Peryn Fenlon
1.
The purpose of this essay is to identify some of the key concepts and provide an understanding of psychodynamic theory and its application. This will be done in relation to a case study and role play carried out on Frances Ashe, a middle aged woman who has been in therapy for five years. The key concepts of psychodynamic theory which will be explored further include stages of development, ego defences and past and present links.
Psychodynamic refers to the inner drives and conflicts of the mind. Psychodynamic counselling is derived from psychoanalytic traditions which originate from the work of Sigmund Freud (1856-1936) and later Klein (1882-1960), Winnicott (1896-1971), Bowlby (1907-1990) and others, and it works
…show more content…
In Freudian psychoanalytic theory ego defence mechanisms are described as psychological strategies brought into play by the ego to cope with
Peryn Fenlon
4.
reality, to maintain self-image and ward off anxiety. Defence mechanisms keep painful or unacceptable experiences away from the conscious mind by repressing them into the unconscious. Some common examples of defence mechanisms include projection: placing unacceptable impulses in yourself onto someone else, denial: arguing against an anxiety stating that it doesn’t exist, splitting: active separation into good and bad experiences, perceptions and emotions, introjection: taking representations of others or parts of others into one’s inner world, suppression: pushing into the unconscious, and idealisation: an object is invested with unrealistic positive attributes. Being able to recognise and interpret defence mechanisms is an important aspect of psychodynamic counselling.
Psychodynamic counsellors work with clients to establish references to significant figures in their past and to identify ways in which these may be linked to the present. The psychodynamic theory of the ‘triangle of insight’ can also help with the client’s recognition of unresolved issues from their past in an attempt to resolve situations and draw insight into present situations. The triangle of insight has three points of connection: the here and now: interactions and the relationship between the client and
In the counseling world today understanding psychodynamic approaches is more crucial than ever in the assessment and treatment of any psychological issue. Psychodynamic approaches such as Individual therapy, analytical therapy and psychoanalysis are similar in many ways but also differ based on the individuals own perception and circumstances. I will discuss the similarities as well difference’s and why these forms of therapy are critical in the assessment and treatment of clients.
The history of Psychodynamic psychology originated with Sigmund Freud in the late 19th century. Freud proposed a psychodynamic theory to which personality consists of the id. The Id is present at birth and it resides in the world of unconsciousness. Freud also said that the unconscious is also a place where human instinctual biological drives reside. The drives direct our behaviour towards choices that promise to satisfy our basic human needs. The drives ensure our survival like drinking water and eating food, the desire for reproduction and the necessity for aggression.
Freud established the term defense mechanism, which helps cope with anxiety produced by the ego. People frequently have desires and urges that are deemed unacceptable within society. Cersei Lannister exhibits the use of defense mechanisms such as denial, displacement, and regression.
The psychodynamic approach was proposed by Freud. This approach towards personality is based on the notion of underlying forces such as the id, ego and superego which are either present from birth or develop during childhood shape our behaviour and personality as such. Experiences in childhood are proposed to be the basis of human personality, according to Freud and as such Psychodynamic theory proposes that some undesirable unbalances between the id and superego can create the arising of ego defence mechanisms which explain individual differences in behaviour. Freudian theory has been adapted by neo-Freudians, however while psychodynamic
Among these therapeutic approaches are the psychodynamic approach and the existential approach. An example of existential approach psychotherapy is the person-centred therapy that was introduced by Carl Rogers in the 1940s. Person-centred therapy (PCT) focuses on the quality of the person-to-person therapeutic relationship; it places faith and gives responsibility to the client in dealing with problems and concerns (Corey, 2009, p. 30). On the other hand, for the psychodynamic approach, Sigmund Freud, the core founder of this approach developed psychoanalysis. Psychoanalysis is a therapy aimed to treat mental disorder. It is a set of techniques for treating the unconscious causes of mental disorders; as well as to explain the underlying factors of how human personality and abnormality develop from childhood (Corey, 2009, p. 30). This paper examines the similarities and differences between psychoanalytic therapy and
In the 1890’s Sigmund Freud, a German neurologist developed a theory later to be called psychoanalysis, which allowed individuals to tell their problems to a ‘psychoanalyst’ an individual trained in interpreting the ‘subconscious’. He played an important part in the history of counselling but the actual word “counselling” did not come into everyday language until 1960’s.
