Psychoanalysis is an intense form of therapy that takes months or even years to complete. Patients meet four or five times a week, lie on a couch, and say whatever comes to mind without censorship.
Psychiatrists and psychologists with a clinical master’s degree are qualified to practice psychoanalysis. It is used to treat a variety of conditions including neurosis and hysteria.
Psychiatrists
Psychiatrists work with patients to create personalized treatment plans that address not only the symptoms of mental health issues but also the underlying causes. They are uniquely positioned to help, since their medical training provides them with a thorough understanding of the complicated interaction between physical and psychological health.
Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theory holds that all mental problems are rooted in unconscious conflicts. These may manifest in recognizable symptoms, troubling personality traits or difficulties maintaining relationships and living life. Psychoanalyst explores your unconscious mind through techniques such as free association and dream analysis, to uncover and interpret deep-rooted emotional patterns and beliefs.
These techniques are often accompanied by a therapeutic relationship that develops trust and insight between you and your analyst. This close connection allows the analyst to observe how you interact with your thoughts, feelings and behavior, which can reveal subconscious influences that affect your choices and interactions. During the process, your therapist may experience their own reactions and emotions, known as countertransference.
Psychologists
While Psychiatry served severely mentally ill people and confined them to hospitals, psychoanalysts work with people who suffer from psychological or emotional problems that have no demonstrable physical cause. They help patients rework long-standing patterns of relationships and thinking, and assist them with dealing with the effects of difficult or traumatic experiences.
Sigmund Freud’s pioneering theory of unconscious forces shaping overt behavior led to psychoanalytic therapy, a deep and individualized form of talk therapy. This open conversation between patient and therapist encourages patients to share thoughts, feelings and memories that have been repressed. The therapist listens to the free association of these ideas, and interprets them.
A trained psychoanalyst holds a doctoral degree in psychology, psychiatry or a related field and has undergone rigorous training to become licensed as a psychoanalyst. Some also hold a medical degree such as an M.D. or a doctor of osteopathy (D.O.). Psychologist or social workers who have completed advanced training may also qualify to be psychoanalysts.
Social Workers
Social workers help clients cope with life changes such as job loss, a child’s death or diagnosis of a mental health condition. They use a variety of treatment methods, including psychoanalytic theory based on Sigmund Freud. Psychoanalytic therapy helps clients understand their emotions and unconscious patterns of behavior by examining past experiences and relationships.
Social workers often combine psychoanalytic techniques with cognitive-behavioral therapy, which focuses on modifying dysfunctional thought patterns. They also use person-centered therapy, which emphasizes empathy and unconditional positive regard in the therapeutic relationship.
During the Cold War, social workers helped service members deal with depression and stress related to the threat of nuclear warfare. Many of them now work with military families to treat symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and other emotional traumas. Some have taken up the mantle of the psychoanalytic tradition, editing the journal and holding leadership positions in APsA. Others have formed their own non-APsA institutes, including the Contemporary Freudian Society.
Marriage and Family Therapists
A Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) helps patients manage their relationships with their loved ones. They are focused on how the dynamics of a relationship can impact psychological health and have a specialized emphasis in treating couples who are having difficulty.
Using research and experience, Marriage and Family Therapists work to identify the cause of a patient’s problems and then help them overcome these issues by working with all members of their families as a group or individually. MFTs are trained to recognize severe and dangerous conditions such as domestic violence, and to prioritize the safety of family members over all else.
Studies show that MFTs are effective in the treatment of a wide range of mental and emotional disorders, including depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, adolescent drug abuse, child conduct problems, chronic illness in adults and children, and marital distress or conflict. Pepperdine University offers a Master’s in Clinical Psychology with an Emphasis in MFT for those who wish to become a Marriage and Family Therapist.
