Recently I bought this book. It’s small (170 pages), easy to read, and filled with images, like a comic strip.
In some cases, it only briefly touches on many big ideas, so prior knowledge helps, but you can always look up concepts for more depth.
Nevertheless, it’s a nice book that contains a lot of important ideas!
ChatGPT generated contents based on the Raw notes below.
Introduction
Psychoanalysis, at its core, is a theory of the mind that delves into the hidden layers of human psychology. It suggests that we are never fully transparent to ourselves—our memories, thoughts, fantasies, and intentions often carry deeper, unconscious meanings (p6, p7). This idea forms the foundation of depth psychology, where peeling back layers reveals increasingly primitive and sometimes unsettling content (p9).
The Unconscious and Its Influence
The unconscious isn’t static; it operates dynamically, constantly shaping our thoughts and behaviors without our awareness (p14). Freud likened it to a child within us (p17), influencing even seemingly rational decisions. For instance, someone becoming a firefighter might be unconsciously acting out an infantile fantasy (p18), or they may be symbolically preventing others from “erupting” in anger, stemming from a traumatic relationship (p19).
Psychoanalysis attempts to make sense of these hidden forces by uncovering patterns, drawing inferences, and explaining irrational behaviors (p22). However, even psychoanalysis itself questions its own assumptions, refusing to take anything at face value (p24).
Dreams, Associations, and the Search for Meaning
Dreams, often seen as the royal road to the unconscious, can be interpreted both literally and figuratively—though we can never be certain which is correct (p10). Analysts rely on gathering numerous associations to see if a coherent pattern emerges (p12).
More broadly, psychoanalysis is less about providing fixed answers and more about helping individuals articulate their own experiences. The process does not follow a strict method, nor does it always have a clear destination (p26). In a way, it operates in a state of uncertainty—psychoanalysis, unlike mathematics, lacks a solid foundation; it “hovers in the air” (p29).
The Id, Ego, and Superego: A Tripartite Model
One way to approach the psyche is through Freud’s structural model:
- The id, driven by pleasure and pain, seeks immediate gratification.
- The ego, governed by reality, negotiates between desires and consequences.
- The superego, shaped by social and moral influences, imposes rules (p30).
This interplay creates a complex system where predicting human behavior remains difficult, as we can never fully account for all influencing factors (p31, p34). Still, psychoanalysis provides valuable insights into how thoughts, emotions, and behaviors interconnect (p35).
The Power of Stories
At its heart, psychoanalysis involves constructing narratives. The dialogue between patient and therapist is a negotiation—an attempt to create a better, more coherent story (p36). This process is likened to solving a jigsaw puzzle or recovering a half-erased poem (p37). But it’s not just about meaning; it’s also about motives—why we do what we do and how those motives manifest (p38).
For example, asking “Why am I interested in X?” can lead to broader questions about human nature itself (p39). Similarly, psychoanalysis examines psychological mechanisms like displacement, where unconscious desires are redirected into seemingly unrelated behaviors (p42).
The Oedipus Complex and Infantile Fantasies
A cornerstone of psychoanalytic theory is the Oedipus complex—the unconscious desire for one’s opposite-sex parent and rivalry with the same-sex parent (p49). Analysts often use this framework to interpret emotional patterns in relationships (p51).
Infantile fantasies play a crucial role here. A person may, without realizing it, perceive romantic relationships as a competition with a parent, preventing them from fully engaging due to lingering unconscious conflicts (p52). This idea extends to early childhood experiences—babies eventually realize that their mother has connections beyond them, a “third term” that signals her separate existence (p54). This recognition is a key step in psychological development.
Sexuality, Identity, and Psychological Complexes
Sexual identity and power dynamics are deeply tied to the unconscious. For instance, Freud suggested that the penis symbolizes more than its biological function; it is tied to ego preservation—humiliation during sex can provoke aggression (p55). Similarly, “man’s desire is the desire of the Other,” highlighting the psychological need for external validation (p57).
While Freud is known for theories like penis envy, later analysts expanded on the idea, arguing that identity formation involves transforming envy into new aspirations—such as pursuing pregnancy or creative endeavors (p58). Some also introduced womb envy, suggesting that men may feel a subconscious inferiority regarding women’s ability to create life (p60).
Psychoanalytic Models: Mapping the Mind
Modern neuroscience suggests that perception and awareness emerge from a complex neural network (p62). In this light, scientific models of the mind serve two functions: they attempt to depict reality while also reflecting underlying hypotheses about mental phenomena (p63).
