Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with psychoanalysis

Psychotherapy? Psicoterapia? Psychothérapie? психотерапия?

Keter — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:50:35 -0800

With regards to psychotherapy, a common opinion I've noticed on MetaFilter is that Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is perceived as being the most efficient way to go, in addition to being one of the very few therapies likely to be reimbursed by health insurance. However, this may be coming from a largely American perspective. As such, I'm curious: What are some major features of psychotherapy in countries other than the United States? What are modes of therapy with which Americans might be familiar that are more popular elsewhere than they are in the US, and why are they more common in other places? Are there any psychotherapeutic traditions I as an American would be unlikely to have heard of or considered? Similarly, are there any therapeutic modalities that are distinctly American (or, in a less absolute sense, are more commonly found in the US or in Anglophone countries)? Within therapeutic modalities that might be familiar to us (CBT, psychodynamic, psychoanalytic), are there any schools or features of those modalities in other countries that may not be common in the United States? (For the last question, I have the general impression that French psychoanalysis is hella Lacanian, but have absolutely nothing of substance to back that up.)

On another train of thought: Who goes to get therapy—and who pays for it when they do? Are there places where psychotherapy is viewed with more or less stigma than it is in the United States?

I realize these are many, many questions, and I certainly don't expect to have all—or even most—of them answered. All-in-all, I'm just interested in learning more about how psychotherapy is perceived, researched, and practiced in places other than my home country... and why these psychotherapeutic landscapes may differ.

(For what it's worth, my own attempts to answer these questions have been rather fruitless, though I haven't the faintest of where to look. Some random searching on MeFi found me an interesting thread suggesting that psychoanalysis is really huge in Argentina. I also seem to recall an assertion I'll paraphrase as something like: "In France, psychoanalysis is therapy.")

ELIZA and the efficacy of "professional" therapists versus the rest of us

XMLicious — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 14:48:35 -0800

Meta-Meta-RelationshipFilter: Have there been any scientific trials to study the efficacy of talk therapy that involved a placebo as control? I'm thinking, is there any definitive proof that a professional talk therapist is substantially more effective than just talking about shit with a friend who doesn't charge a fee (which, granted, RelationshipFilter isn't necessarily like), or even substantially more effective than simply sitting someone down, telling them "we're going to have conversations that will explore and fix your psychological problems" but then having a discussion about any old thing that will run the clock out?

My own experience with years of visiting a variety of talk therapists would appear to indicate that at least with the average therapist I've seen the answer would be "No, there is no substantial difference" but I'm curious to see what if anything science has said. I'm definitely not saying that RelationshipFilter is any replacement for hours of ongoing, focused personal discussion, I'm just curious as to whether "professionalism" in this area, even of practitioners who are licensed or certified, has any demonstrated and quantifiable value.

Say it aint so, C.G.: What kind of man was Jung?

bunky — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 00:57:17 -0800

I recently heard a rumor that Carl Gustav Jung would rape female patients and hypnotize them so they would have no memory of the attack. Is there any truth to this, or is this the sort of story professional rivals spread to discredit his ideas?

How to tell if therapist is doing a good job?

Anonymous — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:50:35 -0800

How do I know if my therapist (who's eclectic but I think oriented to psychodynamic technique) is doing a good job? I've seen him two sessions, and while he does appear to listen and care, his verbal interpretations are mostly very blunt, and tell me obvious things. "You seem tortured by that emotion" (this after I just finished talking for 10 mins how painful the emotion was. Well duh!).

I mean, this guy has a PhD and went to a psychoanalytic institute - he's gotta be reasonably smart, right? But he seems a little shallow right now. Of course, this could be the transference speaking. Or it could be the fact that it's only been two sessions.

Any tips on how I can realistically evaluate whether he's doing a good job or not?

