Psychoanalytic Theory – Case Study Guide Activity.
1. Discuss the role of the unconscious in psychoanalytic theory. How does this apply to the client’s case? The role of unconscious in psychoanalytic theory is of a deep well, where unacceptable sexual desires and drives are stored. These sexual desires were not always buried, at one time they resided on the surface in pools of primary narcissism. However, early in childhood they are repressed out of fear of punishment from demands from authority figures whose actions and commands clash with these desires. If the demands by authority are rational, in the sense they targeting only the necessary maladaptive desires; the process of repression will be beneficial. Because repression is not destruction …show more content…
Discuss the psychoanalytic view of human nature. In your answer be sure to discuss the two main instincts. Then describe how these instincts manifested in the client. The psychoanalytic view of human nature could seem pessimistic at first, as it focuses mainly on the dysfunctionality, elusiveness and pathology that is present within it. Caused by the constant clashing of the ego, id and super ego competing for fulfillment of the universal drives of Eros and Thanatos. Eros is our desire to love and be loved back. While Thanatos is the force that craves death, as the release of tension by regressing back to a pre-individualistic/conscious state. Self-harming, depression and even eating can be motivated by Thanatos. These two drives are often mixed with certain aspects coming out in the same behavior. In the case of Pamela it is clear that she does crave to be loved and accepted as seen by her coming to therapy, dreams and current and past relationships with family and men. Those desires are motivated by Eros. However her behavior seems to say otherwise, as there is also a clear sense of shying away from all these things. That moving away from love is motivated by Thanatos, likely because of how much pain will surface when confronting her difficult past and current fixations. When acting on Thanatos, the suffering she experiences is actually safer because it is previous unresolved childhood trauma and therefore in the unconscious mind a step towards primary narcissism when …show more content…
What are the goals of psychoanalytic therapy? How did the therapist work towards those goals in the client’s case? The goals of psychoanalytic therapy are to assist the client in identifying their unconscious conflicts and reduce them, to strengthen the ego by diverting energy into it. In the case of Pamela, Dr.Grossmark uses opened ended questions that lead Pamela to areas of fixation and tension like her childhood abuse, reality and dependency. He offers his professional interpretation of her dialogue, which offed piece of mind and gave strength and reassurance in ideas like, self-sufficiency, independence from men, healing of abuse and
1. Discuss the role of the unconscious in psychoanalytic theory. How does this apply to the client’s case? The role of unconscious in psychoanalytic theory is of a deep well, where unacceptable sexual desires and drives are stored. These sexual desires were not always buried, at one time they resided on the surface in pools of primary narcissism. However, early in childhood they are repressed out of fear of punishment from demands from authority figures whose actions and commands clash with these desires. If the demands by authority are rational, in the sense they targeting only the necessary maladaptive desires; the process of repression will be beneficial. Because repression is not destruction …show more content…
Discuss the psychoanalytic view of human nature. In your answer be sure to discuss the two main instincts. Then describe how these instincts manifested in the client. The psychoanalytic view of human nature could seem pessimistic at first, as it focuses mainly on the dysfunctionality, elusiveness and pathology that is present within it. Caused by the constant clashing of the ego, id and super ego competing for fulfillment of the universal drives of Eros and Thanatos. Eros is our desire to love and be loved back. While Thanatos is the force that craves death, as the release of tension by regressing back to a pre-individualistic/conscious state. Self-harming, depression and even eating can be motivated by Thanatos. These two drives are often mixed with certain aspects coming out in the same behavior. In the case of Pamela it is clear that she does crave to be loved and accepted as seen by her coming to therapy, dreams and current and past relationships with family and men. Those desires are motivated by Eros. However her behavior seems to say otherwise, as there is also a clear sense of shying away from all these things. That moving away from love is motivated by Thanatos, likely because of how much pain will surface when confronting her difficult past and current fixations. When acting on Thanatos, the suffering she experiences is actually safer because it is previous unresolved childhood trauma and therefore in the unconscious mind a step towards primary narcissism when …show more content…
What are the goals of psychoanalytic therapy? How did the therapist work towards those goals in the client’s case? The goals of psychoanalytic therapy are to assist the client in identifying their unconscious conflicts and reduce them, to strengthen the ego by diverting energy into it. In the case of Pamela, Dr.Grossmark uses opened ended questions that lead Pamela to areas of fixation and tension like her childhood abuse, reality and dependency. He offers his professional interpretation of her dialogue, which offed piece of mind and gave strength and reassurance in ideas like, self-sufficiency, independence from men, healing of abuse and