What is Psychoanalysis?

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Psychoanalysis, founded by Neurologist Sigmund Freud, is the hallmark of psychotherapy. Freud believed that individuals have levels of consciousness and mental health disorders come from the unconscious mind, which stores primal energy and sexual urges.

Psychoanalysis’s goal is to make the unconscious conscious so people can better understand their whole self. Because the unconscious guards repressed emotions and memories, people can be hesitant to bring them forward. Freud referred to these defense mechanisms as ways people avoid confronting their unconscious thoughts.

Psychoanalysis uses the Rorschach inkblot test, free association, and dream analysis.

Rorschach inkblot tests are ambiguous images that have no meaning. Psychoanalysts ask a person to explain what they see within the image and then interpret their unconscious material from there.

Free association is when a psychoanalyst says a word or phrase, and then the person is encouraged to speak about whatever first comes to mind. Free association aims to discover parts of repressed memories and incorporate them into the conscious mind.

Dream analysis asks people to explain their dreams. Then, the psychoanalyst makes interpretations, or guesses, about the dream’s latent content. Latent content refers to what the dream means instead of the dream’s manifest content, which is what happened during the dream.

Psychoanalysis is an intensive form of therapy that requires years of work. It can be helpful for people experiencing anxiety or depression or for people who want to incorporate unconscious material into their consciousness.

Therapists Who Specialize in Using Psychoanalysis

Dr. Lucie M. Taustine, Ph.D.

Massapequa Park

New York

My approach to understanding people is grounded in diverse psychoanalytic and psychodynamic theory; I believe in both conscious and unconscious motivations for our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Since not all patients want or need the same type of treatment, my skillset includes: psychoanalysis, psychodynamic therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, therapeutic hypnosis, holistic approaches...

Harmon Biddle

Washington

District of Columbia

As a Psychoanalyst and Psychotherapist, my expertise is working with adults experiencing depression and anxiety stemming from feelings of anger and sadness often related to loss. Issues of self esteem can result in one feeling left out and isolated from others. Hard work in Individual Psychotherapy or Psychoanalysis can bring an acute awareness of how unconscious life is causing one to repeat...

Preisz-McMillin Clinic, Inc.

Oklahoma City

Oklahoma

We welcome those who want a life-changing personal experience and need an experienced, veteran Psychologist and Diplomate Clinical Social Worker who have worked together as an experienced Co-Psychotherapeutic Team for 30-years to help serve them. We provide out-patient personal psychotherapy for adults and couples who are in a personal crisis, suffering from complex post traumatic stress...

Aashlesha Patel

New York

New York

Hi, are you new to therapy or just haven’t really had a good experience with therapy? Maybe you’re feeling “stuck” in some aspect of your life be it relationships, career or unhealthy coping behaviors. Life is hectic and demanding, leaving us feeling disconnected from ourselves and others, which can cause anxiety and feelings of inadequacy. I want to help you feel less shame about yourself and...
Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy I am a provider of adult, child and adolescent counseling, psychoanalytic psychotherapy, chemical dependency counseling and life centering skills. I specialize in treatment of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, relationship issues, and trauma....
I try to individually tailor treatment to each patient by providing a balance of symptom relief to alleviate current discomfort and analysis of primary causal factors for long-term resolution. I was originally trained as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, which gives me my hands on, problem solving side. I then went on to formally train as a psychoanalyst where I honed my skills for understandi...
Manhattan Institute for Psychoanalysis, founded in 1980 and chartered by the New York State Board of Regents links people to psychoanalytically trained Manhattan Institute graduates and candidates. The Treatment Center is dedicated to providing high quality psychotherapy and psychoanalysis at affordable fees. Psychotherapy and psychoanalysis are offered for a wide range of concerns including, b...