Psychoanalytic Training Changed My Life, Really

Psychoanalytic training in the USA requires experience as an analysand, in addition to the clinical training as an analyst being supervised by more experienced analysts, as well as the didactic courses. Embarking on the journey to become a psychoanalyst required for me a radical shift from my medical training. As a physician and psychiatrist, I learned to be a diagnostician, pharmacologist, and advice-giver. Being a psychoanalyst requires a different perspective. Modifying the medical ‘fix it’ model, I had to emphasize collaboration with, instead of imparting knowledge to or directing, a patient. Symptoms and complaints take on additional communication about symbolic meaning and relationship. (Experience in interpreting poetry, literature, and film for their many levels of symbolic meaning gave me a good start for thinking about the many levels of connotative meaning, beyond the denotative, of a patient’s narrative.)

There are many theories about what is helpful to psychoanalytic psychotherapy patients. Theories of psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic psychotherapy have evolved for more than a century since Freud first introduced his ideas, and they continue to evolve, so we hold onto theories lightly. We still utilize some of the traditional Freudian principles, e.g. one of the cornerstones of psychoanalysis remains the acknowledgement of the Unconscious (or Unconsciouses) , though defining it, and ideas about accessing it, have undergone modification. The other aspect agreed upon is that the relationship is important.

While there is some research about what is mutative, it is relatively sparse. Various schools of psychoanalysis privilege different aspects. Structural/Ego analysts, for example, might aim to foster the more frequent use of more mature, adaptive defenses, or to ‘discover’, with the patient, unconscious conflict. Object Relations analysts might strive to keep pace with what part –object is manifest in the patient or analyst at any moment and to help the patient integrate her/his sense of self/others. Relational analysts might utilize what is going on within the therapeutic dyad to co-construct a narrative that helps patients connect more with themselves and with others. Self psychology recognizes the importance of empathy and attunement, and of the analyst serving as a selfobject experience for the patient so that the arrested psyche can recommence its development. The Intersubjective School might stress mutual recognition that fosters reciprocity and greater interpersonal satisfaction.

All authors and clinicians have their own biases about theories. From difference we enrich our repertoire and experience. Supervision and peer supervision is invaluable, as is sharing the conversational ‘space’ and embracing difference of opinions. While reading papers and texts may initially aid confidence, nothing can substitute for experience. Not only did psychoanalytic training improve my capacity to be open to and understand patients, benefitting treatment outcomes, but it allowed the building of a full and satisfying practice. One of the aspects of practicing psychoanalysis which makes it so delightful to me is that, if we are open to the present moment, we get better and better at it, day by day, minute by minute.