Psychoanalysis

With a frequency of 3-5 sessions per week, psychoanalysis is effective for persistent symptoms, traumatic histories that haunt you and disrupt your life, or for thorough self-exploration and change. Psychoanalysis is not your New Yorker cartoon with a silent analyst leaving you to do all the work. With me, you are not alone. I’m active. I talk. And, I’m engaged with you throughout each session. Building a trusting relationship with me and a safe place for your feelings is essential. That’s true whether you choose to do psychoanalysis or psychotherapy. 

You might wonder if psychoanalysis still involves the analytic couch that you’ve seen in those cartoons. I do have an analytic couch. But you don’t have to lie down on it. It’s there to use if you find it helpful. The couch is a tool, not a must. Sometimes it’s hard to look at me, especially if you tend to gauge people’s reactions, try to give them what you think they want, or if you experience my gaze as a demand, which doesn’t leave you free to express your thoughts.

Expressing yourself openly is critical. And, one real benefit of coming frequently is that it provides a safe place, with me, to work out problems that won’t leave you alone and have persisted for too many years. If you’re quite anxious or depressed, 3-5 sessions per week help you not to feel so alone or overwhelmed between your visits. Plus, the frequency of psychoanalysis can make it easier to come into contact with the feelings you’ve had to block, rationalize, or tell yourself to “get over.” Knowing your feelings is critical to understanding yourself, your symptoms, and to lasting change in both psychoanalysis and psychotherapy.