Psychoanalysis & Psychodynamic Therapies - CH. 2 theoretical approaches

What is the main focus of psychotherapy?

Changing the individual.

What is the main focus of counselling?

Changing the situation.

What is the purpose of psychotherapy?

Aims for deep personal growth and change.

What is the purpose of counselling?

Provides practical support and guidance for healthier choices.

What is the goal of psychotherapy?

To rework psychological makeup and develop a new understanding of self.

What is the goal of counselling?

To help individuals make better, more informed life choices.

What is the focus of change in psychotherapy?

Focuses on internal change — how a person relates to themselves and the world.

What is the focus of change in counselling?

Focuses on external change — making different decisions or actions in life.

What is the typical outcome of psychotherapy?

Increased self-awareness, emotional freedom, long-term personality integration.

What is the typical outcome of counselling?

Improved decision-making, behavioural change, readiness for long-term growth.

What is the general duration difference between psychotherapy and counselling?

Psychotherapy is typically long-term, while counselling is usually short-term.

Provide an example of psychotherapy…

Working through childhood trauma to understand current relationships.

Provide an example of counselling…

Addressing an addiction and choosing steps toward sobriety.

Who are key figures in psychotherapy?

Freud, Beck, and Rogers.

What is the generic definition of psychotherapy?

A treatment for emotional problems where a trained person establishes a professional relationship to reduce symptoms, change behaviour, and promote personality growth and development.

Who founded psychoanalysis?

Freud

What is the goal of psychoanalytic therapy?

To make the unconscious conscious and achieve insight.

What metaphor did Freud use to describe the mind?

The iceberg metaphor

What was the iceberg metaphor?

We see only a small conscious portion, while most mental activity happens below the surface (unconscious).

What did Freud believe were the two main drives behind human behaviour?

Sex and aggression.

Whatare the levels of consciousness?

Conscious, preconscious, unconscious

What is the conscious level?

Thoughts and perceptions we are currently aware of.

What is the preconscious level?

Material that can be easily brought to awareness.

What is the unconscious level?

Repressed memories, impulses, and wishes — the largest and most influential level of the mind.

What did Freud’s early medical influences (Brentano, Brücke, Charcot) lead him to believe?

That unconscious material could influence physical symptoms.

What disorder did Freud study that supported his belief in repressed material?

Hysteria (now known as conversion disorder)

What is catharsis in psychoanalysis?

The emotional release of repressed memories, which can reduce symptoms.

What are the three parts of Freud’s structure of personality?

The id, ego, and superego.

What is the id?

The unconscious, primitive drive — present from birth

What principle does the id operate on?

Pleasure principle.

What is the ego?

The conscious self and rational mediator — develops at 2-3yrs

What principle does the ego operate on?

Reality principle

What is the superego?

Internalized moral standards and conscience — develops at 5-7

What principle does the superego operate on?

Morality principle at the subconscious level

What happens when the id and superego conflict?

It creates inner tension and anxiety, which the ego must manage through defense mechanisms.

What did Freud believe a healthy mind feels like?

A sense of control. When that’s lost, anxiety and dysfunction emerge.

What did Freud believe about “free choice”?

He argued choice is an illusion because behaviour is driven by unconscious forces.

What is the purpose of defense mechanisms?

To protect the ego from anxiety and preserve self-esteem.

List all 9 defence mechanisms…

Repression, denial, projection, displacement, rationalization, regression, sublimation, reaction formation, intellectualization

Define repression

Pushing unacceptable thoughts into the unconscious.

Define denial

Refusing to acknowledge reality.

Define projection

Attributing one’s own impulses to others.

Define displacement

Redirecting an impulse toward a safer target.

Define rationalization

Giving logical explanations to justify behaviours

Define regression

Reverting to earlier developmental stages

Define sublimation

Channeling unacceptable impulses into socially acceptable actions (e.g., aggression → sports).

Define reaction formation

Unconsciously taking on the opposite emotion to defend against uncomfortable feelings (e.g., acting overly kind when angry).

Define intellectualization

Using logic and reasoning to avoid distressing emotions — focusing on facts instead of feelings.

When do defense mechanisms form?

When the ego can’t manage conflict between the id and superego.

Are defense mechanisms conscious or unconscious?

Unconscious

What happens when defense mechanisms malfunction?

Neurotic symptoms appear.

What did Freud believe psychological development paralleled?

Biological sexual development from infancy through adolescence.

What happens when conflicts occur during psychosexual stages?

They can lead to fixations that influence adult personality and behaviour.

Whats the Oedipus complex?

A boy's unconscious desire for mother and jealousy of father.

Whats the Electra complex?

A girl’s unconscious desire for father and jealousy of mother.

What did Freud believe about early family relationships?

They shape later love and identity.

What personal experiences may have influenced Freud’s theories?

His upbringing — a much older father and complex family dynamics — shaped his ideas about sex and aggression.

What is free association in psychoanalysis?

