Psychoanalysis is a therapeutic practice and research technique founded by the Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud around 1896.
Psychoanalysis aims to investigate and treat emotional problems from the point of view of the person's childhood, the interpretation of dreams, failed acts and the technique of free association, among others.

In the strict sense, psychoanalysis can be defined as a method and technique of psychotherapeutictreatment based on the exploration of the unconscious through free association. Unlike methods that are based on exercises, training or learning (such as behavioural techniques) or explanations on a cognitive level, psychoanalysis is among the discovery or unveiling techniques that attempt to make the patient achieve a deep understanding of the circumstances and therefore make their changes and evolution deeper and more definitive.

What disorders does psychoanalysis treat?

• Social phobia
• The Anxiety Disorder
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Depression
• Panic disorder
• Paranoid disorder
• OCD
• Narcissistic disorder
• Avoidance disorder
• Borderline personality disorder
• Histrionic disorder
• Anti-Social Disorder
• Dependent disorder
• Bipolar disorder
• Obsessive disorder
• Grief and loss

What are some of the techniques used by psychoanalysis?

Psychoanalysis uses discovery techniques, which try to get the patient to achieve a deep understanding of the unconscious circumstances that have caused his or her symptoms or psychic discomfort. The technique for reaching this unconsciousness is called free association.
Free association is a method that was followed fervently by Sigmund Freud in order to access the deepest layers of consciousness. This technique consists of the patient having total freedom to express ideas, thoughts, occurrences, images or feelings, without any kind of taboo. The psychoanalyst, then, has an active role as observer of these associations that represent the unconscious.
Other techniques used in psychoanalysis are the interpretation of dreams, related to free association.

What are the advantages of psychoanalysis?

• The patient experiences total freedom in the sessions.
• The goal is to make patients feel very comfortable during the sessions
• Increases insight and self-knowledge
• The results of psychoanalysis are lasting
• A therapeutic alliance between psychoanalyst and patient is established