Psychoanalysis
Sigmund Freud
Goal : To "achieve equilibrium between the id and the superego"
(Seligman & Reichenberg, 2014, p.51)
Goal : To "achieve equilibrium between the id and the superego"
(Seligman & Reichenberg, 2014, p.51)
Psychoanalysis strives to make the unconscious conscious in order to treat patients. Biology and background play a key role in this theory because they provide the context as to why people act the way they do.
Personality Structure:
The Id --> "Encompasses all inherited systems" (Seligman & Reichenberg, 2014, p. 45) and seeks to satisfy the body's needs
Example: A young child wants ice cream before bed. He goes to the freezer to reach for the ice cream but his parents tell him
no; therefore, he starts to cry.
The Superego --> "...opposite of the id" (Seligman & Reichenberg, 2014, p. 46) It's our conscience and helps us to differentiate right from
wrong
Example: A child is playing soccer in the backyard and he kicks the ball into mom's garden. He knows that she gets mad
when he walks through the garden and crushes her plants in order to get the ball. Even though his id is telling
him to cut through the garden to get the ball, his superego reminds him to walk around so that he is not
reprimanded or punished.
The Ego --> Has control over the id and the superego and it's the mediator between the two
Example: You decide to go to the food store while hungry and pass the aisle with your favorite chips. Your id is telling you to
buy the chips because they're your favorite and will make you happy; however, your superego is reminding you that
you made a New Year's Resolution to go on a diet and chips are not a part of that diet. The ego takes all this
information and comes up with a solution: You will buy strawberries instead because you don't want to ruin your
appetite for the next meal nor do you want to break your diet.
Dreams
Freud believed that dreams "reflect the unconscious and its fantasies" (Seligman & Reichenberg, 2014,p. 48) . In addition, what happens during a person's day is often manifested in his/her dreams; therefore, by analyzing a person's dreams, a glimpse of his/her biggest problems and desires can be revealed. For example, a person who had a bad day at work may have a dream that night about getting fired.
Stages of Development
1. Oral Stage : This is during the first year of life and is centered around the mouth because this is where a child receives food and can
suck. In addition, a child can show anger through biting or when he/she gets older, the mouth could symbolize a later
problem; for example, overeating.
2. Anal Stage : This is between 18 and 36 months. It's the anal stage because it's during this time that potty training occurs; therefore,
the child is getting satisfaction from emptying his/her bowels or urniating. Depending upon how parents approach potty training, it can affect the child. For example, praise for going to the potty will foster creativity whereas parents who use restrictive
means could have a child that is compulsive or controlling.
3. Phallic Stage : This is between ages three and five. It's during this time that pleasure is associated with genitals and are related to our
adult sexual relationships. During this stage, the child has a sexual desire (unconscious) toward the parent of the
opposite gender and the parent of the same gender is seen as being in the way of that relationship. For example, the
Oedipus complex (boys) and the Electra complex (girls).
4. Latency Stage : This is between ages five and eleven. This is a quiet stage due to the fact that the child's sexual drives are not as
important as making social connections and forming relationships. For example, the Electra complex begins to
dissolve and the girl realizes that these desires cannot be fulfilled so she turns her attention into making friends with
other girls.
5. Genital Stage : This is the last stage and continues throughout life. During this stage, teens and adults figure out their identities,
develop relationships, and have feelings for others. For example, sexual desires return and person has sexual
interests and pleasures with other people (not in family).
Levels of Consciousness
Most people don't have any memories before the age of three or four. Freud identifies three levels of consciousness.
1. The conscious : Awareness
Example: Right now, I'm at work
2. The preconscious : Retains information that can be accessed easily & quickly
Example: You forget about a person until you see them shopping while you're at Target
3. The unconscious : Retains memories of painful experiences and repressed memories
Example: A daughter's sexual feelings for her dad
Defense Mechanisms
1. Primary vs. Secondary Defense Mechanisms
Primary examples: repression, denial
Example - An alcoholic saying that they don't have a drinking problem
Secondary examples: projection, sublimation, reaction formation
Example - A couple gets pregnant unexpectedly and contemplated an abortion; however, when the child is born, the parents
are extremely protective of their child.
2. Relationship to Developmental Stage
Examples : Oral stage: denial, distortion
Example - A child refusing to accept the reality that he/she is no longer going to be breastfed and must eat
real food and milk from a bottle.
Anal stage: regression, undoing, reaction formation
Example - A child who has been potty trained regresses to going to the bathroom in his/her underwear due
to an event, stress, or anxiety.
Phallic stage: intellectualization
Example - A person is diagnosed with terminal stage 4 cancer. Instead of admitting and accepting that
he/she is terminally ill, he/she throws himself/herself into researching and learning everything he/she
can about cancer in order to distance himself/herself from the situation.
Latency stage: sublimation
Example - When a person has a sexual urge or impulse that he/she doesn't want to act upon and exercises
instead.
3. Psychotic vs. Neurotic Defenses
Examples: Psychotic: distortion, denial, delusional projection (loss of contact with reality)
Example - A person who is a functioning drug addict will deny that he/she has a problem by showing how well
he/she functions in relationships and at work.
Neurotic: rationalization, intellectualization, displacement
Example - A woman starts dating a new guy who she thinks is fabulous, when he dumps her suddenly. After he
dumps her, she tells herself that she knew he was a loser the whole time.
4. Immature vs. Healthy Defenses
Examples: Immature: projection, splitting, acting out
Example - A child who is angry decides to hit someone or punch a wall rather than saying that he/she is
angry.
Healthy: humor, altruism, sublimation, conscious suppression
Example - A man who is having chemo for his cancer loses his hair and makes jokes about being a bald man.