Freud’s tripartite model—id, ego, and superego—illustrates how our mental structures are organized. Governed by the pleasure principle, individuals seek immediate satisfaction (p64). However, as we develop, we transition to the reality principle, learning to delay gratification (p70). The superego emerges later, introducing concepts like shame, guilt, and moral reasoning (p71). These models provide insight into how we internalize experiences and regulate behavior.
Defense Mechanisms: Keeping the Psyche in Balance
The mind constantly works to maintain psychological equilibrium through defense mechanisms (p68). Repression—the first line of defense—pushes unacceptable thoughts into the unconscious, keeping disturbing material out of awareness (p65). More complex defenses include splitting, denial, projection, undoing, sublimation, identification with the aggressor, and reaction formation (p66, p67).
Projection, for instance, involves externalizing unwanted truths about ourselves by attributing them to others (p89). A related concept, projective identification, goes further—when we project fantasies onto someone, it alters our perception of them, subtly changing their behavior to align with our projections (p92). This can manifest in relationships, such as seeing a friend as a romantic rival due to our unconscious fears, thus influencing interactions accordingly.
The Development of Self and Object Relations
The mind is not only shaped by instincts but also by relationships. Object relations theory suggests that early experiences with caregivers shape how we see ourselves and relate to others (p72). These “objects” can be mental representations—internalized images of people or relationships (p73). However, these internal objects are often distorted by emotion and fantasy (p74).
The self attempts to mold the external world to fit its internal patterns, reinforcing existing fantasies and expectations (p75). A key example is identification—we absorb and integrate aspects of others into our personality, a process psychoanalysts call introjection (p81). Without a core identity, individuals may struggle to unify their internal and external worlds, leading them to rely on roles rather than authentic self-expression—what can be described as “playing at being oneself” (p83).
Fantasy serves as a transitional space, bridging inner and outer realities (p84). This dynamic is particularly evident in childhood development—Bion suggested that when a child expresses distress, a responsive caregiver “detoxifies” that emotion, returning it in a manageable form (p94). This early emotional mirroring is crucial; even something as simple as a mother’s gaze can determine how a child experiences an event (p95). A child tripping and looking to their mother before deciding whether to cry exemplifies how external validation shapes emotions. A lifetime of feeling misunderstood, on the other hand, can create a profound emotional void (p96).
Anxieties, Instincts, and Psychological Growth
Mental events rarely have a single cause—psychoanalytic theory attributes psychological phenomena to a mix of experiences, instincts, and anxieties (p97). Early childhood trauma can function much like a virus, causing psychological symptoms later in life (p100). Attachment theory, pioneered by Bowlby, suggests that the quality of early interactions, such as eye contact and engagement, is often more important than simply meeting biological needs (p102).
Freud’s instinct theory proposed that human behavior arises from innate biological drives, shaped both by internal needs (such as love) and external cultural influences (p108). The libidinal subject perspective emphasizes how bodily experiences, fantasies, and early relationships shape personality, with oral and anal drives forming key metaphors for behavior (p110). Freud’s drive-based personality theory explains mental life through patterns of instinctual gratification and repression (p111).
Anxiety—often described as mental pain—is a necessary but difficult part of psychological growth (p105). Without it, people might remain stuck in patterns of avoidance rather than learning to navigate emotional complexity.
The Therapeutic Process: The Talking Cure
Therapy begins with core psychoanalytic principles: repression, resistance, and free association (p116). The “talking cure” encourages patients to say whatever comes to mind, bypassing their usual mental censors. This approach defies conventional diagnosis—psychoanalysts both categorize and resist categorization, spending years developing assessments while simultaneously trying to avoid rigid labels (p117, p118).
Psychoanalysis fundamentally seeks to understand patients not as types, but as individuals with unique psychological landscapes (p119). While many enter therapy to alleviate psychic pain (p122), others do so out of curiosity, a desire to explore the unconscious, or simply because they find it intellectually stimulating (p124).
The Psychoanalytic Process: Listening, Interpretation, and Change
Freud called his method analysis because it breaks things down—dissecting the unconscious layers of thought, memory, and emotion to understand their hidden structures (p126). In his early work, he experimented with catharsis, encouraging patients to relive and express repressed traumas in order to “exorcize” them from the mind (p127). However, psychoanalysis evolved beyond mere emotional release, focusing instead on the power of free association—a process where the unconscious becomes conscious by allowing thoughts to flow without censorship (p128).
