Psychotherapy
What is psychoanalytic psychotherapy?
Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy is a type of talking therapy. It is an effective treatment based on psychoanalytic thinking, which aims to help understand and resolve problems by increasing awareness of the underlying meaning of symptoms and behaviour, exploring the inner world (fantasies, thoughts, feelings and dreams) and the influence that it might have over past and present relationships.
Understanding unconscious emotional and relationship problems is important in order to reduce symptoms. The aim of psychoanalytic psychotherapy is to address the underlying problems and to promote a deep-seated change in our way of experiencing the world and ourselves.
By developing a structured relationship with the therapist, the patient can feel safe to explore the inner world and to identify unconscious patterns, becoming conscious of them, understanding them and changing them within the dynamic of the therapeutic relationship.
Psychoanalytic psychotherapy is usually a long-term treatment, although therapy of short duration can be considered in discussion with the patient.