Chapter 8. Methods of Psychoanalysis

Learning Objectives

ego
in Freud’s theory, the self that we know; mediates between the demands of the id and the moral ideals of the superego
resistance
blocking anxiety-producing memories from reaching conscious awareness during a psychoanalysis session
free association
spontaneous reporting of all thoughts and feelings as they come to mind during a psychoanalysis session, as a way of revealing unconscious memories and anxieties
superego
in Freud’s theory, the storehouse of moral standards internalized from parents and society; the “conscience”
id
in Freud’s theory, the storehouse of unconscious sexual and aggressive urges that help us survive
transference
in psychoanalysis, the patient’s redirecting emotions from other relationships (such as love or hatred of a parent) onto the analyst
interpretation
to help the patient in psychoanalysis gain insight, the analyst provides explanations of the patient’s dreams, slips of the tongue, and other behaviors
personality
the enduring characteristics of an individual that distinguish him/her from other people
psychoanalysis
therapy that attempts to give patients self-insight by bringing unconscious feelings into awareness and interpreting them
unconscious
in Freud’s theory, the part of our personality and memory that is not available to our ordinary conscious awareness
Methods of Psychoanalysis
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Therapist sitting in a chair taking notes as a patient lies on a coach during a therapy session.
Learning Objectives:

State the goals of psychoanalysis.

Describe the major methods used in a psychoanalytic therapy session.

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An iceberg floats in water. The small portion above the water is labeled the

1. According to Freud, much of our behavior is motivated by conflicts between the three components of our personality. In this illustration, our personality is represented by an iceberg floating in water, with the unconscious part of our personality hidden below the water line.

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An iceberg floats in water. The small portion above the water line is labeled the

2. These personality components are called the id, ego, and superego.

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simple drawing of an iceberg

3. These conflicts within our personality have their roots in our childhood experiences, and are stored in our unconscious.

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simple drawing of an iceberg

4. Psychoanalysis attempts to uncover these conflicts and resolve them.

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female psychoanalyst in chair, listening and holding notes; male patient lying on a couch; speech bubble over patient’s head shows the text “Money. More.”

In a typical psychoanalysis session, the analyst would try to help you, the patient, relax and be open to your true feelings. Perhaps you would sit facing away from the analyst, or even lie on a couch.

The analyst might use the method of free association—encouraging you to say the first word or thought that comes to mind.

Review 2

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speech bubble over patient’s head; the speech bubble shows “???”

What if your mind suddenly goes blank, or you pause to “censor” a thought before you speak it, or you switch quickly to a different topic?

The analyst might treat any of these events as a sign of resistance—an important step in the analysis. Because resistances indicate that these issues are creating anxiety for you, they may point to unresolved conflicts that need attention.

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speech bubble over patient’s head; the speech bubble shows a desirable car, fancy watch

The analyst would provide interpretation of your resistance, and might also interpret the hidden meaning of your dreams and other behaviors. For example, if you repeatedly show up late for therapy, the analyst might interpret that as indicating hidden hostility toward authority figures.

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speech bubble over patient’s head; the speech bubble shows the face of the analyst

At some point, you may begin to show transference—redirecting your emotions from unresolved conflicts toward the analyst, rather than toward the person who is the source of your conflicts (often a parent).

The analyst would probably be pleased to note this transference, because it brings the emotions out in the open where you can deal with them.

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speech bubble attached to the analyst that shows text within it: “Self-insight is the goal!”

Across many psychoanalytic therapy sessions, the analyst would try to help you gain insight into the unconscious conflicts that underlie your current problems.

After bringing these conflicts to the surface, the analyst would provide a supportive environment for you to work through your emotions and resolve the anxieties that have been troubling you.

Practice: Techniques and Progress Markers

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Practice: Techniques and Progress Markers

Roll over each item to see a brief description of that type of technique or issue.

Free association

Resistance

Interpretation

Transference

spontaneous reporting of all thoughts and feelings as they come to mind, as a way of revealing unconscious memories and anxieties

Example: A college student might say, “books...exams...tense...failure..."

blocking anxiety-producing memories from reaching conscious awareness

Example: During a session, a patient might pause unexpectedly, or change the subject, or forget what was about to be said.

an analyst's explanations of the patient’s dreams, slips of the tongue, and other behaviors to help the patient gain insight

Example: If the patient continually forgets to repay a loan from his or her parents, that might indicate hidden resentment toward the parents.

the patient’s redirecting emotions from other relationships (such as love or hatred of a parent) onto the analyst

Example: The patient might “fall in love” with the analyst, or become excessively rebellious.

Quiz 1

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Quiz 1

Drag each term to the appropriate description. When all the terms have been placed, select the CHECK ANSWER button.

Perhaps you should go back to review the techniques of psychoanalysis.
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resistance
free association
psychoanalysis
transference
interpretation

blocking anxiety-producing memories from reaching conscious awareness

spontaneous reporting of all thoughts and feelings as they come to mind, as a way of revealing unconscious memories and anxieties

therapy that attempts to give patients self-insight by bringing previously repressed feelings into awareness and interpreting them

the patient redirecting emotions from other relationships (such as love or hatred of a parent) onto the analyst

the analyst providing explanations of the patient’s dreams, slips of the tongue, and other behaviors

Quiz 2

matching_test

Quiz 2

Match the terms with the scenarios by dragging each colored circle to the appropriate gray circle. When all the circles have been placed, select the CHECK ANSWER button.

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transference
interpretation
free association
resistance
Analyst suggests explanations for the patient’s repeated dreams about falling over a cliff.
Patient hesitates in the middle of a sentence, and then abruptly changes the topic.
Patient becomes hostile and tries to challenge everything the analyst says.
Patient blurts out a stream of words and phrases, with each word triggering the next thought.

Conclusion

Methods of Psychoanalysis
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male psychoanalyst in armchair, listening and taking notes; anxious-looking female patient talks while lying on couch
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