Why is psychoanlaysis still around?

decoherence — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 19:22:57 -0800

Freud and his followers have been thoroughly discredited for quite a while now. Our scientific understanding of the brain has grown by leaps and bounds since their heyday, and we now have treatment methods that are cheaper, quicker, and more effective than anything psychoanalysis had to offer. So why is psychoanalysis still practiced? Paraphrasing Peter Watson, when all is said and done, it's hard to avoid the conclusion that Freud, et al. simply "made everything up." So why are there still practicing psychoanalysts, many of whom hold academic positions on the medical faculties at places like Columbia and Yale? Why are there still psychoanalytic training institutes? And above all, why do people continue to subject themselves to psychoanalysis, in light of the fact that it's expensive, time-consuming, and ineffective?

I'm just curious how this pseudo-science has managed to stick around for so long when everything I know about it seems to indicate that it should be about as commonly practiced as alchemy these days. I realize that it's not exactly thriving, but I find its continuing presence in the major cities, among the intelligentsia, and it's refusal to completely disappear from psychiatry a bit strange.

Can anyone who knows more about it and the present state of psychiatry and psychology help me out here?

Help finding low cost therapy in the Philadelphia area

antisocialiting — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 23:08:47 -0800

Recommendations or help with finding low cost therapy in the Philadelphia area for anxiety and depression. Any particular schools, agencies or companies that you know of or have used would be great.

Should I break up with my psychoanalyst?

Anonymous — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 17:19:34 -0800

I'm having a difficult time working with my psychotherapist. Is this normal, or should I end it? Background: I'm a woman in my thirties with a history of depression, drug abuse, eating disorders and alcoholism. I have a very strong personality, but have always had lots of friends and loved ones. I am living in a city I love, devoted to a high-stress, high-prestige career, and dating a wonderful guy. I have been in and out of therapy since I was in my teens.

Upon moving to my current city, I entered intensive psychoanalysis. I see my therapist twice a week for 45 minutes. My therapist has a PhD, advanced training beyond that and professional accolades up the wazoo. She and I frequently get into loud arguments where voices are raised, accusations fly, and I end up in tears and rattled for the rest of the day. For example, today she told me that she is sick of my sense of entitlement, that I can't take responsibility for myself, and that I bully her and treat her badly. This is not uncommon.

My previous therapists were mostly the kind where you talk about yourself and they sympathize and maybe do some light CBT. One of these helped me get sober, and I was very attached to her. However, having had therapy for more than 15 years makes most MSWs or garden-variety therapists useless for me. I suspect that my therapist is right and that I tend to railroad people who can't stand up to me, which again makes it hard to find a good therapist.

My question is this: is the kind of adversarial conflict I'm describing normal for psychotherapy? She would say that my questioning of her methods is me detaching from therapy and placing blame on to her rather than taking responsibility for myself doing the work. Half of me thinks she's absolutely right, and the other half of me thinks she and I are just not suited to each other and that I'm paying $300/week to be in an abusive relationship. This is the fourth time this year I've considered quitting. I'm basically terrified of my therapist (hence the anon), but on the other hand I know I have made more serious progress in the last year than the 10 years previous. Any insight would be appreciated, particularly on how to deal with this type of therapy if I do decide to continue. Throwaway email badtherapist@gmail.com.

Books in the vein of Adam Curtis?

Sticherbeast — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 23:21:35 -0800

I've been on a (scary and depressing) kick of the Adam Curtis documentaries (Century of the Self, The Power of Nightmares). What non-fiction books does MeFi recommend in a similar vein? Anything tying in psychoanalysis, propaganda, focus groups, politics, mass manipulation, and whatever else that will make me lose sleep is more than welcome. Bonus points go to books having a similarly ominous, overwhelming, "fact me 'till I fart" sort of feel, if that makes any sense.

Why is psychoanalysis so popular in Argentina?

jason's_planet — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 10:48:07 -0800

Why is psychoanalysis so popular in Argentina? I've heard that psychoanalysis is hugely popular in Argentina, not only among the upper-middle-class and educated -- as is the case in the U.S.A. -- but among people from all walks of life. Cabdrivers. Gauchos. Retirees. Name a category, they'll be on the couch.

