Psychoanalytic Therapy

Sigmund Freud

The Psychoanalytical therapist believes that during the course of a person’s development, unacceptable and aggressive drives are forced out of consciousness. These repressed urges constantly striving for release, are expressed as neurotic symptoms.

Their aim is to maintain compassionate neutrality during treatment, so the client can, with the therapist’s guidance, develop insight into how past conflict determine current problems.

The client gains insight by recognising and dealing with unconscious thoughts and emotions, and to help them work through the ways in which these unconscious elements affect everyday life.

The client is directed by the therapist to re-experience unconscious feelings / wishes in the safe context of consulting room, and is encouraged to experience the feelings and wishes with a new ending, and help them deal with repressed conflict in a mature way.