Listening in psychoanalysis is an art form. It is not just about hearing what a patient says, but also noticing hesitations, repetitions, and deviations, as these often reveal deeper conflicts. Making the unconscious conscious allows a person to stop distorting reality, gradually reducing the power of unconscious forces over their life (p129).
The Analyst as a Mirror: Evenly Hovering Attention
Freud described analytic listening as a state of “evenly hovering attention,” where the therapist remains aware of multiple layers of meaning at once (p131). This means balancing between different dimensions—id, ego, and superego—while asking: “He says this, but what does he truly want?” The analyst listens with a kind of detached indifference, avoiding suggestions or interpretations based on personal biases (p132). Freud even advised analysts to listen “without memory, without desire, without judgment.”
Yet, this approach is paradoxical. While the analyst avoids imposing their own views, they must also actively help the patient express their innermost conflicts. Freud saw this as an “impossible profession”—the patient may unconsciously want the analyst to play a godlike role, but true therapy lies in guiding the patient toward self-discovery (p133). The goal is not to fully “understand” a person—this is ultimately impossible—but to help them understand themselves better, improving their quality of life (p134).
Resistance and the Fear of Change
Psychoanalysts believe that much of human behavior is driven by avoidance—we unconsciously flee from painful truths, internal conflicts, and unresolved emotions (p135). The process of change involves transference, where the patient unconsciously projects past experiences onto the therapist, replaying old relational patterns in a safe environment (p136). The analyst then helps the patient recognize and reintegrate conflicting emotions, leading to emotional growth and healing.
However, this process is often met with resistance—the mind’s defense against uncovering painful material. Pathogenic memories, fantasies, and desires are repressed and alienated from the conscious mind (p137). This resistance can also manifest as secondary gain—for example, an illness or psychological struggle might unconsciously serve a function, such as avoiding work or responsibility (p138-p141). The analyst’s task is to interpret these resistances by linking them to the patient’s childhood experiences, their statements in therapy, their relationship with the analyst, and their inner conflicts (p141).
The Dance of Interpretation: Uncovering the Unconscious
Interpretation is at the heart of psychoanalysis. Mutative interpretations are those that uncover unconscious desires and allow the patient to reintegrate them into their conscious self (p142). These interpretations serve different purposes:
- Uncovering material to bring more unconscious content to the surface.
- Revealing patterns in the patient’s thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
- Validation, where the patient feels understood and accepted (p143).
Yet, interpretation is not a one-way street. The patient might attempt to pull the therapist into their subjective worldview, resisting alternative perspectives. The analyst, in turn, must find a midpoint—neither fully accepting the patient’s view nor imposing their own but instead guiding the patient toward a new, more balanced understanding. This process, often called “emotional-cognitive” therapy, is a delicate dance of interpretation and insight (p144-p145).
Transference: Replaying the Past in the Present
One of Freud’s most famous contributions was the concept of transference—the idea that we unconsciously transfer feelings from past relationships onto new ones. This is why talking to a friend about personal struggles can sometimes be helpful but also risky, as it may reinforce old patterns rather than resolve them (p149-p150).
In therapy, the analyst acts as a blank screen, allowing the patient to project their internal “movie” onto them (p151). This can take several forms:
- A battle—the patient unconsciously treats the therapist as a past authority figure, replaying old conflicts.
- Idealization—the therapist becomes an all-knowing guide, a parental figure who “has the answers.”
- A stage for exploration—where transference allows for new insights, creativity, and healing (p153).
Understanding and working through transference is one of the most powerful tools in psychoanalysis, allowing patients to see how past experiences shape their present and, ultimately, giving them the freedom to rewrite their own story.
The Therapist’s Mind: Countertransference and Its Challenges
While much of psychoanalysis focuses on the patient’s projections, therapists are human too—and they are not immune to countertransference, the process where the therapist unconsciously projects their own feelings onto the patient (p154). Rather than ignoring these reactions, a skilled analyst uses them as data—clues that provide insight into the patient’s dynamics and relational patterns.
However, this is a delicate balance. Every therapist, consciously or unconsciously, prefers a “good patient”—one who is compliant, reflective, and engaged. This can introduce behaviorist elements into therapy, such as subtle reinforcement (rewarding “good” behavior) or even punitive reactions to resistance (p155). The danger is that countertransference may distort therapy, imposing the therapist’s needs onto the patient rather than facilitating true self-exploration.