Tyler Perry’s Accomplishments; Tyler Perry has 17 feature films, 20 stage plays, 7 television shows, a New York Times bestselling book. Tyler Perry has many successful films, plays, and best selling books. He is a writer, actor, producer, and director. He was born on September 13, 1969 as Emmitt Perry Jr, born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana.tyler
“It is a type of psychotherapy, also known as insight-oriented therapy, that draws on psychoanalytic theory to help people understand the roots of emotional distress, often by exploring unconscious motives, needs, and defences.The goals of psychodynamic therapy are a client’s self-awareness and understanding of the influence of the past on present behavior.”(Haggerty, J. (2013). Psychodynamic Therapy. Psych Central. Retrieved on August 3, 2015),
The psychodynamic approach to psychology is the study of human behaviour from the point of view of motivation and drives. The original beliefs of this approach were created by Sigmund Freud in the 1800s. Although it is now generally seen negatively in the common view, sometimes comically, it has provided the inspiration for a few of the current leading approaches to psychology.
Mental Health Issues and the Psychodynamic Approach The psychodynamic approach highlights the importance of the unconscious mind and early childhood experiences, therefore practitioners of this approach will attempt to deal with the mental health issues of their patients by incorporating these ideas and creating ‘therapies’ using these bases. The basic concept behind psychoanalysis is that a patient that suffers from mental health problems such as depression can address any regressed feelings thus, the patient gains insight of and can learn to work through their emotional ‘baggage’. It is a generalised notion that if the cause of the symptoms were tackled it would only be logical that the
The Ego Acts as ‘mediator’ between the Id and the super-ego. It is the rational part governed by the ‘reality principle’. Freud Created ‘defence mechanisms’ in an attempt to protect the ‘ego’ from constant threat from the ‘super-ego’. These include ‘Repression’ meaning re-directing negative thoughts to the ‘Unconscious‘. As well as Projection’ this being the shifting of blame or thoughts and feelings onto someone or something less intimidating. ‘’ The idea of psychological defence itself was not problematic; it was a
Psychoanalysis was the name given by Sigmund Freud to a system of interpretation and therapeutic treatment of psychological disorders. (McLeod, 2007) In particular, we present five key concepts on psychoanalytic therapy: structure of personality, psychosexual stages, defense mechanism, anxiety, and the unconscious mind.
The psychodynamic perspective to psychology is based on Feud’s theory of psycho-analysis, which assumes that our mental processes and behavior reflect the constant psychodynamic conflicts, which rage within us (Bernstein, 2011, p. 15). This approach comprises of all the concepts in psychology, which consider human functioning based on the interaction of forces and drives within
Some advantages of psychoanalytic theory are that it uncovers the roots of the problem, helps clients to relieve past experiences to work through the repressed conflicts and it explains how the personality is constructed. On the flip side, psychoanalytic therapy often needs to occur for extended periods of time and it is expensive to hire a therapist in the long run. Therefore people might want to opt for lesser sessions and therapists may focus on limited objectives instead of personality reconstruction. In psychoanalytic therapy, the therapist often takes and anonymous role, which could make the patient feel uncomfortable and not open up. In a research done by the Young Adult Psychotherapy Project (YAPP), it showed that therapists should strive to form a ‘secure attachment relationship’ with the client so that they can open up to painful memories and thoughts in the process (Lilliengren, 2014). Therefore therapists should strive for a warmer approach. Moreover, there is also a debate on the reliability and safety of the process of memory
According to Freud, there are three kinds of anxiety – reality, moral and neurotic. Reality anxiety is experienced when there is an actual danger coming from the external world. Moral anxiety arises when there is a conflict between one’s behavior and what the superego is demanding one to do. Finally, neurotic anxiety is felt when the ego feels incapable of controlling the id and the urges hiding in it. The tools people use to get rid of anxiety is what psychoanalysts call “Defense Mechanisms” (Schultz and Schultz, 2009). Defense mechanisms are different behavioral patterns, some of them are considered mature (for example humor) and some immature but what is important for this paper is that in psychoanalytic therapy, defense mechanisms are identified and the goal of the therapy is to overcome them and access the unconscious conflicts which are according to the Freudians the root of any mental problem. Moreover, all problems’ origin can be found in childhood - most often in a faulty relationship with one of the primary caregivers (Hough,