In this article, learn about psychoanalytic therapy, including history, techniques, and benefits.
What Is Psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy is conducted by a therapist in individual, family, or group configs.
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However, the core tenets of psychoanalysis remain highly influential in the fields of psychology and psychiatry.
While the couch has mostly gone by the wayside, theres some truth to this image.
It can also be used to treat certain mental health conditions, such asdepressionand someanxiety disorders.
Psychoanalytic Therapy Techniques
Psychoanalytic therapy usually involves free-flowing, in-depth conversations in one-on-one sessions with atrained therapist.
Typical techniques used in these sessions include the following.
Transference Analysis
The therapist-patient relationship is highly important in psychoanalytic therapy.
In turn, countertransference refers to the therapists unconscious feelings and thoughts about the patient.
Psychoanalytic therapists analyze these patterns to gain insight into their patients past experiences and unconscious mind.
This may include interpretations ofbody language, emotional expressions, and other forms of verbal and nonverbal communication.
Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy
Some therapists usehypnosisas a complementary therapy along with psychotherapy.
However, the practice remains controversial, with some therapists arguing that it is ineffective and potentially harmful.
Researchers believe they may involve interactions among physical, neurological, and psychological symptoms.
Efficacy
Psychoanalytic therapy has a somewhat controversial history as a clinical approach.
Some researchers have expressed skepticism about the long-term efficacy of psychoanalytic therapy in treating mental health conditions.
The cost of psychoanalytic therapy varies widely based on your location, provider, andinsurance plan.
Some clinicians offer sliding-scale fees based on your annual income.
Who Should Avoid It?
Talk to your healthcare provider about getting a referral to apsychiatristif you think you may need medication.
Psychoanalytic therapists use free-flowing conversation, usually in at least one session per week, to accomplish this goal.
Other psychoanalytic techniques include dream analysis, free association, interpretation, and transference analysis.
Behavioral therapy techniques aim to change maladaptive behaviors.
It does this with various techniques to support desired behaviors and extinguish problematic ones.
Short-term psychoanalysis for a specific purpose may take just 2030 sessions.
Long-term psychoanalytic therapy may take up to seven years.
In some cases, full-fledged psychoanalytic therapy requires multiple weekly sessions.
As a theory, psychoanalysis was founded by Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud in the late 19th century.
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