Psychoanalysis
Similar But Different From Psychotherapy
Frequency Deepens Treatment
Psychoanalysis is much the same as psychotherapy, but differs in several significant ways. Frequency is greater – a minimum of three times a week to a maximum of five, which promotes the deepening of our work together. As with psychotherapy, we work, among other things, on that counterproductive defensive structure – the peeling away of the onion to look at what’s underneath – and the greater frequency helps prevent it from building right back up again. Imagine coming once every few months – how difficult it would be to maintain gains gotten in a single session. The more frequently you come, the better and more quickly we can uncover and analyze the conflicts that are getting in your way.
The Couch
Instead of working face-to-face you lie on the couch (yes, like the cliché, facing away from the analyst. The purpose is to free you from the natural (and often unconscious) tendency of scrutinizing my face for perceived approval or disapproval. You become more easily able to speak openly and honestly, and with less self-criticism or censorship. Usually this helps to get in touch with those emotions and thoughts, memories, hopes and dreams that are not always accessible to you.
The Present & the Past
In psychoanalysis we focus not just on what’s going on in the here and now and how that is affected by your past, but delve more deeply into your past – your childhood, your family structure, trauma you may have been subjected to, and to grapple with the painful feelings that may surface, so they can be exposed, and with time, weaken and dissipate.
You might be afraid to go there. But the relationship we develop together by meeting several times a week makes it easier to do just that. I am someone you come to trust, someone you know will not judge or criticize you, who will help you understand what can feel like a chaotic internal jumble. At the same time, professional boundaries are always in place, and respect for you, your opinions and sense of self are clearly communicated. And we never go faster than you’re ready for. You set the pace, and are always at the helm.
Psychoanalysis is Not for Everyone
It is, by definition, a big commitment of time and money. It requires the ability to “step outside yourself” and look at yourself in ways you might not have done on your own. It’s about being really curious about who you are and wanting to know yourself better. It means allowing yourself to be vulnerable, and being able to both experience and tolerate occasionally painful feelings as well as those of wonderment and joy. It helps to have a sense of humor and be able to laugh at yourself. Maybe you don’t think this is an exact portrait of you – it doesn’t have to be when you start. Over the course of the analysis you may develop these qualities if you don’t necessarily have them when you start.
Psychoanalysis is not a quick fix. It takes considerable time to get underneath all those layers of self-defense we’ve built up over time. We don’t have all the answers right away. Often it takes a significant period of time just to figure out the questions, let alone the answers. As with psychotherapy, it is a process and takes time and hard work.
To learn more
Call: 212 228-2424 · Email: katherine.rabinowitz@gmail.com