What is Psychoanalysis?

Therapist's couchPsychoanalysis is a highly specialized treatment based on the observation that people are often unaware of the many internal factors that determine their emotions and behavior. Because it addresses core problems as well as symptoms, psychoanalysis is a comprehensive treatment for many psychological and emotional difficulties in appropriate individuals. It enables people to become aware of inner forces that affect life and helps master those inner forces that are out of conscious control.

Psychoanalysis is a collaborative process between you and your analyst for the purpose of health through deep self awareness.

While meeting frequently and regularly with a psychoanalyst in a quiet and safe setting, you are encouraged to talk about whatever is on your mind – everyday life, dreams, feelings or any other thoughts that may come to mind. In this atmosphere, you learn about the inner conflicts you have built up over the years and how these have affected your life. As you become increasingly aware of the nature of these conflicts and their effects, solutions to your conflicts may be developed. You can become freer and emotionally healthier as you are able to apply some of these new solutions.

Essentially, psychoanalysis is a collaborative relationship between you and your analyst, which can ease cramped life patterns and relieve symptoms. Over time, the understandings reached during treatment may affect many aspects of your life, leading to changes in behavior, relationships, and sense of self.

Beyond Therapy

Did you know? Psychoanalysis is practiced world wide. There are training institutes for psychoanalysis in major cities in Europe, Asia, and North and South America.

Psychoanalysis is also a research method for studying the psychological development and functioning of the human mind. The field of psychoanalysis aims at a full exploration of how the human mind operates. Rather than distinguishing the brain, which is physical, from the mind, which is psychological, psychoanalysts see a continuum of functioning integrating these two modalities. In this way, the field of psychoanalysis aims for a comprehensive understanding of human emotional life.

Psychoanalytic thinking also enriches many academic fields. It is a tool for interpretation, which has been applied to further understanding of art, literature, and history. More recently, psychoanalysts and neuro-scientists have collaborated and are developing an increasingly sophisticated understanding of how areas of the brain and mind interact to develop symbolic meaning.