It’s not what you think. It’s more than you imagine.
By Mary Shepherd
True or false?
1. Psychoanalysis is four times a week.
FALSE. The analyst honors the frequency request of the patient. Sometimes once a month, for example.
2. It is exhorbitantly expensive.
FALSE. The fee is agreed upon between the analyst and the patient.
3. It takes forever.
FALSE. You work on whatever you want to work on and leave when you get that.
4. It gives lots of insight, like Woody Allen, but no change.
FALSE. New techniques replace interpretation and free the patient for choices.
5. It’s upper class self indulgence.
FALSE. In fact, the new techniques allow analytic work even with schizophrenia in mental hospitals.
6. It leads to deep psychic change.
TRUE! Psychoanalysis has the power to change psychic structure and free the personality from behavioral ruts.