About Psychoanalysis

A Brief History

From it’s inception in the late 19th century, Psychoanalysis was, and continues to be a cutting edge, creative, and intuitive model for treating psychological, emotional, sexual, behavioral, as well as a variety of social problems specific to our times. Psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic-psychotherapy maintain prominent positions in the field of mental health theory and practice, having branched out and developed in a variety of ways since Freud’s original conception of structural, developmental, and dynamic characteristics of our consciousness in conjunction with what he identified as unconscious motivators of the mind. The work of C. G. Jung known as Analytical Psychology, was one of the first and foremost recognizably differing developments of Freud’s foundational theories. Jung developed Freud’s theory of the personal unconscious to include the history of human consciousness he called the collective unconscious. His psychological system identified “constitutive forms of the unconscious human psyche” or “archetypes” based loosely upon Plato’s “eternal ideas.” With each new practitioner came new ideas, new students, and researchers who in turn expounded upon the field of psychoanalysis. Both classical and contemporary psychoanalysis continue to thrive in professional training institutes and universities in nearly every country of the world, including Canada, England (Object Relations School), France (Lacanian School), Hungary, Switzerland (C. G. Jung Institute, International Institute of Analytical Psychology), Italy, India, Japan, Russia, and mainland China, where I have taught and supervised students for The Chinese American Institute of Psychoanalysis.

To discover the person we were born to be, to come out from beneath the shadows that interfered with, impeded or obstructed our growth and development, means to risk letting go of familial and familiar patterns, so to become ourselves. British psychoanalyst Wilfred Bion put it beautifully when he said:

“You are the most important person you are ever likely to meet. Therefore it is of no small importance that you get on well with this important person.”

Psychoanalysis found its way to the United States in the late 1930s and 1940s due to the diaspora of European Jews escaping persecution in Europe. This tragedy brought brilliant analysts to the U.S. whose experience, ideas, and modes of practice were a challenge for people already established here. The clash of cultures, differing educational and intellectual backgrounds made it difficult for people to accept the radical, dynamic, depth oriented views of psychoanalysis and integrate them into mainstream American culture. Misunderstanding and lack of familiarity with this new model for mental health made it easy to reject out of hand. Psychoanalysis, which was at first highly regarded for its sophisticated and comprehensive theories of the personality, was ultimately mocked. Many of the clichés, jokes, and stereotypes persist to this day, driven by basic assumptions that are based upon the lack of exposure and first hand experience.

Fear of the unknown is an obstacle to continued growth and development of the adult personality. Change is a natural occurrence if we allow ourselves the freedom to expand through insight. The resolution of symptoms of depression and anxiety are natural outcomes of the changes that come with committed treatment.

LINK to ARTICLE: Psychology Today, Psychoanalyst Karen Morris Asks “Where Is the Slave in Me?” February 28, 2017