PSYCHOANALYTIC PSYCHOTHERAPY
Introduction
The essence of psychoanalytic process lies in understanding
the hidden meaning of persons verbalizations, bringing the repressed materials
from the unconscious mind and enabling the patient to deal with these by
greater understanding, and to gain insight
Setting
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The psychoanalytic environment is designed to
promote relaxation and regression
·
The patient lies down comfortably on a
couch
·
The analyst sits behind
·
The reclining position of the couch is relaxing
and helps patient to loosen the conscious control of thought
·
The analyst remaining outside the field of
vision of the patient minimizes his influence and permits the analytical
observation of patient without interruption
·
This arrangement recreates symbolically the
parent-child situation
Stages
The course of therapy process is divided in to three stages
In the first stage, patient learns about the
routines and requirements. A therapeutic alliance is established
Second stage consists of interpretation,
emergence of transference reactions, working through it, and neutralization of
emerged conflictual material
Stage three consists of dissolution of
therapeutic bond and patients moving into greater mastery
Techniques/Elements/Process
1 . Free Association: Patient is encouraged to talk
freely about his own thoughts and feelings. Therapist remains relatively
passive
2. Resistance: As the procedure continues, the
patient usually begins to avoid certain topics and may show other forms of
resistance to treatment such as rejecting the therapists interpretations
3. Transference:
It is the patients feelings and behavior towards analyst. It is patients
re-experience of feelings, which are displaced from objects or persons from his
past towards the therapist
4.Treatment Alliance: It is a realistic approach
between the patient and analyst reflecting the patients wish to achieve change
5.Acting Out: patient presents his ideas and feelings
not in words but in his behavior within or outside the therapeutic sessions
6.Interpretations: interpretation of acting out
behavior and about other issues in treatment
7.Counter Transference: This is the transference
reaction of analyst towards patient
Duration
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45-50 minutes per session
·
4 or more times a week
·
Usually continues for 3-6 years
Indications
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Phobias
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OCD
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Conversion disorder
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Dysthymia
·
Personality disorders
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Sexual disorders
Contraindications
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Substance use disorders
·
Psychoses
·
Psycho-somatic disorders
COMMENTS