Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy

What Is Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy?

Psychoanalytic therapy is one of the most well-known treatment modalities, but it is also one of the most misunderstood by mental health patients. The goal of psychoanalytic therapy is to help patients better understand the unconscious forces that can play a role in current behaviours, thoughts, and emotions. This type of therapy is based upon the theories and work of Sigmund Freud, who founded the school of thought known as psychoanalysis. At our centre we are developing our training in Kleinien analysis, founded in Freud’s theories.

Freud described the unconscious as the reservoir of desires, thoughts, and memories that are below the surface of conscious awareness. He believed that it was these unconscious influences that could often lead to psychological distress and disturbances.

Psychoanalytic therapy looks at how the unconscious mind influences thoughts and behaviours. Psychoanalysis frequently involves looking at early childhood experiences in order to discover how these events might have shaped the individual and how they contribute to current actions.