9 differences between Psychoanalysis and Psychodynamic Therapy
Sigmund Freud's theories have led to a very broad set of psychotherapeutic interventions. Many people classify as "psychoanalysis" any treatment derived from the ideas of Freud, but at present the psychodynamic therapies have acquired a great relevance, overcoming basic limitations of traditional psychoanalysis.
It is not simple nor totally adequate differentiate between psychoanalysis and psychodynamic therapies since both types of intervention share key aspects and overlap to a large extent. Even so, we can establish a series of differentiations that give an idea of the distance between the dynamic therapies that exist today.
- Related article: "Types of psychological therapies"
What is psychoanalysis?
Psychoanalysis is a set of theories and therapeutic techniques which aims to treat mental disorders through the analysis of unconscious life. It is one of the oldest psychological therapies, dated in the last decade of the nineteenth century, and introduced approaches that were subsequently collected by many psychotherapeutic approaches.
Authors such as Jean-Martin Charcot and Breuer influenced the emergence of psychoanalysis, but the term and its foundation are attributed to Sigmund Freud and to his book The interpretation of dreams, of 1899. Later Carl Gustav Jung, Alfred Adler, Karen Horney and other disciples of Freud developed psychoanalysis in different directions, away from the teacher.
According to psychoanalysis, personality is determined to a large extent by childhood experiences, which exert a significant influence on thought, emotion and behavior. The therapeutic goal is for this unconscious material to pass into consciousness through the analysis of involuntary behavior, dreams and transference.
The type of intervention most characteristic of this current is the psychoanalytic cure-type, in which the transfer neurosis is analyzed in deep. Classical elements of psychoanalysis, such as the use of the couch, the abstinence of the therapist, the globality of the therapeutic focus and the long duration of the treatment, are identified with the cure-type.
The psychodynamic therapies
Psychodynamic therapies are a series of interventions based on certain concepts of psychoanalytic theory. In particular, this type of psychotherapies focuses on the active influence of unconscious processes in the behavior, thought and emotions of the present moment.
These psychotherapies share fundamental elements with psychoanalysis, especially the emphasis on the unconscious and the theoretical anchorage in the contributions of Freud and his followers. However, the term "psychodynamic therapy" is used in opposition to "psychoanalysis" to differentiate the classical method from more modernized and scientific ones.
There are a large number of therapies that fall within this category. These include, in particular, Rogers' client-centered therapy and interpersonal therapy by Klerman and Weissman. More recently, other influential psychodynamic therapies have emerged Mentalization therapy and limited time psychotherapy .
- Perhaps you are interested: "The open war between psychoanalysis and behaviorism, explained in 8 keys"
Differences between psychoanalysis and psychodynamic therapies
It is impossible to make definitive distinctions between psychoanalysis and psychodynamic therapies because both concepts overlap. However, in broad strokes we can establish a series of characteristics that are frequently used to distinguish between these two types of intervention.
1. Duration of treatment
The duration of the treatment is the main criterion of distinction between classical psychoanalysis and psychodynamic therapies if we focus on an analysis of their practice. Thus, while psychoanalysis can last up to 5 years, psychodynamic therapies are shorter because they focus on the patient's current problem and not on their personality as a whole.
2. Frequency of sessions
Psychoanalysis is a much more intensive treatment than psychodynamic therapies. The psychoanalytic cure-type is practiced 3 or 4 times a week; On the other hand, sessions of psychodynamic therapies have a more variable frequency, taking place weekly or even less frequently.
3. Framing of therapy
Traditionally in the psychoanalytic treatment the couch has been used, which facilitates the patients to concentrate and access the unconscious material without the distractions that direct interaction with the therapist implies, which is also not very participative.
The evolution of psychoanalysis towards psychodynamic therapies it has promoted a relaxation of the framing . Thus, therapists who apply this type of intervention tend to be more active and direct, and in many cases this and the patient are placed face to face. In a synthetic way, psychodynamic therapies are more adapted to each particular case.
4. Depth of analysis
Psychodynamic therapies have been developed largely as ways of applying the approaches of psychoanalysis to the management of specific problems. This makes them much more efficient and, according to some people, superficial, since the traditional objective of modify the personality structure as a whole.
5. Therapeutic focuses
This difference is linked to the depth of the analysis. While many psychodynamic therapies focus on unconscious processes related to the client's reason for consultation In psychoanalysis, the need to manage multiple and mobile foci is considered: the unconscious thoughts that arise from the therapeutic relationship and the transference. In a certain sense, psychoanalysts intend to intervene in conflicts that the patient does not know he has (something not without controversy).
6. Theoretical foundation
At present when we speak of psychoanalysis we refer to interventions that focus mainly on the contributions of Freud. On the other hand, psychodynamic therapies include the advances of later authors such as Klein, Jung, Lacan or Winnicott, emphasizing concepts such as attachment or defense mechanisms.
7. Techniques used
The classical techniques of psychoanalysis include Free association, interpretation of dreams or the analysis of resistances and transfer. Psychodynamic therapies collect these contributions but in many cases they have a more eclectic character, including techniques of other orientations, such as behavioral, cognitive and experiential.
- Related article: "What is 'free association' in Psychoanalysis?"
8. Research on efficacy
Psychoanalysis has historically been characterized by its rejection of experimental and scientific methods, based above all on the theories developed by key authors. However, some of the hypotheses posed by psychoanalysts have been validated later by scientific research, such as the theory of attachment.
Instead, Many psychodynamic therapies are based on scientific evidence about the effectiveness of the methods. The effect size of these therapies is clearly superior to that of psychoanalysis in the treatment of most specific disorders.
9. Therapeutic indications
Traditionally, psychoanalysis has focused on two main groups of disorders: neurosis and hysteria. The developments of certain psychodynamic therapies have allowed the application to a greater number of psychological alterations, including personality disorders and psychoses.