(Seligman & Reichenberg, 2014, p. 49)
1. Oral Stage : This is during the first year of life and is centered around the mouth because this is where a child receives food and can
suck. In addition, a child can show anger through biting or when he/she gets older, the mouth could symbolize a later
problem; for example, overeating.
2. Anal Stage : This is between 18 and 36 months. It's the anal stage because it's during this time that potty training occurs; therefore,
the child is getting satisfaction from emptying his/her bowels or urniating. Depending upon how parents approach potty training, it can affect the child. For example, praise for going to the potty will foster creativity whereas parents who use restrictive
means could have a child that is compulsive or controlling.
3. Phallic Stage : This is between ages three and five. It's during this time that pleasure is associated with genitals and are related to our
adult sexual relationships. During this stage, the child has a sexual desire (unconscious) toward the parent of the
opposite gender and the parent of the same gender is seen as being in the way of that relationship. For example, the
Oedipus complex (boys) and the Electra complex (girls).
4. Latency Stage : This is between ages five and eleven. This is a quiet stage due to the fact that the child's sexual drives are not as
important as making social connections and forming relationships. For example, the Electra complex begins to
dissolve and the girl realizes that these desires cannot be fulfilled so she turns her attention into making friends with
other girls.
5. Genital Stage : This is the last stage and continues throughout life. During this stage, teens and adults figure out their identities,
develop relationships, and have feelings for others. For example, sexual desires return and person has sexual
interests and pleasures with other people (not in family).
Levels of Consciousness
Most people don't have any memories before the age of three or four. Freud identifies three levels of consciousness.
1. The conscious : Awareness
Example: Right now, I'm at work
2. The preconscious : Retains information that can be accessed easily & quickly
Example: You forget about a person until you see them shopping while you're at Target
3. The unconscious : Retains memories of painful experiences and repressed memories
Example: A daughter's sexual feelings for her dad
Defense Mechanisms
1. Primary vs. Secondary Defense Mechanisms
Primary examples: repression, denial
Example - An alcoholic saying that they don't have a drinking problem
Secondary examples: projection, sublimation, reaction formation
Example - A couple gets pregnant unexpectedly and contemplated an abortion; however, when the child is born, the parents
are extremely protective of their child.
2. Relationship to Developmental Stage
Examples : Oral stage: denial, distortion
Example - A child refusing to accept the reality that he/she is no longer going to be breastfed and must eat
real food and milk from a bottle.
Anal stage: regression, undoing, reaction formation
Example - A child who has been potty trained regresses to going to the bathroom in his/her underwear due
to an event, stress, or anxiety.
Phallic stage: intellectualization
Example - A person is diagnosed with terminal stage 4 cancer. Instead of admitting and accepting that
he/she is terminally ill, he/she throws himself/herself into researching and learning everything he/she
can about cancer in order to distance himself/herself from the situation.
Latency stage: sublimation
Example - When a person has a sexual urge or impulse that he/she doesn't want to act upon and exercises
instead.
3. Psychotic vs. Neurotic Defenses
Examples: Psychotic: distortion, denial, delusional projection (loss of contact with reality)
Example - A person who is a functioning drug addict will deny that he/she has a problem by showing how well
he/she functions in relationships and at work.
Neurotic: rationalization, intellectualization, displacement
Example - A woman starts dating a new guy who she thinks is fabulous, when he dumps her suddenly. After he
dumps her, she tells herself that she knew he was a loser the whole time.
4. Immature vs. Healthy Defenses
Examples: Immature: projection, splitting, acting out
Example - A child who is angry decides to hit someone or punch a wall rather than saying that he/she is
angry.
Healthy: humor, altruism, sublimation, conscious suppression
Example - A man who is having chemo for his cancer loses his hair and makes jokes about being a bald man.
(Seligman & Reichenberg, 2014, p. 49)
Treatments
Hypnosis: One of Freud's first methods where there is an induced sleep in order to conjure up forgotten memories.
Example: Hypnosis to revisit childhood memories
Therapeutic Alliance: Long-term, intense, patient on couch, counselor in chair behind patient, clients talk, therapist facilitates
Example: A patient that meets with a therapist three times per week for four years. When they meet, the patient lies on the
couch and does most of the talking while the therapist sits in a chair behind him/her and guides the meeting by asking
questions and listening for "underlying meanings, symbols, contradictions, and important omissions" (Seligman &
Reichenberg, 2014, p. 51).
Free Association: A patient will say whatever comes to his/her mind without censoring or thinking about repercussions. Free association
helps to surface past memories and the emotions related to that memory. This is also from where the term Freudian Slip
originated.
Example: I woke up this morning and had cereal for breakfast. As I was driving to work, I was listening to the radio.
What's with all the commercials and advertisements they have on the radio? Did you know that Iceland isn't
actually icy but Greenland is? Crazy. I heard that on a commercial on the radio. I wish that I could travel to
Iceland so I could have a vacation and not have to worry about daily life.
Transference: A patient will project certain characteristics of another person onto the counselor. For example, a person may project the
loving qualities of his father onto the therapist.
Abreaction: Calling to mind "painful experiences that had been repressed, working through those painful experiences and the conflicts it
created by reliving in memory the experience and its associated emotions, analyzing that experience, and achieving an
emotional release..." (Seligman & Reichenberg, 2014, p. 52).
Example: Reliving the painful experiences associated with parent's divorce and understanding how that affects current
relationships in order to overcome those experiences and emotions.
Interpretation & Analysis: Turning the unconscious to consciousness. Once achieved, positive change can occur because the person gained
insight and worked through previously repressed experiences to help deal with difficulties in the present.
Analysis Example: Exploring dreams - free association, emotions, what triggered dream
Interpretation Example: Dissecting a dream in order to understand the unconscious meaning of symbols and
what they represent.