The psychoanalytic community guards against this through rigorous training and supervision, ensuring that an analyst’s interpretations remain focused on the analytic relationship rather than personal biases. Ultimately, the analyst’s role is not to make the patient dependent on them but to help the patient become psychologically autonomous (p155).
What Makes Therapy Work?
There is an ongoing debate about what makes therapy effective. Some argue that the true “therapeutic” factor in psychoanalysis is not its complex theories or specific techniques, but rather its supportive aspects—empathy, deep listening, and the presence of a reliable guide (p159). In this view, therapy succeeds because the patient feels understood, not because of theoretical constructs.
At the same time, psychoanalysis emphasizes that real change requires work. Patients don’t simply experience spontaneous recovery—healing emerges through active engagement in the therapeutic process. Both the analyst and the patient must determine if they can work together in a meaningful way (p161).
Psychoanalysis Beyond Therapy: A Cultural Force
Psychoanalysis is more than a clinical practice—it has deeply shaped 20th-century thought across multiple domains, including:
- Education – Understanding child development and emotional needs.
- Marketing – Uncovering unconscious consumer desires.
- Feminism – Exploring gender, sexuality, and identity.
- Politics – Examining mass psychology, propaganda, and authority.
- Ecology – Considering human relationships with nature.
- Culture, Art, and Literature – Interpreting symbolic meanings and psychological depth in creative expression (p162–p168).
Freudian and post-Freudian ideas have permeated nearly every aspect of modern life, influencing the way we think about the self, relationships, and society.
Can We Afford to Ignore the Unconscious?
As we navigate the complexities of human behavior, one lingering question remains: Can we afford to ignore the irrational forces that guide us? (p169). While psychoanalysis does not provide absolute truths, it offers a framework for understanding how hidden motives, fantasies, and past experiences shape our actions.
Whether in therapy, personal reflection, or broader cultural analysis, psychoanalysis invites us to look beneath the surface—to recognize that what appears rational is often driven by unconscious forces. In doing so, it challenges us to confront not only our own minds but also the deeper structures of society itself.
Raw notes
p3 Psychoanalysis is a theory for the mind
p6 Psychoanalysis revealed that we can’t be fully transparent to ourselves – psychological events have hidden meanings
p7 Those events are memories, thoughts, feelings, fantasies, intentions, etc.
p9 Psyanalysis is a depth psychology (onion peeling layers), deeper level->more primitive/dangerous contents. Analyst translates conscious behavior to its unconscious antecedent (this postulate itself can be seen as the analysts collective fantasy, since there is no workable method for discovering contents of the unconscious)
p10 Dreams can be interpreted literally or figuratively – we don’t know which
p12 Analyst gathers many associations and sees if things coalesce
p14 Dynamic unconscious – dynamic means that hidden thoughts and feelings are constantly working in the background
p17 Unconscious is conceived as a child within
p18 “Becoming fireman because of an infantile fantasy”
p19 “Putting fires out -> preventing a person from enraging” traumatic relationship
p22 Psyanalysis makes the world lawful by drawing inferences, by explaining irrational attitude
p24 Psyanalysis defined by questioning literal meanings, incl. psyanalysis itself
p26 Psyanalysis tries to help patient speak for themselves, doesn’t know where the work leads
p29 “Only real scientific minds endure doubt. Envy mathematicians who stand on firm ground. Psyanalysis hovers in air – mental events are immeasurable”
p30 id (pleasure/pain), ego (reality principle), superego (social, moral) as three different angles to get a full picture
p31 Complex system, can’t predict (e.g. we don’t know the initial system configuration)
p34 Can’t define psyanalysis by a methodology, many variables. It defines concepts (e.g. unconscious) and these shouldn’t be confused with reality
p35 It still gives us a lot of info of the connections
p36 Creating stories. Negotiation between client/therapist, which is a better story
p37 Telling a better story akin jigsaw puzzles, or recovering a half-erased poem
p38 Not only about finding meaning, but also motives and how these get expressed
p39 “Why am I interested in X” generalized to “Why are humans interested in X”
p42 Displacement, e.g. channeling sexual energy into non-sexual objects (perversion)
p47 The child develops as an integrated person, synthesizing internal and external factors
p49 Oedipus complex – unconscious feelings of desire for their opposite-sex parent and rivalry with their same-sex parent.
