Ch.4 psychoanalytic

Psychoanalytic Therapy

A therapeutic approach that focuses on unconscious processes and unresolved conflicts from childhood.

Libido

The sexual energy that motivates human behavior according to psychoanalytic theory.

Defense Mechanisms

Psychological strategies used by the ego to protect itself from anxiety or painful thoughts.

Repression

The mechanism of putting distressing thoughts or memories into the unconscious.

Transference

A phenomenon in therapy where clients project feelings onto the therapist that are rooted in their past relationships.

Dream Analysis

A technique used to uncover the unconscious content of dreams and their meanings.

Ego

The rational part of the personality that mediates between the desires of the id and the rules of the superego.

Id

The part of the personality that contains primal urges and drives.

Superego

The ethical component of the personality that provides the moral standards by which the ego operates.

Unconscious

The part of the mind that houses memories, desires, and experiences that are not currently in conscious awareness.

Shortcomings From a Diversity Perspective

Limitations based on upper- and middle-class values, cost, and the need for direction from professionals.

Cultural Limitations

The psychoanalytic approach may not be suitable for certain cultures or socioeconomic groups and may discourage clients who do not align with upper- and middle-class values.

Ambiguity

This is a characteristic of classical analysis that may not be suitable for all clients.

Deterministic Focus

The focus that does not emphasize current maladaptive behaviors within the psychoanalytic approach.

Criticism of Subjectivity

The psychoanalytic approach requires subjective interpretation, which may lead to inconsistencies in treatment.

Environmental Influence

Critics argue that the psychoanalytic approach minimizes the role of environmental factors in a client's life.

Lengthy Treatment

The duration of psychoanalytic treatment may not be practical or affordable for many clients.

Transference

The value and role of transference in therapy, where clients project feelings onto the therapist.

Ego Defenses

The overuse of ego defenses in psychoanalytic therapy can obstruct client progress.

Resistance in Therapy

Actions like canceling appointments or fleeing therapy that signify a form of resistance from clients.

Unfinished Business

Dealing with unresolved issues to provide a new emotional perspective for clients.

Transference

The process where clients project feelings about significant people in their lives onto the therapist.

Unconscious Mind

The part of the mind that is not currently in focal awareness but influences thoughts and behavior.

Libido

The instinctual energy that drives behaviors, primarily associated with sexual energy.

Ego-defense mechanisms

Psychological strategies used by the ego to manage anxiety arising from conflicts.

Repression

The mental process of keeping unwanted thoughts or memories buried in the unconscious.

Denial

Refusing to accept reality or facts, thus blocking external events from awareness.

Displacement

Redirecting emotions from a threatening object to a safer substitute.

Regression

A defense mechanism where an individual reverts to behaviors characteristic of an earlier stage of development.

Sublimation

The process of channeling negative emotions into socially acceptable actions.

Projection

Attributing one’s own unacceptable qualities or feelings to others.

Rationalization

Creating logical excuses for behaviors that are actually based on emotional factors.

Free Association

A therapeutic technique where the client speaks freely to uncover unconscious thoughts.

Countertransference

The therapist’s emotional entanglement with the client's transference.

Emotional Catharsis

The process of releasing and thereby providing relief from strong or repressed emotions.

Dream Analysis

A therapeutic technique that interprets dreams to reveal unconscious desires.

Person-Centered Therapy

A therapeutic approach that emphasizes providing a nonjudgmental space for self-exploration.

Critical Concepts in Psychoanalysis

Psychological diagnoses stem from repressed conflicts and unconscious processes.

Multi-Cultural Aspects in Therapy

Considerations of cultural dynamics and values in psychological assessment and therapy.