Psychoanalytic Theory and Therapy

A comprehensive set of flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the Psychoanalytic theory and therapy lectures.

Franz Anton Mesmer

Known as the Father of Hypnosis; treated patients with hysteria and practiced mesmerism.

Jean-Martin Charcot

Neurologist who used mesmerism for treating psychological disorders and helped legitimize hypnosis.

Josef Breuer

Co-discovered the unconscious mind with Freud; used hypnosis for emotional release.

Sigmund Freud

Father of Psychoanalysis; developed the 'talking cure' and emphasized the unconscious mind.

Libido

Initially sexual energy, later expanded to include life instincts.

Eros

Life instinct oriented toward survival, pleasure, and creativity.

Thanatos

Death instinct that drives aggression and self-harm.

Id

The component of personality that contains primitive instinctual desires.

Ego

Mediates between the id and superego and operates on the reality principle.

Superego

Represents morality and internalized societal norms.

Conscious mind

The part of the mind containing thoughts of which we are currently aware.

Preconscious mind

Contains memories that are not currently in consciousness but can be accessed.

Unconscious mind

Houses repressed memories, fears, and desires.

Repression

Defense mechanism that pushes distressing memories out of conscious awareness.

Denial

Refusal to accept external reality.

Projection

Attributing one's own feelings to others.

Displacement

Redirecting emotions from a unsafe target to a safer one.

Sublimation

Channeling impulses into socially acceptable activities.

Carl Gustav Jung

Founder of Analytical Therapy; focused on individuation and the collective unconscious.

Collective Unconscious

Inherited experiences from ancestors containing archetypes.

Archetypes

Emotionally laden ideas and symbolic images within the collective unconscious.

Introversion

Personality attitude oriented inward.

Extraversion

Personality attitude oriented outward.

Existential Therapy

A psychotherapy emphasizing freedom, responsibility, and core human experiences.

Inferiority Complex

Feelings of inferiority become problematic when they impede personal growth.

Superiority Striving

A healthy desire to grow and improve.

Lifestyle

One's unique way of striving toward goals formed early in life.

Dream Analysis

Therapeutic technique that explores the meanings of dreams to access the unconscious.

Free Association

Technique allowing clients to say whatever comes to mind to uncover unconscious material.

Transference

Clients project feelings toward the therapist that were originally directed at significant others.

Countertransference

Therapist's unconscious emotional responses to the client.

Resistance Analysis

Process of identifying why clients avoid certain topics or behaviors.

Gestalt Therapy

Focuses on the client’s ongoing relationship with the environment in the here and now.

Holism

Concept that individuals are unified wholes, integrating mind, body, and emotions.

I-Thou Dialogue

Therapy based on mutual respect and genuine presence between therapist and client.

Authentic Existence

Living in accordance with one's true self and values.