p51 Psyanalysts see the effects of emotional attitudes toward family (e.g. understand the issue in terms of Oedipus)
p52 Unconscious infantile images – e.g. if a person allow self in a relationship, they might (unconsciously) see it as a rivalry against their (mental image of a) parent, suffering inability to escape Oedipus complex
p54 The baby perceives the mother’s connection to something beyond them (a “third term”), signaling her separate existence (recognizing this is key to understanding the Oedipal situation)
p55 Penis not just sexual function but also preservation of ego (laugh at a man during intercourse causes aggression)
p57 “Man’s desire is the desire of the Other” another complex that should be worked through
p58 Establishing identity, overcoming penis envy by transforming it into something else (e.g. pregnancy)
p60 Womb envy is another complex
p62 Complex neural network gives rise to perception/awareness
p63 Scientific models of the mind try to picture reality and also embody hypotheses about phenomena
p64 Bio-socio-individuals (id/ego/superego) regulated by pleasure principle. This model indicates how mental stuff is organized and regulated
p65 Repression is the first defense mechanism, pushing unacceptable ideas to the unconscious. We push things, disguise them, put them in a box etc. according to pleasure principle. A never-ending process. This is how id was formed.
p66 Splitting, denial, projection
p67 Undoing, sublimation, identification with the aggressor, reaction formation
p68 All mental processes are defense mechanisms (system tries to keep its equilibrium)
p69 Models picture how the mind develops overtime. Baby wants instant satisfaction (id). Ego develops to modify and organize stimuli
p70 Pleasure principle -> reality principle -> we are able to delay gratification
p71 Superego develops further: shame, guilt, etc.
p72 Models reveal what the mind is constructed of. A theatre, the “object relation” view: our early relations with significant objects (caregivers) shape how we perceive ourselves, connect with others, and navigate emotions
p73 Objects can be mental representations, bits of people, etc.
p74 Internal objects are distorted by emotions and fantasy
p75 The self tries to mould the external world to fit its own patterns (fantasies, etc.)
p76 Models help understand how contents get into the mind. “Talking cure”. An experience gets into the mind and becomes pathogenic because it is not properly registered and processed.
p78 Identification: one person gets the symptom and another catches it
p79 Growth of morality depends on child’s relation with parents and his ability to deal with complexes: ambivalence, aggression, internalization, etc.
p81 Introject: magically eat others’ qualities and incorporating them in our own structure
p83 Without a core identity, a person may struggle to unify their inner and outer world, relying on social roles instead of authentic self-expression—”I play at being myself.”
p84 Fantasy: “transitional space” between inner/outer world
p89 Projection: externalize unwanted truths about ourselves, accusing others of our own faults
p92 Projective identification: put our fantasies into someone else and it changes that person for us. Fantasy “what is natalie’s fantasy, is she a rival in love”? projecting that fantasy, has she actually turned you into a rival for her?
p93 “Have we turned Johnny into ourselves as children, buckling under the weight of our parents’ criticism and expectations?”
p94 Bion suggested that the child’s negative feelings are consumed by the mother, detoxified, and returned back to the child
p95 The exchange of looks between mother/child depends how the event will be experienced. “Imagine a child tripping over and looking at mom before deciding whether to cry”. In being “looked after” the child feels relief that his emotional experience is being “understood”
p96 Imagine never being understood—your words vanish into a void or meet rejection. This is why “being understood” holds such deep emotional power.
p97 Mental events have multiple causes
p99 Psychoanalytic theory attributes psychological phenomena to experiences, instincts, and anxiety, with conflicts between them. What anxieties, phantasies, or feelings drive their single-mindedness?
p100 In the trauma model, external events (esp. early childhood) are seen as the cause of symptoms, much like a virus causes the flu.
p101 Bowlby attachment theory
p102 Quality of interaction (eye contact, engagement) may be more important than satisfying biological needs
p105 Anxiety (mental pain) that we avoid but is necessary for development
p107 Models enable us to think “what people are like”
p108 Instinct theory: human behavior is driven by innate biological forces. Instincts evolve through internal needs (love) and external influences (culture), shaping behavior beyond mere primal drives
p110 Libidinal Subject: bodily experiences, fantasies, and early relationships shape personality, with oral and anal drives forming key behavioral metaphors.
