Ordinary People is a 1980 film about Conrad and his family. Their family lost the eldest son in a boating accident and their relationship with each other becomes strained after Conrad attempts suicide. The relationship between Conrad and his mother is distant and disconnected. The relationship between Conrad and his father is more open in comparison. After Conrad returns home from the hospital he starts therapy with Dr. Berger. Dr. Berger helps Conrad to gain personal insight and process through his emotions and experiences using the psychoanalytic theory of therapy.
Therapeutic Relationship Dr. Berger and Conrad had a good therapeutic relationship. It did not start out smooth, Conrad had no desire to be in therapy at all. Dr. Berger did not …show more content…
Berger utilized the psychoanalytic theory in his therapy with Conrad. I think it is evident that he used this theory from the very first session. Dr. Berger relied on the analytic framework for each session, he utilized the free association and transference technique and he addressed Conrad’s resistance. In Psychoanalytic therapy, therapist maintain analytic framework or procedure throughout treatment. Dr. Berger had a set day and time for every session and he did not go over time. Conrad notes this at almost every session he has with Dr. Berger. When Conrad was having insight about some of his issues and demanded more time, Dr. Berger concluded the session at the regular time and said they would begin again on Thursday. Dr. Berger also mentioned a contract during one of their sessions. In psychoanalytic therapy, the client and therapist create a contract outlining the responsibilities of the client and of the …show more content…
In free association the client reports, without censure, any thoughts or feelings they are having. The point of this technique is to open doors to the unconscious emotions or ideas. It is during this technique the therapist is able to identify repressed material locked inside the client. In the beginning, Conrad was not very talkative with Dr. Berger. Dr. Berger asked questions prompting Conrad to communicate what he was thinking and feeling but Dr. Berger never lead the conversation. He would simply as “what are you thinking?”. As the sessions progressed, Conrad was able to speak about anything that came to his mind. In the beginning he spoke mostly of swim, but then it always came back to his issues with his mother. Dr. Berger was able to identify the guilt Conrad carried about surviving the boating accident when his brother died. This technique also allowed Conrad to recognize the resentment he feels towards his mother for not loving him as much as she loved his
Therapeutic Relationship Dr. Berger and Conrad had a good therapeutic relationship. It did not start out smooth, Conrad had no desire to be in therapy at all. Dr. Berger did not …show more content…
Berger utilized the psychoanalytic theory in his therapy with Conrad. I think it is evident that he used this theory from the very first session. Dr. Berger relied on the analytic framework for each session, he utilized the free association and transference technique and he addressed Conrad’s resistance. In Psychoanalytic therapy, therapist maintain analytic framework or procedure throughout treatment. Dr. Berger had a set day and time for every session and he did not go over time. Conrad notes this at almost every session he has with Dr. Berger. When Conrad was having insight about some of his issues and demanded more time, Dr. Berger concluded the session at the regular time and said they would begin again on Thursday. Dr. Berger also mentioned a contract during one of their sessions. In psychoanalytic therapy, the client and therapist create a contract outlining the responsibilities of the client and of the …show more content…
In free association the client reports, without censure, any thoughts or feelings they are having. The point of this technique is to open doors to the unconscious emotions or ideas. It is during this technique the therapist is able to identify repressed material locked inside the client. In the beginning, Conrad was not very talkative with Dr. Berger. Dr. Berger asked questions prompting Conrad to communicate what he was thinking and feeling but Dr. Berger never lead the conversation. He would simply as “what are you thinking?”. As the sessions progressed, Conrad was able to speak about anything that came to his mind. In the beginning he spoke mostly of swim, but then it always came back to his issues with his mother. Dr. Berger was able to identify the guilt Conrad carried about surviving the boating accident when his brother died. This technique also allowed Conrad to recognize the resentment he feels towards his mother for not loving him as much as she loved his