Opposite Freudian Views On Patient Therapist Relationships example essay topic

Chapter 4 Psychoanalytical therapy is based on the premise that our unconscious self is the determinant for our conscious behaviors. Freud asserts that the unconscious is the sum of our stored experiences, memories, and repressed materials. The aim of psychoanalytical therapy is to uncover the unconscious motives by analyzing the outward symptoms of our behavior thus revealing the meaning of the symptom or the root of the problem. Freud identifies his theory as stages of development. The first phase of personality development takes place during the initial six years of life in which we learn to deal with frustrations, learn to love and trust, and accept our sexuality. Erikson built on the Freudian theory and identified this developmental process as psychosocial and psychosexual then described the stages as decision points in which we make certain life-decisions.

Those decisions cause us to either regress to an earlier phase of development or to advance forward in our development resulting in an equilibrium or lack of balance with our environment in relation to our development. Psychoanalytical thinking is described by Corey as "ego psychology" and asserts that in this theory the ego strives for mastery and competence throughout the human life span (Corey, Pg. 74). Jung, a former apprentice of Freud, broke from Freudian determinism and developed his own theories of self-actualization. He describes our development as being a part of what we have experienced and done but also that it is our nature to progress beyond our past as it is inherently in us to develop and grow as we strive to fulfill or realize our capabilities.

Failure to successfully pass through any of the developmental stages or gates may result in anxiety disorders manifested by negative or dysfunctional behavior such as rejection of relationships, instability, self-destructiveness, and lack of impulse control. The Freudian approach of psychoanalytical therapy deals with what Freud considered the most important stage of life, early childhood. The goal of his approach is to make the unconscious conscious and to strengthen the ego through interpretation of the unconsciousness. Psychoanalysis' major contributing factor to modern therapy is providing counselors with a framework for analyzing behavior and its' corresponding symptoms then relating them to an earlier stages of life, which had long been overlooked as the root of deep seated anxieties. Limitations of psychoanalysis are a lack of trained counselors, time required to make a diagnosis and implement a treatment plan, and expense to the patient.

Some of the major criticisms include its' gender biased one-sidedness by focusing on the mother / child relationship as affecting improper development thus discounting the father's potentially dysfunctional parenting skills, in most cases, as a primary contributing factor to dysfunctional development. Chapter 5 Adlerian therapy is credited as being a major contributor to the psychodynamic approach to therapy. Its' basic premise is that all people are different and have developed differently based on genes, family, environment, and birth order therefore, they cannot be lumped into an individual category and effectively treated. This is almost opposite of what Adler was asked to believe during his ten years under Sigmund Freud, Adler's depart from Freud's teachings resulted in him being publicly named a heretic by Freud.

Adler's theories on the treatment of psychosocial and psychosexual disorders focus less on past developmental failures and repressed material but rather emphasize future development, stating firmly that man is the master of his own creation and is purposeful and strives to better himself rather than dwelling on a previous stage of development. Adler determined Freud's concepts were too narrow in their focus on humans as a biological beings who are determined by instinct. In stark contrast he had faith in the spirituality of man as a being determined to strive forward and overcome psychological obstacles, made possible through a series of steps designed to inform, provide awareness, and treat in a clinical environment. The therapeutic process in Adlerian therapy is intended to change a person's perception of what they consider reality to be whether it is reorienting mistaken goals or correcting faulty assumptions, this is dependent on a well developed patient-therapist relationship.

The relationship between patient and therapist is based on a knowledge of one another that is intended to result in a trust that fosters an environment of growth appearing similar to the relationship between a mentor and follower, this relationship is also opposite Freudian views on patient-therapist relationships. Adlerian contributions to therapy are numerous and begin with a breaking of the Freudian mold. Adler was the first psychoanalyst to discount previous concepts of therapy focusing on the individual and encouraging change. Its' greatest contribution was promoting wellness of school children by teaching Adlerian principles to teachers so they can prevent and correct basic childhood mistakes in behavior or thought thus promoting social interest and mental health. Finally, the Adlerian approach offers a wide range of cognitive and action oriented techniques to help patients explore their problems. Limitations of the Adlerian approach are few.

The major weakness is its's implicit, few therapists during Adler's time would accept that something so simple could be effective and Adler spent so much time teaching and lecturing he didn't apply its' principles in a comparative analysis or test to empirically prove its' effectiveness and accuracy. However, it has stood the test of time and Adler's principles are widely accepted today and have laid the foundation for others to improve upon although his basic principles remain intact today. Corey, Gerald (2001) Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy (6th ed). Belmont, CA. Wadsworth / Thomas Learning.