Psychoanalysis Enquiry (FAO: Odysseus)

sinewaves

I tried sending this as a private message, but was unable to do so due to the inbox being full, but I thought your response could be of value to others - apologies if another thread exists.



Hello Odysseus (forgive me for not knowing your real name). I'm a relatively new member of the forum, but have spent a good deal of time reading articles from the Psychology forum. My question relates to my desire to continue studying after I finish my degree in mental health nursing in Trinity.

I was hoping if you could ask some basic questions in relation to psychoanalysis - please excuse the lack of intelligence with these questions, but I have the belief there is no such thing as a stupid question.

On the most basic level, could you explain how Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy works - perhaps this would be easier if you could compare this therapy to the humanistic approach. My limited understanding is that Psychoanalysis, at its core, is to introduce the client to that person to which the client engages/deals with most, that person being himself/herself - this allows the individual an insight into how he/she thinks. An individual's experience is interpreted via the analyst in such a way that it can be understood by the client, but also in a way that is interesting to the client.

Is Psychoanalysis pragmatic? is there a practical element to it? Is it genuinely about problem solving? I am aware that one's problem would be the conversation starter i.e. one could want to discuss one's appearance, but then once that is dealt with the analysis could delve more deeply into the individual as a whole i.e. why one is obsessed with one's appearance could be something that could be delved into.

Is Psychoanalysis diverse in the sense that it can work with a multitude of issues? Some examples with be addiction, depression, anxiety etc... Have you witnessed individuals turn a corner during therapy?

Is psychoanalysis limited to the middle-class? Is it open to all walks of life? Is it too intellectual for the average individual? I am fully aware that how well Psychoanalysis works depends on the individual, and his/her commitment to such analysis.

On a personal note, why psychoanalysis, Odysseus? What attracted you to it as opposed to CBT, Humanistic, Systemic therapy?

What intrigues me about Psychoanalysis is the the level of depth it goes into - it deals with not only the present, but also the past. It is not trying to 'fix' the client - essentially it is interpreting one's experience, thus allows a sense of insight to be presented to the individual - this gives the client an opportunity to make choices based on this new found insight. I also appreciate the responsibility given to the individual.

My doubts are as follows:

- how practical it is (there is no quick-fix, something which I think is too prevalent within Psychiatry, but I am wondering how well it can work with everyday issues)

- is it too fixated on childhood?

- is it limited to intellectuals?

- does it work? (I'm intrigued given it is supposedly a listening cure rather than a talking cure)

I am torn between Psychoanalytic and Humanistic - they both appear to allow the individual to get to the root of one's suffering, rather than just dealing with the present, but my main concern is whether psychoanalysis is more characterized by intellectuality, rather than humanistic qualities.

I do hope I have not offended in you in any way with my questions -these questions stem from wanting to get a better understanding, rather than being critical of your profession.

I am aware the best thing would be to read more on the subject, and perhaps complete a foundation course, but I would love to get some feedback from you first. Would you recommend some nice beginner books on the subject?

Thank you for taking the time to read this,

Alan.

p.s. I am aware that in recent times the HSE introduced cut-backs to which involved you being moved - I recall you mentioning a client that was beginning to open up on her experience of sexual abuse. I sincerely hope this is not ongoing.

JuliusCaesar

Odysseus hasn't been on boards in 8 months so you might not get an answer from him :-(



Please note everyone - if you want to ask a particular user a question, check their profile. If they haven't been active in months/years, it's unlikely they'll see your question. JC

sinewaves

Sorry about this Julius, I should have checked. I hope he's okay.