE Ages 6-12
 A time of socialization
 GENITAL STAGE Ages 12-60
 Sexual energies are invested in life

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Erikson’s Stages of Development
 Trust vs. Mistrust First Year Oral
 Autonomy vs. Shame and doubt 1-3
 Initiative vs. Guilt 3-6
 Industry vs. Inferiority 6-12
 Identity vs. Role Confusion 12-18
 Intimacy vs. Isolation 18-35
 Generatively vs. Stagnation 35-60
 Integrity vs. Despair 60+
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 Process of Psychic Life
 Investment of energy for:
 Object gratification
 Repression of drives and desires

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Process of Psychic Life
 Conflict is experienced for two main
reasons:
 Internalforces in dynamic opposition
 Relationship with figures of authority
and/or rigid super ego engender
perceptions of danger which lead to
repression of impulses and frustration

 Conflict leads to Anxiety

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 Anxiety
 Painful emotional experience

 Alerts Ego of danger

 Emerges from the emotional repetition

of the trauma

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 Anxiety
 The conflict may be between
 ID-Ego Ego fears being
overwhelmed by Id
 ID-Super Ego Guilt, self-condemnation
 Ego-Ego Aware vs. repressed Ego
Desire/want versus fear, sense of threat

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THE STRUCTURE OF THE PSYCHE
Freud, 1933

New Introductory
Lectures on
Psychoanalysis

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 Ego-Defense Mechanisms
 Are normal behaviors which operate on an
unconscious level to deny or distort reality
 Help the individual cope with anxiety and
prevent the Ego from being overwhelmed
 Have adaptive value if they do not become
a style of life to avoid facing reality

Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 4 (4)

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 Defense Mechanisms
 Repression  Regression
 Denial  Intellectualization
 Reaction formation  Sublimation
 Introjection
 Projection  Identification
 Displacement  Compensation
 Rationalization
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Ego Strength or Resiliency
 The more the EGO needs to use repression
to maintain equilibrium:
 The more rigid and defended it will be, and

 The less capable to deal with the demands of

the ID and the outside WORLD and the
criticisms of the SUPER EGO

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Theory of Psychopathology (1/2)
 When conflicts occur in early life, a
fixation or “freezing” of development
occurs
 Person will have difficulty with the tasks of
the stage in which conflict occurred
 Conflicts at one stage influence the
development of subsequent stages

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Theory of Psychopathology (2/2)
 The experience of the conflict (then and
now) generates ANXIETY which
 Results in the development of
MECHANISMS OF DEFENSE that help
the Ego deal with the anxiety
 Overuse of the defenses results in
SYMPTOMS -- disguised expression of
repressed emotions and impulses

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Stage of Development and Trauma
 4/5 years + Neurosis
 2/3 years Obsessive/compulsive
 First year Psychosis, Narcissistic,
Borderline
 Ego can handle the anxiety using the
defenses, or
 Ego is overwhelmed and person regresses
to primitive, primary processes of thinking
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 ]

Example Early Conflict

 Child receives inadequate, inconsistent
care in infancy, responds with:
 Frustration and anger
 Perception of needs as bad, self as bad
 Fear of abandonment from caretaker

 Part of the Ego that perceives the unmet

needs and the negative feelings will be
repressed or denied
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 In adulthood, situations that elicit desire to be close to
others, to have others take care of one’s needs, elicit
Anxiety related to the old feelings of:
 Frustration and anger
 Perception of needs as bad, self as bad
 Fear of abandonment

 Symptom: Difficulties in interpersonal

relations -- product of mechanisms of defense (e.g.
denial, reaction formation, projection, displacement, sublimation)
used to avoid the anxiety generated by these negative
feelings
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Psychodynamic Perspective
 Conflict between conscious (want to get close, be taken
care of) and repressed aspects of the Ego (sense of self
as bad; fear of rejection)
 Potential Defense Mechanisms
 Displacement: anger, frustration towards parental
figures and self is directed towards significant others
 Projection/Sublimation: projects on others
repressed desires of being taken care of- becomes
supreme caretaker
 Reaction formation: develop a super-independent
persona

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Therapeutic Objectives
 Bring the unconscious conflict to
awareness -- Resistance
 Corrective emotional experience
 Re-live past painful experiences under more
favorable conditions to get a better solution to
the conflict
 The process involves
 Catharsis – release of blocked emotions
 Insight- awareness and understanding of
emotional reactions and use of defenses
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Psychoanalytic Techniques
 Free Association
 Client reports without censoring feelings &
thoughts

 Dream Analysis
 “Royal road to the unconscious” to bring
unconscious material to light

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Psychoanalytic Techniques
 Transference
 The client reacts to the therapist as he did earlier to
significant others
 To re-experience repressed memories and feelings
 ANALYSIS OF TRANSFERENCE — allows the client to
achieve insight into the influence of the past

 Interpretation to lead to Insight

 Therapist points out, explains, and teaches the meanings
of what is revealed- connect unconscious to conscious-
which leads to insight

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Counter-Transference

 Therapists’ reactions toward the client is

based on unconscious issues -- that may
interfere with objectivity

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 Resistance
 Anything that works against the progress of therapy;
prevents the production of unconscious material
avoid dealing with painful emotions
 Defense Mechanisms: Denial, intellectualization,
projection, rationalization
 Canceling appointments, terminating therapy prematurely,
having nothing to say

 Confrontation and Analysis of Resistance

 Helps client see the secondary gain of behavior

Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 4 (7)

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Markers Ego Resiliency vs. Brittleness

Confidence Optimism
• Has social poise and presence • Basically anxious
• Responds to humor • Vulnerable, fearful
• Calm, relaxed in manner • Tends to ruminate
• Feels a lack of personal meaning • Feels cheated, victimized by life
• Maladaptive under stress
• Is self-defeating

Productive and Autonomous Activity

• Is productive; gets things done • Gives up; withdraws from adversity
• Values own independence

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Markers Ego Resiliency vs. Brittleness

Interpersonal Warmth and Insight

• Has warmth; is compassionate • Denies unpleasant experiences
• Insight into own motives and • Over-reactive to frustrations
behaviors
• Arouses liking and acceptance
• Perceptive of interpersonal cues
• Sees to heart of problems
• Dependable and responsible

Skilled Expressiveness
• Skilled in social techniques • Is emotionally bland
• Initiates humor • Does not vary roles
• Uncomfortable with uncertainty

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 Limitations Freud’s Theory
 Reductionism and theory of instincts
 Concepts are difficult to observe and
measure empirically
 Limited use in predicting behavior: goes
from the adult back to the child
 Socio-cultural limits
 Based on women from higher SES
 Victorian issues of sex and morality
 Outdated gender role perspectives
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 Contributions
 Moved the study of “nervous
diseases” to the realm of the
psychological
 Discovery of the Unconscious
 Comprehensive complex theory
 Has generated much study and
continues to evolve
 Basic tenets have been incorporated in
modern theories
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Anatomy of the Brain & the Unconscious

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 Amygdala – receives
perceptual stimulus
directly; storages
emotional memories

 Prefrontal cortex-
declarative memory-
conscious recollections
of past events, things,
persons

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Pathways of Emotions: Fear

The amygdala lets us

react almost
instantaneously to the
presence of a danger.

Often we startle first,

and then realize what
frightened us.

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