Psychoanalytic theory was founded by Sigmund Freud and it is one of the most recognized theories and treatment modalities. It is highly misunderstood by the therapists and mental health consumers even though it has been researched to be one of the most effective theories. The theory works by looking at the way the unconscious mind imparts thoughts and behaviours. Therefore, psychoanalysis therapy looks into the early childhood development so that from this basis, one can make a judgement regarding childhood experiences. From these experiences, the therapist can get to know how the childhood events have contributed into the adult behaviours of the individual, and most importantly, they can assist in knowing why an adult engages in the current actions he is involved in. usually people using this therapy are advised by the therapists to ensure that they meet the therapist at least once every week. And depending with the kind of the treatment, the therapists may be client may be advised by the counsellor to remain in the therapy for a few weeks, several months and sometimes for a year or years (Freud, 1937), in the book, the ego and the mechanisms of defense.
Psychoanalytical theory works in a simple but very involving way. The therapists spend most of the time listening to the patient’s talks and experiences about their lives which is why this therapy is sometimes referred to as talk therapy. The therapist is tasked with the responsibility of looking for patterns and responsibility which are very important and significant for the client and they may play a very significant role in assisting the patients to overcome their current difficulties. The psychoanalysts and therapists using this theory believes that the events that took place during childhood development, and childhood unconscious feelings, thoughts and motivations are very vital for mental illness treatment and maladaptive behaviours. In addition to relying on talk therapy, the Freud’s counselling theory also uses additional techniques like role play, free association and dream interpretation.
Though the theory has been criticized by many people as ineffective, time consuming and expensive, this therapy has a number of benefits as well. For instance, the therapy gives a compassionate and non-judgemental environment in which the client feels safe and secured to trust the therapist and present all the feelings and the actions that have caused the stress or difficulties in his life. In fact, this theory has got the best approach because when a person shares his/her feelings with the therapist, the burden is often relieved, thus the theory has got a beneficial effect.
As much as the therapy is environmental friendly, many people have always cited cost as the major drawback. For example, during the therapy lessons some patients may stay in the therapy for more than one year. In such cases, the psychoanalytical theory of counselling by Sigmund Freud will be viewed as time consuming. Besides the financial and time cost, people have also questioned the efficiency and effectiveness of the therapy, and in deed some of the studies and researches have confirmed the above fears. For instance, one study revealed that there is no significant difference in the patients going through Sigmund Freud’s counselling therapy and the placebo group. Above all, some critics like Karl Popper and Naom Chomsky, greatest psychologists of their time have hinted that the psychoanalysis therapy by Sigmund is short of scientific basis and should not be considered by the modern therapists (Comer, 1995).
Prochaska and DiClemente (2011) have noted in the studies by University of Wisconsin department of counselling have noted that psychoanalysis theory by Sigmund Freud is the most effective form of therapy for people with mental disabilities. Though he has suggested that the therapy only works best when used for short term treatments, probably, months but it shouldn’t exceed a year or more. Moreover, other experts like Dr. Falk Leichsenring from the University of Giessen has studied and examined the relevance of the therapy by Freud’s and they as well concurred with the studies from University of Wisconsin. But he strongly differs on the fact that there is a relationship with the length of treatment. In his findings, he has researched that there is no any direct correlation between the length of therapy lessons and the patient’s improvement. Instead, there is a remarkable improvement of patients under this therapy, particularly those with sever chronic emotional disturbances. He found that those patients with tremendous health improvements benefits from the regular and steady attention offered to them by the therapist.
Though some researchers agree with the theory based on the scientific evidence and findings, others do not. Instead, they have based their arguments on the notion that the Freud’s therapy individualizes the treatment process to the extent that it can’t be scientifically investigated or studied. Based on this reasoning, the critics have supported their claims that the Freud’s therapy is much rooted on the underlying and longstanding psychological problems that can only be realized by though and closed monitoring and cross examination of the patient and the therapist.
Today, the psychoanalytic therapy by Freud has made several steps forward and it is seriously used for the treatment of people with emotional and mental distress. The modern therapy involves deep understanding of the unconscious mind of an individual, and further understanding on the way the unconscious part of the mind influence the entire mind and other vital things like, emotions, actions, thoughts and perceptions. And just like the Freud’s counselling, the modern method accepts that even the most emotional, personal and mental problems can be reversed by using this therapy. In fact, in the modern counselling and therapy lessons, the therapists do not give teachings or lectures on the ways the patient should use to manage his life, but instead, the today’s counsellors opt for encouraging the patients to understand why they can not solve their problems internally and in so doing, they will get to know the best things to engage in life. Therefore, the goal of the modern counselling based on the Freud’s concept is to improve the quality of people lives as well as their relationships. Furthermore, in the modern therapy, counselling is done through the talk therapy centres usually a week after calling or writing to the centre (Salzman, 2010).
The Freud’s therapy is based on assumptions like seeing problems as rooted in the unconscious mind where patients can deal with them. Also, the therapy believes that the mental disturbance symptoms are usually caused by the hidden disturbances, and that the most likely causes include the unsettled matters that took place during childhood development or as a result of the repressed traumas. Therefore, Freud realized and acknowledged that these patients can be treated best by getting the supressed conflicts to consciousness, a state where the clients can easily deal with it. Therefore, Freud would use the same principles and concepts to treat different groups of people like disabled, elderly and AIDS patients. He will use the same approach in his treatment where the clients are made to lie on couch, and the therapists would take a seat behind the patients as he takes notes on people dreams as well as their children memories. Moreover, for the elderly and those with AIDS, he will take lengthy process where the clients will be engaged in regular sessions with the therapist. In these therapies he will help the AIDS patients to overcome denial and discrimination that many of these patients are faced with, because the failure of coming to terms with the reality of the situation may leave the person in a state where he will suffer more. The therapist must take a particular care for the AIDS patients due to the irresistible need to depend on others. Whereas for the elderly, he will help them realize that they have to face the situation. In this way, the therapists engage the elderly patients for lengthy and frequent sessions where the patients attend the therapy lessons for 2 to 5 sessions every week. Accordingly, the treatment will encourage the elderly to recall their childhood earlier experiences and to undo the fixations that have revolved around their elderly situation. The basis of these lessons assumes that when the underlying conflicts are solved, the very complex symptoms will easily be substituted. Furthermore, the therapist believes that reduction of symptoms alone can not help eliminate the internal conflicts (Svartberg and Stiles, 1991).
Comer, R. J. (1995). Abnormal psychology (2nd ed.). W. H. Freeman, New York.
Freud, A. (1937). The ego and the mechanisms of defense. Hogarth Press and Institute of Psycho-Analysis, London.
Prochaska, J. and C. DiClemente (2011). The transtheoretical approach: Crossing traditional boundaries of therapy. University of Wisconsin, Homewood Hill.
Salzman, L. (2010). Treatment of the Obsessive Personality. Jason Aronson Inc. Publishers. New York.
Svartberg, M., & Stiles, T. C. (1991). Comparative effects of short term psychodynamic psychotherapy: A meta-analysis. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 59, 704-714.
