What is Psychoanalysis?
Summary
TLDRIn this discussion, Susan Moore and Professor Dawn Corvette delve into the intricacies of psychoanalysis. They define it as a form of talk therapy that aims to bring unconscious thoughts and feelings into consciousness, addressing deep-rooted issues often linked to childhood traumas. The conversation contrasts psychoanalysis with other therapies like CBT, highlighting its focus on character structure and personality. The use of the couch in therapy is explained as a tool to facilitate regression and access unconscious elements, such as dreams and fantasies. The dialogue also touches on the evolution of psychoanalysis since Freud, with contributions from Melanie Klein, Donald Winnicott, and John Bowlby, emphasizing the importance of a multifaceted approach to understanding the human psyche.
Takeaways
- 🌟 Psychoanalysis is a form of psychotherapy that involves talk therapy, where patients are encouraged to speak freely about their thoughts and feelings without censorship.
- 🔍 The goal of psychoanalysis is to bring unconscious thoughts and repressed feelings into consciousness to address the root causes of a person's problems.
- 🤔 The difference between psychoanalysis and other therapies like CBT is that psychoanalysis aims to address deeply rooted issues in a person's character and personality, often originating from childhood.
- 🛋 The use of a couch in psychoanalysis helps to 'triangulate' the relationship, facilitating the patient's access to fantasies, dreams, and feelings by promoting a certain amount of regression.
- 🌱 Dreams and fantasies are considered important in psychoanalysis as they provide a window into the unconscious mind, which is key to understanding the patient's conflicts and pain.
- 🤷♀️ Defense mechanisms, such as repression, are used by individuals to protect themselves from painful emotions and memories, which can lead to issues like depression or psychosomatic illnesses.
- 👶 The pre-Oedipal period and early mother-infant relationships are crucial areas of focus in psychoanalysis, with significant contributions from Melanie Klein and Donald Winnicott.
- 🔗 John Bowlby's attachment theory has greatly influenced psychoanalysis, emphasizing the importance of early attachments and their impact on an individual's psychological development.
- 📚 Psychoanalysis has evolved since Freud's time, incorporating theories from various analysts, and modern psychoanalytic institutes teach a range of perspectives to provide a comprehensive understanding.
- 🧠 The practice of psychoanalysis requires analysts to be open to multiple viewpoints and to understand the patient's psychic reality from various angles.
Q & A
What is psychoanalysis and how does it differ from other forms of talk therapy?
-Psychoanalysis is a form of psychotherapy that involves talk therapy, where patients are encouraged to speak freely without censoring themselves. It aims to bring unconscious thoughts and feelings into consciousness, which are believed to be at the root of many psychological issues. Unlike briefer and less intense therapies like CBT, psychoanalysis seeks to address deeply rooted problems in the character structure that often originate from childhood.
Why might someone seek psychoanalytical treatment?
-A person might seek psychoanalytical treatment if they are experiencing problems that are deeply rooted in their personality structure and have origins in childhood trauma or pain. Psychoanalysis aims to unravel these deep-seated issues over an extended period of time.
What is the significance of the couch in psychoanalytic therapy?
-The couch in psychoanalytic therapy is used to triangulate the relationship between the analyst and the patient, facilitating a focus on the patient's life and experiences rather than just the interaction between the two. It promotes regression, allowing the patient to access feelings, fantasies, and fleeting thoughts more easily.
Why are childhood memories, dreams, and fantasies important in psychoanalysis?
-Childhood memories, dreams, and fantasies are important in psychoanalysis because they provide access to the unconscious mind. These elements often encapsulate childhood pain and conflicts that are repressed or inhibited, and understanding them is crucial for resolving the issues that brought the person to analysis.
How does the concept of regression play a role in psychoanalysis?
-Regression in psychoanalysis refers to the process where patients become less reality-oriented and more focused on feelings, fantasies, and fleeting thoughts. This regression is facilitated by the use of the couch and helps patients to access unconscious material that is crucial for the therapeutic process.
What is the role of dreams in psychoanalytic treatment?
