Sigmund Freud And Oprah Winfrey's Approach To Psychology

Anna Freud, born in 1895, was the daughter of Sigmund Freud, the well-known founder of psychology and the psychoanalytic theory. Anna Freud’s work with her father and his friends and associates as well as her own personal studies, curiosities, and analyses lead her to cofound psychoanalytic child psychology. An appealing woman who did not have much of a formal education, Anna Freud, had an extensive background in psychology, an interesting theoretical perspective, and many contributions to the field.

Sigmund Freud was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis who took the psychology world by storm. He is regarded as one of the most influential, and controversial, minds of the twentieth century who created an entirely new approach to the understanding of the human personality.

The basic idea of Sigmund Freud’s Psychoanalytic perspective of an individual’s personality focuses on the role our unconscious thoughts, feelings and our early childhood experiences and how it determines an individual’s behavior. Freud argues the largest part of the human mind is hidden or unconscious, which are things that people can’t easily bring to awareness. These either originate in the unconscious mind as drives or instincts and they can become "hidden" at some point in life; especially after a traumatic experience. In Freud's theory, there are three levels of awareness: the id corresponds to the unconscious, the ego to the conscious, and the superego to the "preconscious."

Sigmund Freud was a well known psychologist whose theories have founded the understanding of the human psyche. Freud’s theory of personality is one of his most known theories. It details that there are three segments of consciousness. The id is desire, immorality and is what drives us to do wrong. The superego exists to counteract and overpower the id, as it is morality, commonly known as our conscious. The ego exists to balance out both extremes and devises a solution to sate each segment. Then there are the defense mechanisms, repression, denial, projection, displacement, regression and sublimation. These are employed by the ego to keep the balance between the id and the superego and to protect the psyche, especially in traumatic times. Last, the Oedipus complex which Freud believed, only exists in children from the ages of 3-5, when they become attracted to

In Freudian therapy, or psychoanalysis, healing occurs when repressed thoughts and feelings are brought in to consciousness. This allows the patient to develop a stronger ego and resolve internal

As a little girl she experienced physical abuse, “a cultural experience many African- American children went through” Oprah said during an appearance at Ball State University in Indiana. Around the age of 9 Oprah had been sexually abused and raped. At the age of 14 she had fallen pregnant. Though the baby had passed away after only two weeks of life, Oprah had taken the experience to heart. She saw it that the baby being born, had been like her second chance at life.

Oprah’s mother was a maid and had to rely on welfare at times to support their family (Fry). Oprah was molested by her mother’s boyfriend and her uncle during time she was with her mother (King). After that Oprah acted out especially against her mother. While living with her mother Oprah constantly broke her mother’s rules, and had many outbursts including running away and staging burglaries at her home (King). Oprah became pregnant at the age of 14, and she gave birth to the baby prematurely.

Psychoanalytic theory is known as the method of investigating and treating personality disorders and can be used in other forms of psychology. Oprah hasn’t always been as wise as what you can see on her show today. Oprah’s youth was filled with adversity; her child hood was mix with economic hardship, neglect and abuse. Growing up Oprah had a strong personality.

Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, is always an interesting topic. His view points and interpretations of human behavior have always made me take a deeper look at myself. New ways of seeing things, or figuring out weird things that you do are really common behavior have always fascinated. Talking about Freud, there is never a dull or boring moment, there is always some way you can look at yourself and see something you didn't see before.

Moreover this Super Ego is a development from both the ID and the Ego itself and represents our attempt to integrate values learnt from the society and from parents. Freud further explains that psychological health is maintained only when these three components are in balance. Any imbalance in between them leads to psychological disorders (Davey, 2011).Furthermore, Freud’s theory of psychosexual stages, the unconscious and the conscious mind completes the formation of the major components of psychoanalytic theory. (Cherry, N.D)

Carl Gustav Jung is a Swiss psychiatrist and the successor of psychoanalysis with important intellectual movements of the twentieth century. In his early career, Jung was influenced by the theory of Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis (Breger 2000, p. 217). However, they came into disagreement in notions which then broke their relationship. It was because Freud’s view of myth was based on reality, which there was no religion involved, whereas Jung though that myth was based on both reality and religion. Consequently, Jung’s notions were commonly accepted by society because of the wider context. Then, through his research and clinical findings, he developed some concepts like archetypes, collective unconscious, shadow, extrovert and introvert and persona (Carter 2011 p. 442). These concepts help Jung to deepen the explanation about myth. For Jung, myth is a projection of archetypes and collective unconscious. Their form are universal and identical with every society back into history. Myth can be identical because the original form, the archetypes, is configured to be the same among human's unconscious globally where people's psychic realm encounters certain motifs and typical figures that built into the structure of man’s unconsciousness (Jung Myth Ex. 3-4). According to Edward Tylor and James Frazer, myth and science were contradict where science was factual and myth was not (Segal 2003, p. 48). Therefore, myth has an important role in human nature and modern

Oprah Winfrey is a household name, not only in America but throughout the world. She has graced Americans’ televisions for the over twenty-five years. Oprah has impacted many lives across the globe, whether it be first hand or through her powerful words of wisdom and encouragement. Many know of Oprah as we see her today; however, they don’t have knowledge of her past and the circumstances that shaped and molded her into the woman that we all know today. Oprah Winfrey did not always have the things she possesses today, but it was the determination and drive that brought her this far.

Oprah’s life was tragic, filled with death, rape, and loss. However, even when all the odds were stacked against Oprah Winfrey, she was always able to turn her loss into strength and hope for a better future. Oprah’s better future has arrived now, she is a wealthy talk show host who wants to share her happiness with the world. Oprah’s horrible childhood would have left many scarred and ruined as people but that was not the case for Oprah. Oprah has stood as a symbol of hope, while putting effort, time, and money into benefiting those who need it most, and in her efforts to help others, Oprah has demonstrated what a wonderful person she is, and for that she deserves her own holiday.

It feels as though most of the time when thinking about psychology and the great contributions that have been made to it, that most of them have been from men, but along the way there have been several influential women that have contributed to the field of psychology as well. Just like men, there were several women who were pioneers, theorists, and counselors; many of these women have contributed to the field of psychology in their own special between the years of 1850 and 1950. Of all these amazing women who are pioneers, theorists, and counselors, the one who stands out the most is Anna Freud. This paper will go on to explain Anna Freud’s

Later that year, she was sent to her mother in Milwaukee. Oprah led a few painful years of her childhood at her mother’s. She was sexually abused by her male relatives and acquaintances. These experiences had a profound effect on her and she turned into a promiscuous and problematic teenager. Her mother tried to admit her in a home for troubled teens, but as the home was full, Oprah was sent