Philosophical assumptions:
Scientific modernism
Medical approach:
Mental illness is caused by (psychological) processes within an individual and can be alleviated by appropriate treatment
Philosophical assumptions:
Objectivism:
nature exists independently of observers
Philosophical assumptions:
Psychic determinism
Behaviour is determined by irrational forces, unconscious motivations and biological or instinctual drives.
Philosophical assumptions:
Universalism
Scientific explanations apply to all times, places and situations, regardless of contexts in which they occur.
Philosophical assumptions:
Epistemological assumption:
Consistent, congruent client reports are followed by changes in symptoms and behaviour.
- Subjective monism: each person has a true self that is revealed in dialogs with unbiased observers.
- Objective monism: a single, empirically derived model, universally applicable to all people, will eventually explain objective, causal relationships among elements abstracted from reality
Philosophical assumptions:
Ontological assumption
Internalized child conflict - efficient cause of anxiety - ego defense - symptom
History: Sigmund Freud
- with Charcot: hypnosis for hysteria
- with Breuer Anna O
- Hysteria caused by unacceptable emotions that cause guilt, embarrassment or shame. So they are repressed
- Curative factors: insight and abreaction
- Interpretation of dreams, essays on sexuality and psychoanalysis
- Intro to narcissism: theory of libido and theory of drives
- Psychosexual development, castration, female sexuality and application of psychoanalytic theory
Theories of Personality
Tophographic
- Unconsciousness: not available to introspection. It includes what is actively repressed from conscious thought or what a person is averse to knowing consciously
- Pre-consciousness: thoughts that are unconscious at the moment in question, but that are not repressed and are available for recall and easily capable of becoming conscious
- Consciousness
Theories of personality:
Structural
Persistent functional units of the id, ego and superego
- Id (horse): present at birth, instincts, unconscious, pleasure principles
- Ego (strings): from life experiences, reasoning, all, reality principle
- Superego (rider): from society and parental standards, moral imperatives: ideal superego and conscience, all, guilt
Theories of personality:
Structural
Characteristics:
- Dynamic: interaction and conflict among psychic forces. Dreams, slips of the tongue and symptoms are the ego’s solutions to the conflict between the id’s unconscious wishes and the superego’s internalized fear of social censure.
- Genetic: origin and development of psychic phenomena through the oral, anal, phallic, latency and genital stages
- Economic: distribution, transformation and expenditure of psychological energy.
Therapeutic process: Techniques
Maintaining analytical framework
The acceptance of this framing is the agreement or therapeutic contract. Its implementation implies the working partnership
Therapeutic process: Techniques
Analysis of transference, countertransference and resistance
- Transference: unconscious wishes related to past relationship are repeated in the framework of current relationship (towards therapist)
- Countertransference: reaction of the therapist towards the client may interfere with objectivity
- Resistance: anything that works against the progress of therapy and prevents the client from producing previously unconscious material
Therapeutic process: Techniques
Free association
Clients are encouraged to say whatever comes to mind. Basic rules:
- Floating of attention: not providing any special attention to the logical thread of speech, it remains to be listening to the effects of unconsciousness on language
- Abstinence, coldness of feelings and neutrality to prevent giving advice or adopting a pedagogic structure
Therapeutic process: Techniques
Interpretation
analyst pointing out, explaining and even teaching the client the meaning of behaviour that is manifested in dreams, free association, resistances and the therapeutic relationship itself
Therapeutic process: Techniques
Dream analysis
Consists of uncovering unconscious material and giving the client insight into some areas of unresolved problems during sleep, when defences are lowered and repressed feelings surface.
- Manifest content: what a person remembers and consciously
- Latent content: underlying (symbolic) hidden meaning (believed to be manifested of the subconscious)
Therapeutic content: defense mechanisms
Repression
removing painful thoughts, memories or feelings from conscious awareness (source of anxiety)
Therapeutic content: defense mechanisms
Denial
way of distorting or not acknowledging what an individual thinks, feels or sees
Therapeutic content: defense mechanisms
Reaction formation
acting in a way that is opposite to disturbing desires
Therapeutic content: defense mechanisms
Projection
attributing one’s own unacceptable feelings or thoughts to others on the basis of projection
Therapeutic content: defense mechanisms
Displacement
when anxious, placing feelings on objects or people that may be safe
Therapeutic content: defense mechanisms
Sublimation
modification of drive (usually sexual or aggressive) into acceptable social behavior
Therapeutic content: defense mechanisms
Rationalization
explaining poor performance, a failure or a loss by making excuses to lessen anxiety and soften the disappoinment
Therapeutic content: defense mechanisms
Regression
to revert to a previous stage of development (immature behaviour) when faced with stress
Therapeutic content: defense mechanisms
Identification
reducing anxiety and other negative feelings by taking on the characteristics of other people