-Dreams are considered the 'Royal Road to the unconscious' in psychoanalysis. They provide a window into the unconscious mind and can encapsulate childhood pain, conflicts, and repressed emotions. Analyzing dreams is a key part of understanding the patient's unconscious processes.
How does psychoanalysis view the concept of depression?
-From a psychoanalytic perspective, depression is often seen as anger turned inwards. It can result from bottling up emotions and memories that are painful, leading to self-directed anger and sadness.
How has psychoanalysis evolved since Freud's time?
-Psychoanalysis has evolved significantly since Freud's time, with contributions from analysts like Melanie Klein, Anna Freud, Donald Winnicott, and John Bowlby. They have expanded the understanding of the pre-Oedipal period, mother-infant relationships, attachment theory, and the biological aspects of human behavior.
Why is it important for psychoanalysts to be exposed to multiple points of view in their training?
-Psychoanalysts should be exposed to multiple points of view during their training to ensure they can understand and address the diverse aspects of a patient's psychic reality. This exposure allows them to listen and respond effectively to the complex and multifaceted nature of human psychology.
What is the significance of the pre-Oedipal period in psychoanalysis?
-The pre-Oedipal period, which focuses on the mother-infant relationship, is significant in psychoanalysis as it provides insight into early emotional development and attachment. This period was largely unexplored by Freud and was further developed by analysts like Melanie Klein and Donald Winnicott.
How does the concept of defense mechanisms relate to psychoanalysis?
-Defense mechanisms in psychoanalysis refer to the psychological strategies people use to protect themselves from painful emotions and memories. These mechanisms can lead to repression and the development of neurotic symptoms, which psychoanalysis aims to uncover and resolve.
Outlines
💬 Introduction to Psychoanalysis
Susan Moore, a psychoanalyst, and Professor Dawn Corvette discuss the nature of psychoanalysis as a form of deep psychotherapy. Psychoanalysis is described as 'talk therapy' that aims to bring unconscious thoughts and feelings into consciousness, often related to repressed emotions and memories from childhood. It is particularly suited for deeply rooted personality issues. The conversation distinguishes psychoanalysis from other therapies like CBT, highlighting its focus on the root causes of problems rather than symptom relief. The use of the couch in psychoanalysis is also explained, suggesting it facilitates regression and introspection, aiding patients in exploring their unconscious mind.
🌱 The Role of Dreams and Unconscious in Psychoanalysis
The dialogue emphasizes the importance of dreams, daydreams, and fantasies in psychoanalysis. Dreams are referred to as the 'Royal Road to the unconscious,' revealing childhood traumas and conflicts. The conversation suggests that unconscious material is often defended against due to its painful nature. This defense mechanism can lead to neurosis, depression, or psychosomatic illnesses when emotions like anger are turned inward. The paragraph also touches on how early childhood experiences shape our emotional responses and how psychoanalysis aims to decode these early patterns to treat present issues.
📚 Evolution of Psychoanalysis Beyond Freud
The conversation highlights the evolution of psychoanalysis since Freud's time, acknowledging his foundational role while also recognizing the contributions of other analysts. Melanie Klein is noted for her focus on the pre-Oedipal period and the mother-infant relationship, filling gaps in Freud's theories. Donald Winnicott's work with pediatrics and early mother-infant connections is mentioned, along with John Bowlby's attachment theory. The paragraph stresses the importance of a multi-perspective approach in psychoanalysis, advocating for an understanding of various viewpoints to fully appreciate a patient's psychic reality.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Psychoanalysis
💡Free Association
💡Unconscious
💡Repression
💡Couch
💡Regression
💡Dreams
💡Defense Mechanisms
💡Neurosis
💡Psychosomatic Illness
💡Attachment Theory
Highlights
Psychoanalysis is a form of psychotherapy that involves talk therapy and aims to bring unconscious material into consciousness.
Patients are offered complete confidentiality and are encouraged to speak freely without censoring themselves.
The goal is to discuss repressed feelings and memories that contribute to the individual's problems.
Psychoanalysis is particularly suitable for deeply rooted personality issues with origins in childhood.
Other forms of therapy, like CBT, may not address the deep roots of problems as effectively as psychoanalysis.
