Psychoanalysis was the first therapeutic method from which all other approaches have evolved. Of course, psychoanalytic therapy has also developed tremendously in the last 120 years thanks to new experiences and knowledge in psychology and neuroscience. We no longer use the same techniques used by Sigmund Freud but his main premise has become widely accepted as true: conscious behavior is only the tip of an iceberg and to change the surface, we need to go deeper.
The goal of modern psychoanalytic therapy is to work together with the clients in exploring and creating new solutions to inner and external situations. The following aspects characterise the therapeutic process:
The traditional goal of the psychoanalytic therapy is to make the unconscious conscious so that more emotional resources become available to the clients especially in their relationships.
Problems or symptoms must therefore be seen as an invitation to dive deeper. They tell us that something underneath conscious awareness requires our attention. More specifically, these are emotions that are pressing to be integrated into the personality of the clients and until they manage to do so, they distort behaviors that require emotions e.g. relationships. I like to think metaphorically of emotions as a wild horse that we need learn how to ride in order to feel energized and happy. Else the horse either pulls us against our will causing anxieties, or it is completely restrained causing boredom and depression.
In my work as a psychoanalytic therapist I see myself as a trustful listener of your concerns and as companion that stays helpful and appreciative by your side on your way to discover your personal goals and to achieve them. During the psychotherapeutic process resources, skills and competencies are rediscovered, as well as new approaches and solutions are found together.
Psychotherapy should help you to:
