Answer :
Final answer:
The goal of psychoanalysis is to free psychic energy by making patients aware of repressed desires and conflicts to promote personal growth and adaptive functioning.
4) free psychic energy by slowly bringing repressed desires and conflicts into consciousness
Explanation:
The goal of psychoanalysis is to assist patients in navigating the complex landscape of their unconscious mind. The aim is to free psychic energy by bringing repressed desires and conflicts into consciousness, a process which encourages patients to confront hidden feelings and unresolved internal conflicts. Techniques like free association, dream analysis, and fostering transference are designed to facilitate self-discovery and insight into these unconscious issues.
During therapy sessions, patients may exhibit resistance via defense mechanisms, as acknowledging these deeply rooted issues can be distressing. Therapists work to help patients overcome these defenses, understanding that the therapeutic relationship itself can act as a mirror to the patient's unconscious. Through this work, the expectation is for patients to achieve personal growth and more adaptive functioning. This involves four stages: confession, elucidation, education, and transformation according to Douglas (1995), with the ultimate aim of integrating all aspects of one's psyche.
