Psychoanalytic Case Study Example

Case study of Ana based on Freud
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Case study of Ana based on Freud
Psychoanalytic Theory Overview
The appropriate theory for the case of the 24-year-old female client named Ana is the Freud’s Psychoanalysis Theory which was conceptualized by Sigmund Freud. According to this theory, there are unconscious forces which drive the behaviour of a person. The techniques which Freud developed, for instance free association – talking to a counsellor freely with regard to whatever comes up without censoring –, transference, and dream analysis are vital for psychoanalysts during therapy (Murdoch, 2013). Psychotherapists who utilize Freud’s Psychoanalysis Theory focus mostly on analyzing the previous relationships of the client, particularly the client’s traumatic childhood experiences in relation to his/her present life. In essence, the belief is that treatment and healing could occur when these issues are discovered and brought to the surface (Reisner, 2011).
Goals and intervention
The goals of counselling according to Freud’s Psychoanalysis Theory would be to (i) discover the inner problems which are disguised and masked as symptoms; (ii) discover the sources of pain in the history of the client which may creep into the present; (iii) promote client integration; and (iv) uncover what prevents the client from taking suitable actions for herself (Murdoch, 2013). The psychoanalyst will attempt to help Ana comprehend the way that her present behaviours as well as symptoms relate to unconscious conflicts in her past. As the client Ana free associates, her repressed emotions and memories would start surfacing gradually. The intervention strategies that are utilized to achieve those goals include Free Association – the unconscious would only begin showing itself when there is the special environment of free association. Interpretation – the psychoanalyst will interpret the material of the client as it pertains to past conflicts; and Analysis of the Resistance – the psychoanalyst would at all times be alert for any signs of resistance from the client Ana such as the client having nothing to say or forgetting appointments (Hewitt, 2014).
Theory duration
The theory is designed for long-term counselling as the psychoanalysis process would be long and intensive, and therefore the therapy will require a level of commitment and time from Ana. The face-to-face counselling sessions would be completed over a period of several weeks, roughly 5 weeks. Psychoanalytic therapy is generally an ongoing and slow process which takes time. Even so, the outcomes could be life changing for the client (Gillespie, 2014).
Counsellor’s role
All areas of psychoanalysis use associations, fantasies, and dreams, in addition to the client’s expression of thoughts both physically and verbally. The counsellor makes use of this information in inciting the inner battles that are being waged which cause the ...