Psychoanalytic therapy is a form of in-depth talk therapy that aims to bring unconscious or deeply buried thoughts and feelings to the conscious mind so that repressed experiences and emotions, often from childhood, can be brought to the surface and examined.

What does a psychoanalyst do?

Psychoanalysts help clients tap into their unconscious mind to recover repressed emotions and deep-seated, sometimes forgotten experiences. By gaining a better understanding of their subconscious mind, patients acquire insight into the internal motivators that drive their thoughts and behaviors.

How does psychoanalysis explain behavior?

Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory of personality argues that human behavior is the result of the interactions among three component parts of the mind: the id, ego, and superego.