British Psychoanalytic Council - Further Information On Psychotherapy

Further Information On Psychotherapy

Psychoanalytic psychotherapy is a therapeutic process which aims to help people with distressing psychological situations and mental health problems. The process helps a person to understand these complex, and often unconsciously based, emotional and relationship problems. This can enhance their ability to manage their own feelings, life and their dealings with others, and by doing so can reduce symptoms and alleviate distress. Psychoanalytic psychotherapy creates a setting in which it is possible to experience and reflect on a person's difficulties as they manifest themselves in the relationship with the therapist which develops in the process of treatment. This form of therapy is not limited to dealing with what can be thought of as mental health problems. Many people who experience a loss of meaning at certain points in their lives or are seeking a greater sense of fulfilment can be helped by this approach.

Psychoanalytic psychotherapy is based on the observation that people sometimes try to deal with problems by trying to keep them out of their minds as a way of getting rid of them. However, they will continue to have an important effect on feelings and behaviour. Early experiences are important in shaping the way the mind works but a large part of our mind operates outside of one's consciousness. From an early age, people find ways of managing their experiences and this influences how we cope in later life. With the therapist's help a person can gradually come to understand these experiences and make sense of how we have dealt with them. This leads to a process of change, which takes place through the psychoanalytic session.