How Psychodynamic Therapies Have Changed since Freud
Introduction
Psychodynamics can be described as a series of propositions about the following factors motivational processes, unconscious cognitive, affective and motivational processes. This refers to the mental depictions of the character, others and interactions, developmental dynamics, the origin of many personalities and social dispositions in childhood. This also covers the tendency for effectiveness and dynamics to operate parallel and produce different solutions that are of compromising solutions (Ballen, 1997). A large number of research bodies in the area of development, social, personality psychology and cognitive have supported these propositions. However, Freud’s systematic legacy has propositions for a wide array of domains in psychology such as incorporation of effective and motivational constraints into related models in cognitive science. Initially, Psychodynamic therapy could be distinguished from psychoanalytic therapy because it included under its umbrella many approaches that took axiomatic Freud’s postulation of unconscious processes but eschewed his theory (Ballen, 1997). Currently, the difference between the two is not clear because the conventional psychoanalytic view is much more interpersonal and no longer agrees with Freudian notions. This essay aims at describing how psychodynamic therapies have changed since the psychoanalytic approach used by Sigmund Freud
Psychodynamic Therapies during Sigmund Freud
Freud’s use of hypnosis in psychodynamic therapy is linked to the pre-psychoanalytic period of his work historically. Since then, Freud had not yet discovered the importance of transference, resistance, and working through the context of sound therapeutic alliance. His early use of hypnosis was not, in any way, informed by the fundamental discoveries were to be made later after his life. It is possible that if Freud’s interest in hypnosis had continued into this century, he would have come to integrate it into his work. That is why the current experts in psychodynamic therapy to some extent will see some relevance on Freud’s work and try to integrate those principles that still hold (Westen, 1998).
The Scientific Legacy of Sigmund Freud
Freud died many years ago but continues to be cited by the majority of clinicians because to some degree they rely on psychodynamic principles in their work (Westen, 1998). Most researchers reflect on psychodynamic ideas as being at worst absurd and obsolete and, at best inappropriate or of little logical interest. In the Lead article of recent editions of Psychological Science, Fonagy, (1992), arrived at conclusion accepted and shared by many; “Literally, there is nothing to be said systematically or therapeutically, to the gain of the whole Freudian system or of any consequential dogmas”
Despite the explosion of many empirical studies of unconscious cognitive processes (Bonomi (2001), Fonagy (1992)) few reference Freud. None of them cite any modern psychodynamic effort, and on the whole, psychodynamic concepts are decreasingly represented in the major journals of psychology. Criticisms say that Freud’s ideas such as his dual distinct theory of his hypothesis about the personality of female development are absolutely out of date and have no scientific merit. These criticisms have been made by the popular media, common journals and the broader intellectual discourse.
Many aspects of Freudian theory are out of date, and have been attacked since 1920 by his critics because they feel Freudian Theory is affecting their current work. Therapy and Psychodynamic theory had evolved considerably since 1949 when Freud’s bearded countenance was last sighted in earnest. Contemporary, psychodynamic therapists and psychoanalytic therapists no longer write much about egos and ids, and they do not conceive of treatment for psychological disorders as an archaeological expedition in search of lost memory (Fonagy, 1992). Sometimes people portray feelings or conducts in treatment that conform outstandingly to the aspects of Freud’s psychosexual theories, such as a patient with erectile dysfunctions whose relationship in a sexual encounter led to him having an image of having sex with his own mother – something associated with unpleasant anal imagery.
Usually psychotherapists who rely on theories derived from Freud do not, in most cases, spend most of their time lying in wait for phallic symbols. Instead, they concentrate on sexuality because it is an essential ingredient of human life and close relationships, and usually one that is filled with conflict. However, today, most psychodynamic therapists and theorists spend a great deal of their time helping the community with challenging interpersonal patterns such as difficulties in getting psychologically close or repeatedly getting close with the off beam person. Other Therapists also go deeper to find out why a person will be with the person he does not love or have any feelings for that person (Fonagy, 1992).
