Psychoanalytic Therapy Altamonte Springs, FL

How Psychoanalytic Therapy Works

Since psychoanalysis is based on the belief that past experiences and the unconscious mind primarily drive everyone, psychoanalytic therapy focuses on uncovering these hidden motivators. Patients may meet with their psychoanalyst at least once a week for months or even years.

Techniques Used in Psychoanalytic Therapy

Several popular techniques of psychoanalytic therapy include dream interpretation, free association, Freudian slip, and transference. Freud considered dream analysis to be the most important psychoanalytic technique, often referring to it as the "royal road to the unconscious."

Free association is when the patient freely shares their thoughts in response to words or images from the psychoanalyst. It is not uncommon for repressed memories to emerge during this process. Freudian slips, also known as parapraxis, are a phenomenon where the patient says one thing while meaning another. Finally, transference occurs when one projects their feelings about another onto the psychoanalyst. This helps the psychoanalyst understand how the patient interacts with others.

Types of Psychoanalytic Therapy

Today, there are two main types of psychoanalytic therapy: applied psychoanalysis and neuro-psychoanalysis. Applied psychoanalysis applies psychoanalytic principles not only to real-world settings and situations but also to the study of art and literature. In contrast, neuro-psychoanalysis applies neuroscience to psychoanalytic issues. These may include dreams and repression.

Applied Psychoanalysis

In the words of the American Psychoanalytic Association (APSAA), applied psychoanalysis applies psychoanalytic theories and methods to "explain social, cultural and political phenomena and has been going on since psychoanalysis began." In other words, they use psychoanalytic principles to make sense of the world.

Neuro-Psychoanalysis

Thanks to modern scientific advances, we can now understand the link between neuroscience and psychoanalytic models of the human mind better than ever before. By marrying these domains, neuro-psychoanalysis exemplifies the ways in which how the mind is organized can "inform and enrich brain exploration — and vice versa."

Candidates for Psychoanalytic Therapy

Psychoanalytic therapy can benefit virtually anybody looking for more insight into their behavior and thought patterns. However, patients must be active participants in their treatment, willing to potentially confront past traumas and introspect.

Additionally, it is important to know the difference between medication and psychoanalysis. Psychoanalytic therapy is a form of talk therapy that involves talking through issues to better understand them and discover more effective techniques for managing them. In contrast, medication, usually prescribed by a psychiatrist, can help treat the patient through trying to correct an imbalance of chemicals in the brain that are causing the patient turmoil.

Benefits of Psychoanalytic Therapy

According to the American Psychological Association, in a review of the literature comparing psychoanalytic approaches to cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) , there are seven distinguishing features of psychoanalytic therapy. This includes the (1) focus on emotion, (2) exploration of avoidance, (3) identification of recurring themes, (4) orientation towards experience, (5) exploration of interpersonal relationships, (6) emphasis of the therapeutic relationship, and (7) its free-flowing nature.

In other words, unlike CBT, psychoanalytic therapy allows patients to explore their full range of emotions, including anything they may find distressing and want to avoid. This also helps identify recurring self-destructive patterns of behavior, however unconscious they may be. Additionally, whereas other forms of psychotherapy focus on the present, psychoanalytic therapy allows for a more complete picture of how one's past may affect both their present and future. This also allows patients to better explore their current and past relations with others. Since the therapeutic relationship is so important in this form of psychotherapy and patients are encouraged to explore freely, they may speak of fears, desires, and dreams that have previously gone unheard.

When to Seek Psychoanalytic Therapy

Psychoanalytic therapy can benefit anyone dealing with mental health problems, such as anxiety or depression. Individuals with personality traits that keep getting in the way of either their private or professional lives are also likely to respond to psychoanalytic therapy. In any case, it is important to remember that problems do not necessarily have to be severe to seek the help of a psychoanalyst.

According to the APSA, "being worried, having long-standing internal conflicts, or even just curious about yourself and how your mind works, are valid reasons for speaking with a psychoanalyst." Gaining insight into one's self and one's behaviors can help one confront various roadblocks in one's life path.