Chapter 3
Psychoanalytic Counseling
THEORY OVERVIEW
Psychoanalytic theory is considered to be the historical foundation of therapy. Freud viewed
people as basically evil, victims of instincts that must be reconciled with social forces in order to
function appropriately. Freud contended that people are energy systems, distributing psychic
energy to the id, ego, and superego. Human behavior is determined by this energy distribution,
by unconscious motives, and by instinctual and biological drives. According to Freud
psychosexual events that occur during the first 5 years of life are critical to personality
development.
CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this chapter, the student will be able to:
1. Describe the philosophical assumptions of the psychoanalytic approach to counseling.
2. Explain human nature, innate drives, and tendencies of humans from
the psychoanalytic perspective.
3. Discuss the etiology of maladaptive behavior according to psychoanalytic thought.
4. Delineate the necessary conditions under which psychological growth and/or behavior
change occurs according to psychoanalysis.
5. Compare object relations theory to psychoanalytic theory.
6. Demonstrate the specific procedures and techniques that facilitate constructive client
change in psychoanalysis.
7. Compare and contrast psychoanalysis to other counseling approaches.
8. Evaluate the limitations and contributions of psychoanalysis.
CHAPTER SUMMARY
Sigmund Freud and the psychoanalytic approach to therapy are the focus of this chapter.
Traditionally this theory is considered the historical foundation of therapy. The concept of
human nature in this theory is based on psychic determinism and unconscious mental processes.
Psychic determinism implies that mental life is a continuous manifestation of cause-related
relationship. Mental processes are considered causative factors of human behavior. Mental
activity and even physical activity may be kept below the conscious level. Analysis on the basis
of unconscious determinism is the foundation of psychoanalysis.
Freud viewed people as basically evil, victims of instincts that must be reconciled with social
forces in order to function appropriately. To achieve balance, people must achieve an
understanding of forces that motivate them to act. Freud contended that people are energy
systems, distributing psychic energy to the id, ego, and superego. Human behavior is determined
by this energy distribution, by unconscious motives, and by instinctual and biological drives.
Psychosexual events that occur during the first 5 years of life are critical to personality
development.
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Psychoanalysis is based on the concepts of psychic determinism and unconscious mental
processes. Psychic determinism implies that mental functions are continuous manifestations of
cause-related relationships. Therefore, nothing is random and nothing happens by chance. Mental
events are closely interwoven and depend on preceding mental signals. Much of what goes on in
minds and bodies is unknown on the conscious level. The unconscious is, therefore, the basis of
psychoanalytical counseling. The goal of counseling is to lead the client to catharsis. The
therapist thereby brings the unconscious into awareness in order to confront the unresolved
conflict, repression, and anxiety that are buried in the unconscious of the client.
The principal concepts of psychoanalytic counseling can be grouped as structural, dynamic, and
developmental concepts. The structural concepts are the id, ego, and superego. These are three
parts of the personality. The id contains basic instinctual drives such as thirst, hunger, sex, and
aggression. The ego is the part of the personality that tries to balance the needs of the id with the
reality of the external world. The superego is one's personal moral standard.
The dynamic concepts are instinct, libido, cathexis, anticathexis, and anxiety. All of these are
related to the way one distributes psychic energy. Developmental concepts include the defense
mechanism that the ego uses to protect itself from heavy pressure and anxiety. The defense
mechanisms discussed are identification, displacement, repression and suppression, projection,
reaction formation, rationalization, denial, fantasy, withdrawal, intellectualization, regression,
fixation, undoing, compensation and sublimation.
Psychosexual stages are also developmental concepts. Those five stages are characterized by a
dominant mode of achieving libidinal pleasure and by specific development tasks. The stages are
oral stage, anal stage, phallic stage, latency stage and genital stage.
Object relations theory focuses on how early family relationships affect relationships formed
outside the family. Theorists from this school of thought contend that family relationships that
model appropriate and healthy models for future relationship development are the best assistance
children can have in learning to build relationships outside the family. Winnicott believed that
analyst should “stand in” for the important people (objects) in a person’s psychological history
who literally let the person down. He used these transference relationships in treatment to help
people relive and re-evaluate their pasts.
The primary goal of counseling within a psychoanalytic frame of reference is to make the
unconscious conscious. Repressed material that is brought to the conscious level can be dealt
with by analyses of resistance, transference, and dreams as well as by catharsis, free association,
interpretation, and play therapy. All the methods have the long-term goal of strengthening the
ego. The therapeutic methods of bibliocounseling, story telling, and play therapy are particularly
appropriate when working with children.
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KEY CONCEPTS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Human behavior is a function of unconscious processes that are determined by a person's
distribution of psychic energy among the three structures of personality.
Personality is a structural system composed of an id, ego, and superego.
The tension that results from the conflict between the pleasure principle and the reality
principle is the essential, motivating force in life. People can find productive ways to
reduce tension or give in to the tension and be destroyed by it.
Consciousness, preconscious, unconsciousness, and sub-consciousness are layers of
mental activity.
The primary goal of therapy is to make the unconscious conscious.