The Evolution of the Practice of the Psychoanalytic Psychotherapies
Psychotherapy was already an established practice even before Sigmund Freud began his professional career, standing upon the theory of ideogenesis, according to which certain motor symptoms were caused by ideas. This theory offered the rational ground for psychotherapy. If a symptom was provoked, it was possible to undo it by simply erasing this particular idea. Freud developed this theory into the technique of interpreting the contents and model of ideas that are unconscious.
The latest discoveries of transference, resistance and character structure should have facilitated a break with the ideogenetic mode. Freud did not give up the wrong assumption behind an action there was an idea which had to be captured if someone wanted to cease the action. Ferenczi and Rank in the early twenties questioned Freud’s assumption again and again during the terminable controversy over the relative importance of memorizing and experiencing, when Alexander in the fifties tried to shift the focus from memorizing to experiencing in order to make psychoanalysis an effective psychotherapy (Bonomi, 2001). Today, the view that what is stored in human actions is stored in the ideas is no longer accepted by the modern scientific society. Instead, the modern scientific society talks of “operative models” and implicit or procedural memories, unlike the latest version. The latter did not use the operative model but focused on just on the idea and did not focus on the implication afterwards in case the idea is deleted or erased. Sigmund Freud failed to focus on that fact and the later researchers on the psychodynamic therapy have ended up disregarding most of these findings by him.
Freud’s views and Contemporary Applications of Hypnosis
Hypnosis was considered by Freud to be an eroticized condition or state which he had induced in his patients. Secondly it is because he had not yet discovered counter transference and transference; he lacked the technical and conceptual tools with which to deal with his patients’ show of affection. In this case, his motive for abandoning hypnosis does more with his own subjective counter transference discomfort than with any scientific reasoning. This shows that hypnosis were mysterious and frightening to Freud.
According to the scientific investigation hypnosis has advanced considerably since Freud’s time; the prodigious writings of clinical and experimental research which has been long disproved Freud wrong understands. Contrary to Freud’s belief that patients are compliant and uncritical in hypnosis, modern experiments show that patients respond with open resistance. It has also been discovered that if hypnosis can be called a regression, it appears to be adaptive one. Accelerated knowledge seems to have an effect in this state in a way that is suggestive of childhood learning. Clearly, hypnosis is simpler than suggestibility, sleep, love or erotic behavior as it was perceived in the past theory of Freud Sigmund and others. All of these early theories of hypnosis are untenable in light of contemporary research. It is obviously too easy to say that hypnosis is the same as a suggestion, love, erotic behavior and sleep for all of these take place out of hypnosis, as well. Equally, suggestibility, love and erotic behavior can take place in hypnosis. It is problematic to define hypnosis by a variable that can exist quite independently (Westen, 1998).
Therefore, Psychodynamic Therapies have changed since the psychoanalytic approach by Sigmund Freud. As Psychology moves to this second and latest century, researchers, theorists and therapists would like to do well to attend and integrate some of the disavowed psychodynamic ideas which need to remain from old theories like that of Freud psychodynamic therapist theory and classic psychodynamic warning signs outside the perception of the systematic community. This has led to the above changes in psychodynamic therapy.
References
Ballen, W. (1997) Freud’s Views And The Contemporary Applications Of Hypnosis: Enhancing Therapy Within A Psychoanalytic Framework. Journal Of Contemporary Psychotherapy 27 (3)
Bonomi C. (2001). The Evolution Of The Practice Of The Psychoanalytic Psychotherapies. Int Forum Psychoanal 10:217 –20. Stockholm.
Fonagy, P. (1992). Relation Of Theory And Practice In Psychodynamic Therapy. Journal Of Clinical Child Psychology, 28 (4) 513-520
Westen, D. (1998). The Scientific Legacy Of Sigmund Freud: Toward A Psychodynamically Informed Psychological Science. Psychological Bulletin 124 (3), 333-371
