What is it?
Psychoanalytic psychotherapy addresses deep-rooted emotional issues.
It helps individuals understand their unconscious motivations.
The therapist-client relationship reveals significant emotional patterns.
This therapy often requires time for meaningful change.
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Description
Psychoanalytic psychotherapy is a therapeutic approach aimed at helping individuals identify and understand the root causes of their problems, whether they involve symptoms, feelings, behaviours, or relationship issues. This therapy, which originated from Sigmund Freud’s early work and has been refined over time, involves open and honest dialogue with a therapist. The goal is to explore the deeper meanings behind difficulties and uncover how past experiences influence current issues.
Through this process, individuals work together with their therapist to examine any challenges that arise in their therapeutic relationship, providing insights into how personal problems affect interactions with others. This self-awareness helps individuals recognise and address patterns of behaviour that may be causing distress, ultimately fostering personal growth and improving relationships.
What is the theory behind psychoanalytic psychotherapy?
What is the theory behind psychoanalytic psychotherapy?
Psychoanalytic psychotherapy is based on the theory that unconscious thoughts and past experiences significantly shape an individual’s current behavior and emotions. Developed on Sigmund Freud’s work, this approach posits that unresolved conflicts and hidden feelings from past relationships influence how people react and relate to others today.
By exploring these unconscious dynamics and understanding their origins, the therapy aims to bring these hidden aspects to light, allowing individuals to gain insight and work through their issues.
What to expect from psychoanalytic psychotherapy?
- Assessment
People only enter psychoanalytic psychotherapy after a detailed consultation. During this consultation, your therapist will try to get to know you and get a picture of your difficulties.
The consultation gives you and your therapist an idea of whether talking to someone in this way is going to help you or not. At the end of the consultation your therapist will help you to think about the most appropriate treatment for you.
- What might a typical session look like?
Psychoanalytic psychotherapy sessions typically last for 50 minutes. This therapy typically involves frequent sessions, usually occurring 1 to 3 times per week. The frequency can vary depending on individual needs, goals, and the therapist’s approach.
In psychoanalytic psychotherapy, therapists typically allow you to lead the conversation, which might feel like silence at times, but this is not a sign of unhelpfulness. The therapist is interested in your thoughts and feelings.
You are encouraged to discuss whatever is on your mind without any set expectations. The therapist aims to identify and address difficulties in talking or thinking about certain topics, recognising that while talking can be beneficial, it isn’t always easy.
Additionally, therapists often have couches in their rooms because some people find it easier to speak openly while lying down, but this is a personal choice.
- Length of treatment
Psychoanalytic psychotherapy is a long-term therapeutic approach, often lasting from several months to several years.
Fact
Psychoanalysis was established in the early 1890s by Sigmund Freud
Gap
What issues can psychoanalytic psychotherapy help with?
Psychoanalytic psychotherapy can help with a range of psychological problems, particularly difficulties that can impact on relationships:
- depression
- anxiety disorders
- relationship difficulties
- post traumatic difficulties
- couple difficulties
- personality difficulties
Psychoanalytic psychotherapy is not recommended for psychotic illness, but can be very helpful in relapse prevention and when a psychotic episode has come to an end.
Pros and cons of psychoanalytic therapy
Research shows that psychoanalytic psychotherapy is effective in the treatment of both mild and complex mental health problems but it is not for everyone. It is important to talk with a mental health professional to determine if it’s the right fit for you.
- Pros
- Deep Insight: This therapy provides a thorough understanding of unconscious processes and underlying issues that influence behaviour and emotions which can lead to meaningful self-awareness and personal growth.
- Long-Term Benefits: it can result in lasting change by addressing root causes of difficulties rather than just symptoms, which can potentially lead to improved relationships and emotional resilience.
- Therapeutic Relationship: it focuses on the dynamic between therapist and client, which can reveal and work through interpersonal patterns and conflicts in a real, meaningful way.
- Cons
- Time-Consuming: Typically requires a long-term commitment, often involving multiple sessions per week over several months or years, which can be demanding in terms of time and resources.
- Intensive Process: Talking and thinking about emotional problems can be difficult. For this reason some people can feel worse before they feel better.
- Variable Results: Effectiveness can vary greatly between individuals, and some may find that the therapy does not align with their needs or that progress is slower than anticipated.
Voice
This kind of therapy addresses underlying issues and causes, often from your past, which may be concerning you, or affecting your relationships with others. In your sessions you will be encouraged to talk freely and to look deeper into your problems and worries.
How can I access a psychoanalytic psychotherapy?
How can I access psychoanalytic psychotherapy?
1. NHS Services: Some NHS mental health services offer psychoanalytic psychotherapy. You can start by visiting your GP, who can refer you to a therapist or mental health service.
2. Private Therapy: Psychoanalytic psychotherapy requires specific training and specialist skills to deliver it safely and competently. To make sure your therapist is professional accredited, you can look on websites such as:
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