Psychoanalysis
Psychoanalysis as founded by Sigmund Freud around 1900 has been and still is constantly developing further, first by Freud himself, and subsequently by many psychoanalysts of later generations.
Psychoanalysis assumes that unconscious psychological processes and conflicts influence our thinking, our relationships, and our decisions decisively. The method of psychoanalysis is based on free communication of thoughts, perceptions and memories. With his interpretations the psychoanalyst helps to understand these in new contexts. This allows to open up an unconscious level of human experience, in addition to conscious knowledge.
Everyday experiences for instance can not only be observed, but understood in their genesis and function, thereby gaining significance and meaning. Psychoanalysis means (re-)gaining meaning, which couldn’t be grasped or fell into oblivion by the demands, convention, anxiety and/or guilt feelings. Unconscious relational patterns will also manifest themselves in the relationship to the psychoanalyst and thus get accessible to observation and change. Access to the unconscious has a liberating effect on the ways of thinking in many areas.
Not just a cure
Psychoanalysis is not only a healing process, but has also expanded into many humanities and social sciences as a method of research. Psychoanalysis is carried out in high frequency (3-4 times a week) and has a rather long duration. It must therefore be paid in part or in full by the person undergoing analysis. Scientific long-term studies have shown that there is a positive relationship between high treatment duration and frequency and the sustainability of the treatment outcome. Patients undergoing psychoanalysis or analytical psychotherapy also reported significant further independent improvements even years after their treatment, in their ability to relate, in health, life satisfaction, working ability and creativity.
Psychoanalysis is offered both as a method to increase self-awareness and important element of training for future psychotherapists and psychoanalysts, as well as for all other interested people.