KEY TERMS, CONCEPTS, and PERSONALITIES
Sigmund Freud – The founder of Psychoanalytic Theory. Psychoanalysis includes theories about
the development of the mind, instinctual drives, influences of environment, importance of
family, and attitudes of society.
Transference – The process of clients transferring their feelings regarding a significant individual
from their life onto the therapist.
Cathexis – Directing one’s energy toward an object that will satisfy a need.
Anticathexis – The ego’s restraint of the id’s impulses.
Catharsis – The process of remembering, verbalizing, and emotionally reliving an early
childhood event in order to eliminate the symptoms that had been caused by the event.
Defense mechanisms – Unconscious distortions of reality that alleviate anxiety and pressure.
Id-Ego-Superego – According to Freud, these are the three important parts of the personality.
The id contains basic instinctual drives and seeks pleasure. The ego attempts to balance the
desires of the id and the reality of the external world. The superego is a personal moral standard.
Dream analysis – Since Freud believed the dreams expressed wish fulfillment, he studied dreams
in order to interpret the desires and power of the id.
Psychosexual stages – The stages of personality development in which the individual attempts to
achieve libidinal pleasure through the completion of developmental tasks.
Free association – The process in which unconscious thoughts are brought to the conscious mind
by vocalizing whatever thoughts or feelings come to mind.
Unconscious – The part of the mind that we are not aware of. It holds drives, desires, and
attitudes that influence functioning in the conscious mind.
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Preconscious – Material in the mind that is not readily available to the conscious mind, but can
be retrieved with effort.
Subconscious – Involuntary bodily processes that individuals maintain from birth.
Libido – The energy that allows life instincts to work; basic energy of life.
Anxiety – A conscious state that reflects the presence of an emotional experience by external or
internal nervous energy.
Regression – A defense mechanism in which the individual reverts back to earlier developmental
stages which are less demanding.
Oral, anal, phallic, latency, genital stages – The five psychosexual stages.
Fixation – The tendency to stay with a current level of development rather than moving to a new
stage. This tendency is explained by an individual’s desire to stay at a pleasurable level where
the person has experienced some success.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. According to Freud, human behavior is caused by:
A. external events.
B. mental processes.
C. emotional processes.
D. none of the above
2. People often do not understand their feelings or actions because:
A. they are ignorant.
B. feelings are too complex.
C. much of what happens in our minds happens below the conscious level.
D. much of what happens in our minds does not relate to feelings.
3. Freud believed that an unresolved conflict would:
A. be buried and forgotten in the unconscious.
B. torment a person until they found a resolution.
C. simply resolve itself in time.
D. none of the above
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4. The pleasure principle is checked by its opposite, the:
A. pain principle.
B. displeasure principle.
C. reality principle.
D. motivation principle.
5. About 85% of the material in our minds is held by the
_____ .
6. Match the following components with the appropriate concept:
a. instinct, cathexis, anticathexis, anxiety
b. defense mechanisms and psychosexual stages
c. id, ego, and superego
A. Developmental
B. Structural
C. Dynamic
7. The basic unit of personality structure is:
A. the ego.
B. the id.
C. the instinct.
D. the superego.
8. The energy that permits life instincts to work is
.
9. The force the ego exerts to block the impulses of the id is known as:
A. the superego.
B. libido.
C. cathexis.
D. anticathexis.
10.
When a person unconsciously bars a painful event from memory, this is known
as
. When a person does this consciously, it is known as
.
11.
Psychoanalytic counseling has as its primary goal:
A. the restoration of normal functioning.
B. the understanding of one’s behavior.
C. bringing the unconscious into the conscious.
D. examining client’s feelings about specific events.
12.
The id pushes unconscious material through to the conscious through “Freudian slips” or:
A. dreams.
B. parapraxia.
C. catharsis.
D. transference.
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13.
The traditional method of psychoanalysis, in which a client lies on a couch and instructed
to say whatever comes to mind is known as:
A. free association.
B. transference.
C. projection.
D. parapraxia.
14.
Psychoanalytic counselors encourage
, a process in which a client views
the counselor as someone else in order to deal with unfinished business from the past.
A. countertransference
B. projection
C. introjection
D. transference
ESSAY QUESTIONS
1. Define and explain the concepts of id, ego, and superego. Explain their interaction and how
they influence human behavior.
2. Define the concept of defense mechanisms and describe six of Freud’s defense mechanisms
in detail. Give examples of how individuals utilize these mechanisms in daily living.
3. Explain the goal of counseling with a psychoanalytic orientation. Describe specific
interventions utilized within this theory.
ACTIVITIES
1. Write a letter to Freud. Tell him what you think of his contribution to psychology and how
his theory does or does not apply to your life and work.
2. Try a free-association exercise. Write whatever comes to your mind for about 15-20 minutes.
Read your writing for recurring themes. Make a list of ten key words. Make an audiotape
free-associating with your ten key words from the writing. Assess for any patterns.
3. Focus on the first six years of your life. Think about significant influences on your
development during these early years and create a chart that highlights these influences.
Compare your developmental influences and stages with Freud’s theory.
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