Psychoanalysis, developed by Sigmund Freud, is a theoretical framework and therapeutic method aiming to uncover and resolve unconscious conflicts, desires, and defense mechanisms. It involves free association, dream analysis, and transference exploration.
Key Points:
- Goal: Increase self-awareness and insight into how past experiences shape current behavior and emotional states.
- Structure: Typically involves multiple sessions per week over an extended period (years).
- Central Concepts: The unconscious mind, childhood experiences, psychosexual stages, and the role of defense mechanisms (e.g., repression).
- Modern Offshoots: Psychodynamic therapy, which retains some psychoanalytic principles but is often more brief and focused on current relational patterns.
