What are Some of the Differences between Psychoanalytic Therapy and Other Forms of Therapy?
There are literally hundreds of types of psychotherapy available to the public, and it would be useful to understand something about each of them before selecting a therapist. Unfortunately, much of what has been written or said about psychoanalytic therapy has been by people who have little experience of advances in the field of psychoanalysis. One element that sets psychoanalytic therapy apart from other forms of psychotherapy is:. The psychoanalytic therapist does not usually give specific recommendations about how the patient ought to manage his life or solve problems. Instead, the analyst prefers to help the patient understand why he is unable to solve problems or what internal conflict is preventing him from knowing what to do in his life. When necessary, the analyst may suggest postponing a particular decision until a later date, or may act to prevent a patient from harming himself or sabotaging the treatment.