p111 Freud drive-based personality theory describe mental phenomena through gestalt formation
p113 Healthy narcissism (when needed), while failure in development leads to conflict and self-fragmentation
p116 From a therapeutic point of view it begins with the notions of “repression” and “resistance” and the “fundamental rule” of analysis: “Say anything that comes into your mind.” The talking cure. Free associations
p117 Psychoanalysis need to pigeonhole people
p118 Anti-diagnostic: on one hand, they work with standard methods, on the other hand, “say anything that comes to your mind” breaks the bounds of any diagnostic classification. Analyst has to try not to see the patient as an example of a particular category, rather, develop a psychoanalytic orientation to them
p119 On one hand, spent a lot of time and energy into assessment/diagnosis, on the other hand, spend thousands of hours to ignore it
p122 People go to psychoanalysis because of psychic pain
p124 Other reasons: it’s interesting, way to have access to unconscious material, good fun, researching aspects of the mind
p126 Freud called it analysis because it breaks things down
p127 Freud tried catharsis – helping patients remember, reexperience trauma to exorcize it from their minds
p128 Free association makes the unconscious conscious “if I listen carefully enough I will see patterns about their childhood experience”
p129 Listen not just what they say but also hesitations, repetitions, deviations. Making the unconscious conscious loses its power to distort reality
p131 Analytic listening involves meditative state “evenly hovering attention” – aware of more than one dimension at once. E.g. equidistant between id/ego/superego, “he says this but what does he want”, etc.
p132 Analyst listens with indifference, avoids “suggestions”, listens without memory, without desire, without judging
p133 But the paradox is that both the analyst and patient navigate conflicting demands—listening without bias while also expressing everything. Freud called it an “impossible profession” where the analyst plays a godlike role (which is what the patient wants) but ultimately helps the patient become themselves.
p134 Can never understand a person completely, but knowing self better can improve life quality
p135 Psyanalysts believe that a lot of things people do is around flight. By coming to terms, patient begins to change
p136 Process of change: Analyst acts as a projection screen where patients replay past experiences onto the analyst, who helps them integrate conflicting emotions, overcome distortions, and reconstruct their internal world, leading to emotional growth and healing.
p137 Resistance: pathogenic memories, wishes, fantasies are repressed/alienated from the conscious mind. Work of analysis is to undo this alienation
p138,p139,p140,p141 Resistance as a secondary gain from “illness” e.g. not having to go to work. Analyst must interpret meaning related to 1) patient childhood, 2) patient statements, 3) analyst, 4) internal state or conflicts of patient
p142 Mutative interpretations are when the analyst makes interpretations with the aim to reveal unconscious wants of the patient, so he can start reintegrating
p143 Interpretations can be used to get more material, reveal unconscious patterns, validate (making patient feel “understood”), etc.
p144,p145 Dance of interpretation: patient might want to pull therapist into their view. Therapist seeks a midpoint, find a new view for the patient. “Emotional-cognitive” therapy
p149,p150,p151,p152 Talking to a friend may be useful but risk into transference: something is transferred from the past to the present. The analyst acts as a “blank screen” which allows the patient to project his own internal “movie”
p153 Transference can feel like a battle between client/therapist, repeat past relationships (treat therapist as an important figure from their past), idealizing the therapist (wisest person or a loving guide), or create a space for exploration and creativity (theatre)
p154 Countertransference (therapist projects onto the patient): therapist too has feelings, and cannot just say whatever flows in her mind. “Try to use my own feelings as data which provides clues about the relationship with the patient”
p155 Since therapists are humans too, behaviorist elements can creep in (punishment/reward). Every therapist wants a good patient. Countertransference may impose something on the client. The analytic community guards this by lengthy analytic training. The analyst’s interpretations should only be about the analytic relationship. The analyst should also work toward freeing the patient from the analyst’s dependence.
p159 It’s been argued that the “therapeutic” efficacy of psychotherapy comes more from its supportive aspects—empathy, listening, and guidance—than from specific psychoanalytic techniques.
p161 Spontaneous recovery doesn’t come out of nowhere. “Work” is important, and the therapist and the client need to decide whether they can work together.
p162, p163, p164, p165, p166, p167, p168 Psychoanalysis is not just a therapy. It’s influenced the 20th century in education, marketing, feminism, politics, ecology, culture, art, literature.
p169 Can we afford to ignore the irrational forces that guide us?
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