Psychodynamic treatments: Psychoanalysis

Psychodynamic treatments: Psychoanalysis

Lesson 7: Understand how psychoanalytic theories attempt to cure mental illness by uncovering unconscious material.

• One of the assumptions of the psychodynamic model is that…..

• Freud believed that the origins of mental disorder could be/were….

• The role of the ego is to…..

• The role of a defence mechanism is….. For example……

• Another thing we can remember is….

Recap: Finish this sentence…Recap: Finish this sentence…

What is psychoanalysis?

• Analysis of the psyche – the mind • Not just one technique – a body of

techniques which may be used separately or together to help the patient

• Sometimes called the ‘talking therapy’

What is the aim of psychoanalysis?

• Freud said that the goal of therapy is simply " to make the unconscious conscious.“

• When the patient is made aware of unconscious thoughts, feelings and conflicts they are able to confront and overcome them. This is a process known as catharsis (but it can take a very long time!)

• Mental abnormality should then ‘disappear’

• Many mental disorders are caused by unconscious factors and repressed material.

• So main aim of therapies is to uncover this repressed material.

• Once uncovered, they are able to release the power it has over their behaviour (e.g. causing their mental illness). This is called catharsis.

• Free association, dream analysis, projective tests can be used.

PsychoanalysisPsychoanalysis

Disclaimer!

• The forms of psychoanalysis that we are going to try out are based very loosely on real forms of treatment

• They will not provide a useful picture of your mental health or personality because ‘real’ psychoanalysis takes place over months or even years with a fully trained therapist

• So… don’t take it too seriously… it’s just for fun (and learning of course!)

Free Association

•You have 30 seconds to write down the first 10 words that come into your mind•Don’t think about it… just write•NOW…

• Patient is encouraged to express their thoughts exactly as they come into their mind, even though they may seem irrelevant or inappropriate.

• The ego will attempt the censor

what is said, but the free thinking allows previously unconscious thoughts to slip through.

• Bring into consciousness memories that have been repressed.

• This releases the power it had over their behaviour – hence a ‘talking cure’.

Free associationFree association

Analysis of Resistances

• The resistances of the patient to the interpretations offered by the psychoanalyst were viewed as an indication of sensitive areas and interpreted as typical defensive strategies.

Free association

1.Patients are encouraged to….

2.The ego will attempt to….

3.Bringing repressed material into the conscious releases the power it…..

Free association

1.Patients are encouraged to….

2.The ego will attempt to….

3.Bringing repressed material into the conscious releases the power it…..

Dream Analysis•Think about the last dream you can remember having•Try to think of any specific objects, people or activities that occurred in your dream•WARNING: Some people may find the following interpretations embarrassing, so you don’t have to share your dream with anyone if you don’t want to!

• ‘The royal road to the unconscious.’

• The symbolic imagery of dreams was a reflection of unconscious material.

• Obvious content– called the manifest content.

• Beneath the manifest content lies the actual meaning – the latent content.

• Therapist identifies unconscious thoughts which are causing the mental illness.

• For example, dream with knife (manifest content), this might be symbolic of castration (latent content)…. Oedipus complex.

Dream analysisDream analysis

• Long things that ‘jut out’: Penis– Mountains, sticks, umbrellas, poles, trees, baguettes, snakes

• Objects which can be lengthened: Penis– Aeriels, extendable pens,

• Objects from which water run: Phallus– Pipes, fountains, taps, watering-pots, hoses

• Things which go ‘up’: Erection– Helicopters, aeroplanes, rockets

• Penetration– Knives, weapons, swords, guns, rifles, cannons

Freudian symbolismFreudian symbolism

• Hollow objects that contain things: Vagina– Cupboards, tunnels, boxes, bottles, suitcases, tins, pockets

• Entrances: Vagina– Doors, gates, castles.

• Curvey objects: Breasts– Footballs, apples, peaches, other fruits,

• Playing: Masturbation

• Rhythmical activities: Sexual intercourse– Dancing, climbing, riding.

• Authority figures: Father + the oedipus/electra complex– Police, teachers, doctors…

Freudian symbolismFreudian symbolism

Transference

• Transferring your feelings towards a certain person onto the therapist

• Could be positive or negative feelings• In pairs, one person is the therapist,

other is the patient • Patient to imagine that the therapist

has just killed their dog, cat, ferret, etc.• What would you say to them?• You have 5 minutes to really let it out! • How did you feel afterwards?

Your task:

• Working in pairs, you have (strictly) 15 minutes to use your device, textbook and/or reading pack to find out about the procedures involved in:– Free association– Dream analysis– Transference

Transference• The most important procedure during

psychoanalysis is transference.• The patient’s unconscious desires and

feelings (particularly towards parents) were thought to be transferred onto the therapist.

• An analysis of the relationship between the patient and the therapist was thought to be an important source of insight.

Psychoanalysis

1.Many mental disorders are caused by….

2.The main aim of psychoanalytic therapies is….

3.This is called……

Psychoanalysis

1.Many mental disorders are caused by….

2.The main aim of psychoanalytic therapies is….

3.This is called……

DREAM ANALYSIS

1.Dreams are the ‘royal road to……’

2.Manifest content of dreams is….

3.Latent content of dreams is….

DREAM ANALYSIS

1.Dreams are the ‘royal road to……’

2.Manifest content of dreams is….

3.Latent content of dreams is….

• Patient required to project or impose their own thoughts and associations on stimulus material.

• For example, Rorschach ink blot test.

• These ink blots are deliberately ambiguous. People are asked to describe what they see in the ink blot.

• Principle underlying this therapy is that people will project their own unconscious concerns, fears and wishes onto the material.

Projective testsProjective tests

• What do you see….?

• Use your imagination, what can you see in your ink blot?

• Write you thoughts on your ink blot.

• Extension: On another piece of paper, write down a recent dream you had.

Ink blotsInk blots

1.Patients are required to….

2.The stimulus material is deliberately….

3.The principle underlying this therapy is that people will project their….

1.Patients are required to….

2.The stimulus material is deliberately….

3.The principle underlying this therapy is that people will project their….

Plenary

• In pairs, write down at least 5 key words from today’s lesson

• I am going to ask each pair to give me a word that hasn’t already been used