Psychoanalysis is a unique, intensive form of psychotherapy that fosters personal development and liberation from unsatisfying or painful patterns of living. In pursuit of those goals, the individual in analysis and the analyst work together in close collaboration. They pay careful attention to the interactions of personal and interpersonal experience, of past and present, of body and mind, of fantasy and reality. Such an in-depth exploration can set in motion a process of personal transformation.

The process of psychoanalysis depends on the establishment of a safe, confidential relationship with one's analyst. The frequency of sessions - typically three to five times a week - allows the patient's dilemmas to come to life in the intricacies of the psychoanalytic relationship, offering a rich field of exploration. Patient and analyst work together to grasp the meaning of the patient's experience through emotional reactions, thoughts, memories, fantasies, dreams, images, and sensations. Many individuals find that the use of an analytic couch allows them to speak more freely about their most personal concerns, and to access experiences that have usually been kept out of awareness. For others, the experience of a face-to-face dialogue seems essential for the unfolding of the process.

The decision to enter into psychoanalysis represents a mutual agreement between patient and analyst. Decisions about the frequency of sessions needed to sustain the process are reached jointly. Fees for psychoanalysis vary, and are a matter to be negotiated between patient and analyst. The analytic process can be expected to unfold over a considerable period of time.

People seek psychoanalysis for many different reasons. Some people hope for deepening self-understanding and fulfillment in their personal lives. Others may feel stuck in distressing patterns that prevent them from feeling satisfied, from connecting with others, or from finding meaning in their lives. Others want help with specific emotional difficulties such as depression, or are seeking to come to terms with a painful or traumatic personal history.

Psychoanalysts are generally licensed mental health professionals such as psychologists, social workers, psychiatric nurses or psychiatrists. These clinicians have had substantial training and experience as therapists before beginning their psychoanalytic training. Psychoanalytic training consists of a rigorous program of several years of coursework, a personal analysis, and experience providing psychoanalysis under the supervision of experienced analysts.

The theory and methods of psychoanalysis originated with Sigmund Freud's pioneering work in exploring the influence of unconscious processes on everyday life and on emotional difficulties. It is now recognized that no single theory accounts for the complex workings of the human mind, and no single method or technique suffices. Contemporary psychoanalysts draw on a range of theories to inform their efforts to apprehend and respond to their patients' communications compassionately and effectively.

Psychoanalysis is not only a form of individual therapy; it is also a body of theories and a method for learning about the human mind. Psychoanalytic thinking is a rich resource for understanding psychological processes such as child development, as well as addressing social problems such as child abuse, violence, drug abuse, and social alienation. Psychoanalysis is also engaged in dialogues with other disciplines such as science, history, philosophy, feminist studies, visual arts, literature, poetry, music and film.

This information is provided by the Massachusetts Institute for Psychoanalysis (MIP), a training institute which recognizes psychoanalysis as a dynamic, evolving field of study. In light of the diversity of contemporary psychoanalytic theories, the Massachusetts Institute for Psychoanalysis values a comparative approach to the study of psychoanalytic theory and practice. It aims to foster a spirit of inquiry and open exploration of differing analytic stances and their underlying assumptions.

For information about the Massachusetts Institute for Psychoanalysis, or for further information about psychoanalysis, please call (978) 692-4790. The institute can facilitate arrangements for reduced-fee psychoanalysis, for individuals who might otherwise not be able to take advantage of this form of treatment.