Why is this? I'll admit that I don't know much about Argentina but it doesn't strike me as a morbid or lonely kind of place. So why is the talking cure so popular there? What are they trying to cure?

Best books about psychotherapy?

shivohum — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 07:26:39 -0800

I want to learn about psychoanalysis/psychotherapy/etc. -- what are the best books? I'm interested, in particular, in modern books that synthesize past learnings in the field; excellent books that detail the practice of what it's like to be a therapist; and anything else you consider highly valuable, educational, and enriching in the field.

Engaging writing is a big plus.

Need help in choosing a psychologist.

Anonymous — Wed, 02 Nov 2005 13:17:54 -0800

Need help in choosing a psychologist. I need to find a psychologist or social worker. Here's my deal -

Male. Late 20's. Was physically, emotionally, and sexually abused as a child and adolescent by my mother. Difficulty being intimate and forming relationships with women, despite being heterosexual. Self esteem/self hatred issues. Lots of problems.

Here are my questions -

1. Should I choose a Psychologist or Social Worker? Psychologists seem to me like a better option since they have to go through more schooling, but this could just be a bias on my part. (Psychiatrists are not an option since I oppose medication)

2. Should I choose a male or female therapist? Common sense would dictate "male," since I am male and have problems with women. However, it is possible that a woman could be more helpful and offer insight that a male therapist couldn't.

3. What questions should I ask when interviewing possible therapists over the phone, to help determine whether they can help me or not? I'm new in town, and a referral isn't really possible.

4. I have the World's Worst Insurance (tm), and the psychologists that I have called seem offended that I got their number from my insurance database. Why is this? Should I avoid telling them where I got their number? Right now, my only option is to choose a random name from this big list of providers that my insurance gives me. (And yes, I do need to see someone in-network, even though the people most likely to help me don't even take insurance)

I hope this isn't too heavy of a subject. I normally am not a fan of "therapyfilter," however, I don't really have anyplace else to turn on this. I can't very well ask a psychologist!

Web resources for psychoanalysis

realcountrymusic — Mon, 29 Aug 2005 12:33:09 -0800

Psychology/psychiatry filter: for a friend who is not net-savvy, I am looking for interesting web sites and discussion forums devoted to psychoanalysis, self-psychology, and related topics. She's a professional psychoanalyst, but is new to the web. Ideally, I am imagining there are literate and civil discussion forums out there devoted to these topics where other professionals gather to chat. But any web resources for psychoanalysis at all would be helpful. Thanks!

Armchair Psychiatry

grumblebee — Fri, 10 Sep 2004 06:20:31 -0800

Do you play armchair pyschiatrist? How sure are you that you're right about people's inner lives? Do you act on your hunches? [More Inside.] ["psychiatrist," that is...]

I'm a somewhat eccentric person, I'm shy and don't talk much in public, and I don't show a lot on my face -- so my moods are very open to interprestation. Lately, I've been in a few situations in which people wrongly tagged my mindset. They didn't say "I think you're..." or "It seems to me you..." or "Are you...?" The KNEW (or believed then knew) what was going on inside my brain. One guy told me, "if you're honest with yourself, you'll admit you're lying." And it wasn't a "lie" that he could sniff out by comparing my claim with real-world facts. My "lie" was a claim about my beliefs -- something known only to me -- and he then counterclaimed that I was lying about my beliefs. I wasn't. But he was unshakable. I asked him for some evidence, but he said he just "could tell." This syndrome has even happened to me here. Once a whole group of MeFi people accused me of being dishonest about my feelings. I was actually being quite honest. My feelings were just a bit unusual.

How good do you think you are at guessing what's going on inside someone elses head? After you've made that guess, what do you do with it? Do you present it to the outside world as fact? Is it unshakable? Are you 100% sure you're right? Have any of you ever been able to shake someone else of a belief about YOUR mental state? If someone says, "I can tell you're depressed," there's no way you can prove you're not, even if you're not. Right?