The use of a couch in psychoanalysis facilitates regression and allows patients to explore feelings, fantasies, and dreams.
Dreams are considered a royal road to the unconscious and are crucial in psychoanalysis.
Daydreams and spontaneous fantasies are also important in accessing the unconscious mind.
Defense mechanisms against painful emotions and memories can lead to neurosis and psychosomatic illnesses.
Depression is viewed as anger turned on the self in psychoanalytic theory.
Psychoanalysis has evolved since Freud's time, with contributions from Klein, Winnicott, and Bowlby.
Melanie Klein's work focused on the pre-Oedipal period and the mother-infant relationship.
Donald Winnicott brought pediatric insights into psychoanalysis, emphasizing early mother-infant connections.
John Bowlby's attachment theory has been a significant contribution to understanding early separations and their effects on children.
Psychoanalytic institutes teach multiple points of view, recognizing the evolution and breadth of the field.
Psychoanalysis is not static and has adapted to include various perspectives and advancements in the field.
Transcripts
I'm Susan Moore I'm a psychoanalyst and
a graduate of the Toronto Institute of
psychoanalysis and a member of the
Toronto psychoanalytic Society I'm here
with Professor dawn Corvette a training
and supervising analyst and the former
director of the Toronto Institute of
psychoanalysis let's begin with a fairly
broad but a sort of a fundamental
question what is psychoanalysis and what
are some of the reasons a person might
seek out psychoanalytical treatment it's
a form of psychotherapy it's a talk
therapy it precedes really by offering
patients an opportunity to engage in
free speech the patient has offered
complete confidentiality and is
encouraged or invited to try to put
everything into words without censoring
himself or herself to speak freely one
is speaking to a professional who is
non-judgmental the whole purpose of this
is really to try to bring what has been
unconscious into consciousness that
which has been repressed inhibited
bottled up pushed down is able to come
to consciousness and be discussed
because the bottling up and the pushing
down of these feelings these memories we
believe plays a central role in the
problems that have brought the person to
analysis in the first place what is the
difference in between psychoanalysis and
other forms of talk therapies like CBT
for example psychoanalysis and
psychoanalytic psychotherapy are really
the treatments of choice when the
problem is deeply rooted in in the
character structure in the personality
structure and has its origins in
childhood often in childhood pain trauma
other forms of psychotherapy that are
briefer that are less intense can't
really get at the roots of the problem
in the way that psychoanalysis and
psychoanalytic therapy aim to do a lot
of different problems bring people to
treatment but analysis is trying to get
to the roots and that's why the the
therapy is so intense and why it takes a
considerable period of time to to
unravel all of this so someone entering
psychoanalysis for the first time might
wonder about the use of the couch what
that's for how the psychoanalytic
process works how would you describe
that to well so first of all not all
analysts use the couch not all analysts
use the couch all the time the couch
triangulates the relationship I'll say
what I mean by triangulating if I'm
sitting behind and you're lying on the
couch it's as if you and I are both
looking at a third thing some spot on
the wall whatever but we're looking at
that third thing and that third space
that we're looking at is your life your
life as it includes me in this room now
your life with your husband and your
kids but it's not about you and me
exactly anymore although what's going on
between you and me comes into it for
sure but we're looking on at a third
thing and somehow that facilitates it
also it makes it easier for the patient
to get in touch with fantasy to get in
touch with dreams to get in touch with
feelings the use of the couch promotes a
certain amount of regression where
by the patient becomes a little less
reality oriented and a little bit more
oriented towards feelings and fantasies
and fleeting thoughts people often
associate psychoanalysis with things
like childhood memories or dreams and
fantasies
why are those things so important to
psychoanalysis remember again we're
trying to get at what's unconscious
I mean intelligent people are already
able to understand themselves on the
conscious level to a considerable degree
they're able to figure things out
insofar as they're conscious but if
they're unconscious of something then
it's not available for them to
rationally you know reason about we need
to get at the unconscious Freud called
dreams the Royal Road to the unconscious
dreams really do
into the unconscious I feel that like if
a patient I'm meeting a patient for the
first time and he or she tells me I've
had a repetitive dream since childhood
and I'm still having it I'm saying this
is gold okay tell me this dream because
