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Psychoanalysis, Resilience, and Meaning-Making Can psychoanalysis help build resilience?  Psychoanalysis, resilience, and meaning-making may go hand-in-hand. Resilience involves being able to do better than expected in the face of difficult circumstances.  It requires inner strength.  What factors may help promote such strength?  Meaning-making—finding a sense of purpose and meaning in life—seems to be especially important. … Continue reading Psychoanalysis, Resilience, and Meaning-Making →

Benefits of Psychoanalysis What are the benefits of psychoanalysis?  Psychoanalysis benefits the individual in a number of ways that not all types of psychotherapy do.   First, some context.  In a complex society such as ours, people are challenged to adapt to a constant flow of change.  Each of us is subject to cultural, ethnic, religious, … Continue reading Seven Benefits of Psychoanalysis →

Psychoanalysis and Mindfulness Psychoanalysis and mindfulness may seem to have little in common.  They both involve the mind and are often focused on taming disturbing thoughts and feelings.  But their methods seem to be completely at odds with each other.  Or are they?  Let’s take a look at mindfulness and see how it may be … Continue reading Psychoanalysis and Mindfulness →

Criticisms of Freud: Commentary on the Freud Wars Today’s Wall Street Journal offered a book review by Adam Kirsch of, yet another, “quasi-biography” of Sigmund Freud.  The book in question is Freud: The Making of an Illusion by Frederick Crews, the latest in his seemingly endless criticisms of Freud.  As noted by Kirsch, this endless war on Freud by Crews … Continue reading Criticisms of Freud: Commentary on the Freud Wars →

DSM-5 Diagnoses and Defense Mechanisms Most clinicians in the United States make psychiatric diagnoses with the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders).  While “DSM-5 diagnoses” and “defense mechanisms” are rarely terms seen together, the diagnostic process is benefitted by a deep understanding of the person. The DSM-5 First published by the American Psychiatric Association in 1952, the DSM … Continue reading DSM-5 Diagnoses and Defense Mechanisms →

Tips for Meditation Challenges   You know it’s good for you.  Many studies have shown the benefits of including meditation in your life.  But, whether you already meditate regularly or just wish you could, you’re probably aware of challenges to establishing it as a regular practice.  You may feel bored, restless, or impatient.  Or start … Continue reading Tips for Meditation Challenges →

Ego Defenses   Are ego defenses bad or good to have?  Is the goal of psychotherapy to remove defense mechanisms or strengthen them?  Can mental health be defined as the absence of ego defenses?  Or are some ego defenses better to have than others? Questions like these are posed frequently by graduate students, clinicians, and even psychotherapy patients … Continue reading Are Ego Defenses Bad or Good? →

Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Psychoanalytic psychotherapy (also called psychodynamic psychotherapy) is a contemporary form of treatment for mental health issues that has evolved from its roots in psychoanalysis over the last 100+ years. This form of treatment emphasizes a comprehensive understanding of the client (“patient”) as a person, as opposed to following a strictly symptom-oriented approach. By … Continue reading What Is Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy? →

Psychoanalysis Isn’t psychoanalysis dead? I heard the question again just last week, this time from an undergraduate in my Abnormal Psychology class. I’ve heard it many times over the years, from colleagues and grad students as well. I had also been taught, all through college and throughout graduate training, that no one considered Freud’s work … Continue reading Isn’t Psychoanalysis Dead? →

Value of Having Your Head Examined: aka Psychotherapy What is the value of having your head examined? Of psychotherapy? The profession of psychotherapy has been around for over 100 years, with less formal versions of personal consultation going back to biblical times.  So why is it that the voluntary seeking of psychotherapy can be such … Continue reading The Value of “Having Your Head Examined” →