The client says whatever comes to mind without censorship or filtering, revealing hidden unconscious material.

What does the therapist do during free association?

Listens for resistances, fixations, pauses, and speech patterns that reveal unconscious themes.

What is the goal of free association?

To make the unconscious conscious so the client can understand and work through hidden conflicts.

What is dream analysis in psychoanalysis?

A process to uncover the latent (hidden, symbolic) content beneath the manifest (surface-level) content of dreams.

How is dream analysis practiced?

Therapist and client discuss dream images and emotions to uncover unconscious wishes or conflicts.

What is interpretation in psychoanalysis?

The therapist explains the meaning of the client’s thoughts, behaviours, or dreams to increase self-awareness.

What does resistance mean in psychoanalysis?

When the client avoids threatening material.

What issue does avoidance signal?

An unconscious conflict.

What is transference?

When the client unconsciously redirects feelings from early relationships (like parents or ex-partners) onto the therapist.

How does transference develop over time?

It usually emerges after years in therapy and is analyzed by the therapist to promote insight.

What is countertransference?

The therapist’s own emotional reactions toward the client, which must be recognized and managed.

How can countertransference be prevented?

By the therapist undergoing their own psychoanalysis during training to manage their unconscious material.

What does working through mean?

Repeatedly revisiting and interpreting conflicts until the client internalizes insight and emotional change.

What technique did Freud use before free association, and why did he change it?

He first used hypnosis.

Why did Freud switch from hypnosis to free association?

After noticing that talking freely led to emotional release and insight.

What famous case illustrated transference in Freud’s work?

The case of Anna O., who developed hysterical blindness and projected emotions from her past onto Freud.

What are the main goals of psychoanalytic therapy?

Bring unconscious conflicts to awareness, strengthen the ego, and help the client gain insight into emotions to resolve unfinished past conflicts.

What is ego psychology? (by Anna Freud and Heinz Hartmann)

A branch focusing on the ego’s adaptive, reality-oriented functions and mastery of the environment.

What is object relations theory?

Focuses on internalized images of early relationships (objects) and how they shape inner emotional and interpersonal patterns.

What key concepts are associated with object relations theory?

Transitional objects, good-enough mother, and separation–individuation.

What is self psychology (Heinz Kohut)?

Emphasizes empathy and self-cohesion. Problems arise from a caregiver’s failure to mirror the child’s needs.

What is the therapeutic goal of self psychology?

To restore a cohesive sense of self through empathic attunement.

What is interpersonal/relational psychoanalysis?

A modern approach that views therapy as a two-person field — co-created between therapist and client.

How does interpersonal/relational psychoanalysis differ from Freud’s classical model?

It focuses on here-and-now relational patterns, not just childhood experiences.

How does modern psychodynamic therapy differ from classical psychoanalysis?

It is short-term and time-limited (typically 12–40 sessions).

What does contemporary psychodynamic therapy focus on?

Specific relationship themes and affect regulation (the ability to manage and respond to emotions adaptively).

What qualities are emphasized in contemporary psychodynamic therapy?

Empathy, attunement, and collaboration between therapist and client.

What does empirical research show about modern psychodynamic therapy?

It leads to long-term improvements in mood and personality functioning.

What were the major contributions of psychodynamic therapies to psychology?

The first comprehensive theory of personality and therapy. Provided foundation for all later talk therapies.

What are major critiques of Freud’s psychoanalytic theory?

Difficult to scientifically test, time-consuming and expensive, overemphasis on sexuality and childhood.

Why was Freud’s theory considered biased?

It ignored social, gender, and cultural diversity.

How do psychodynamic principles influence modern therapy today?

They inform attachment theory, emotion-focused therapy, and neuropsychoanalysis.

What did Freud require for becoming a psychoanalyst?

Trainees must undergo psychoanalysis themselves.

Why did Freud believe analysts should be analyzed first?

So they can recognize their own unconscious issues and act as a “blank screen” for clients.

What does being a “blank screen” mean in psychoanalysis?

The therapist avoids projecting personal issues onto the client, allowing true transference to emerge.

What was the physical setup of Freud’s therapy sessions?

The client lay on a couch while Freud sat behind them, out of view.

During which stage could Freud see the client face-to-face?

During the assessment stage (first 2–3 sessions) to evaluate if the client was a good fit for analysis.

What type of clients did Freud consider suitable for analysis?

Those who were intelligent and had strong ego strength

What was Freud’s “Test for Ego Strength”?

The Word Association Test. Delayed or difficult responses showed resistance and weak ego strength.

What does resistance in the Word Association Test indicate?

The ego is protecting against painful or repressed emotions.

What was the purpose of dream interpretation in Freud’s therapy?

To reveal unconscious wishes and thoughts.

What did Freud recommend clients do to work with their dreams?

Keep a notepad by the bed and record dreams immediately upon waking.

What if a client doesn’t remember their dreams, according to Freud?

The unconscious is still processes material that the ego doesn’t need to be aware of.