because that dream is going to
encapsulate their childhood pain it's
going to encapsulate their conflicts I
mean it's repetitive for a good reason
why is the dream repeating because
there's something important in that
dream that that that that needs to be
understood and decoded so dreams are
important but so are daydreams so are
just spontaneous fantasies patient
reports that on the on the bus to my
office for some reason he went into this
long daydream while that's pretty
interesting that he goes into that
particular daydream on his way to see me
so again we're trying to get at what's
unconscious why is it unconscious
because because there are defenses
against it because people are defending
against emotions and memories that are
painful they're they're defending
against truths
that are painful that make them anxious
that make them sad that make them angry
people are often neurotic because
they're deeply angry but they don't know
it they won't know it they don't want to
know it so what are they doing with
their anger they're bottling it up and
it gets turned on themselves and now
they're depressed I mean from a
psychoanalytic point of view that is
what depression is it is anger turn on
the self why are they doing this why are
they bottling up the anger because as
kids if your parents make you incredibly
angry that you may not dare to show your
anger because that will make the parents
angrier
that may lead to punishment it mean lead
to rejection so you learn early in
childhood to stifle your anger and you
may learn to turn it on yourself or you
may learn to turn that anger on other
people and become a bully or to
victimize others in some way dumping the
anger on others dumping the anger on
oneself or you may turn the anger into
your own body and make yourself sick
there's the whole field of psychosomatic
illness where where people develop all
kinds of conditions rashes asthma
migraines all kinds of things as a
result of deep anger that is bottled up
and turned against the self
so you mentioned Freud and
psychoanalysis has been around for over
a hundred years now and one of the myths
about psychoanalysis is that it's all
about Freud or some people think it's
out of date can you speak now - how
psychoanalysis has evolved both
theoretically and clinically over times
since Freud right well Freud died in
1939 that's a long time ago there's been
a lot of evolution I mean he is the
founding father where we are standing on
his shoulders
Melanie Klein made a crucially important
contribution to psychoanalysis but
Melanie Klein thought of herself as a
Freudian if I have to attach a label to
myself I would call myself a kleinian
Freudian mrs. Klein was a woman Freud
was a very patriarchal male he had real
blind spots which he was aware of he
referred to the so called pre oedipal
period from birth to about two and a
half as a Dark Continent he said it was
all shadowy to him he said it will be
the women analysts who will tell us
about this and he was right the women
analyst Melanie Klein his daughter Anna
Freud filled in that whole pre oedipal
period which instead of being a triad as
in the oedipal phase the threesome
mother father child which Freud mapped
very thoroughly Klein focused on the
dyadic period pre edible period of the
mother infant relationship and then so
did Donald Winnicott Donald Winnicott
was a pediatrician he worked with
mothers and babies and he brought that
awareness into psychoanalysis like Klein
well he was very influenced by Klein but
he extended the Klein influence into
more insight into early mother infant
connections and then of course John
Bowlby and attachment theory a huge
contribution I mean all of those kids
were moved out of London during the
bombing during the Second World War and
he began to study the effects of these
early separations on on children and he
started to study attachment and loss and
mourning and separation anxiety and and
he saw that we that our attachments are
a part of our biological heritage he
studied primates and you know our
primate cousins form attachment we form
attachments and this was carefully
studied often in sort of experimental
ways and that's a huge con
abuse to the development of
psychoanalysis so many developments
since Freud and all responsible
psychoanalytic Institute's I believe
teach all of the main points of view and
Institute the taught only Freud or that
taught only Klein or that taught only
Jacques Lacan this isn't valid because
we need to be exposed to all of the
major thinkers and we we need to be able
to listen from multiple points of view
right and also I think there's an and a
tradition and ancestry yet that they
follow you know that begins with Freud
we can see how it changes over time it's
very tempting to identify with one
perspective but it's not right to
identify with one perspective because
you know you're you're closing your eyes
and your ears two important elements of
the patient's psychic reality that we'll
only be able to be accessed if you can
hear from multiple points of view
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