The Therapeutic Concepts of Therapeutic Neutrality, Free Association, Interpretation, and Transference
Psychoanalytical therapies have been being used for quite some time now to release repressed feelings. This releasing of repressed feelings gives us valuable insight to how the past effects our future. The real father of psychoanalytical therapy was Sigmund Freud, a famous psychologist from the Czech Republic. Freud's whole goal with psycholanalytical therapy was to discover the deep inner conflicts of the subconscious mind.
To achieve this goal therapists used free association. In free association the patient says anything that comes to mind aloud. As you begin to talk about whatever comes to mind. As you talk you may come to an embarrassing topic and pause and censor what you're about to say. This is called a resistance. When a therapist picks up resistance they may give you insight as to why that certain topic causes you grief.
For example if a patient was abused as a child the patient may begin by just talking about the basics; friends, school, grandparents etc. After he talks about the basics he may begin to talk about his father who was the one who abused him. As the patient gets to the memories of being abused he may stop talking. The therapist recognizes this as resistance and offers insight or advice. This acknowledgement the therapist gives his client is called interpretation. In the world of psychoanalysis interpretation is defined as: The understanding of significant behaviors and events in order to give out the proper "insight" and "advice". If interpetation is provided at the correct time it may help the patient get over his or her's trauma.
In the field of psychoanalysis therapists must also work with the concept of transference. In psychology transference is defined as: T he unconscious transfer of emotions from one person or relationship to another. For example when you have a bad day at school or practice and you come home and take your anger out on your parents or siblings you are transferring your anger from school/practice to your family, which is transference.
Another very important concept of psychoanalytical therapy is therapeutic neutrality. Therapists believe it to be very importat to take a very neutral, non-judgmental approach towards their clients. For example if a therapist does not really have any interest in their clients problems the client will know, and this may bar his issues from being resolved. On the other hand if a therapist becomes to emotionally invested in their clients problems it may take a toll on the therapist mentally and physically. As you can see it's essential to maintain therapeutic neutrality.
Below I have posted two links. The first is to a video on youtube that has a funny little cartoon about free association. In the video the therapist repeatedly asks his client to participate in free association. The client obviously takes it as a joke and it is noneffective. The second video is a youtube video about transference. In this video an actually psychologist explains his views on transference and provides his own examples.
Links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuMPKu1Svbs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPfrzsHH4ko
To achieve this goal therapists used free association. In free association the patient says anything that comes to mind aloud. As you begin to talk about whatever comes to mind. As you talk you may come to an embarrassing topic and pause and censor what you're about to say. This is called a resistance. When a therapist picks up resistance they may give you insight as to why that certain topic causes you grief.
For example if a patient was abused as a child the patient may begin by just talking about the basics; friends, school, grandparents etc. After he talks about the basics he may begin to talk about his father who was the one who abused him. As the patient gets to the memories of being abused he may stop talking. The therapist recognizes this as resistance and offers insight or advice. This acknowledgement the therapist gives his client is called interpretation. In the world of psychoanalysis interpretation is defined as: The understanding of significant behaviors and events in order to give out the proper "insight" and "advice". If interpetation is provided at the correct time it may help the patient get over his or her's trauma.
In the field of psychoanalysis therapists must also work with the concept of transference. In psychology transference is defined as: T he unconscious transfer of emotions from one person or relationship to another. For example when you have a bad day at school or practice and you come home and take your anger out on your parents or siblings you are transferring your anger from school/practice to your family, which is transference.
Another very important concept of psychoanalytical therapy is therapeutic neutrality. Therapists believe it to be very importat to take a very neutral, non-judgmental approach towards their clients. For example if a therapist does not really have any interest in their clients problems the client will know, and this may bar his issues from being resolved. On the other hand if a therapist becomes to emotionally invested in their clients problems it may take a toll on the therapist mentally and physically. As you can see it's essential to maintain therapeutic neutrality.
Below I have posted two links. The first is to a video on youtube that has a funny little cartoon about free association. In the video the therapist repeatedly asks his client to participate in free association. The client obviously takes it as a joke and it is noneffective. The second video is a youtube video about transference. In this video an actually psychologist explains his views on transference and provides his own examples.
Links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuMPKu1Svbs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPfrzsHH4ko