Lifestyle Choices

Changing more basic attitudes, or learning to live with pleasure with the characteristics that we have, usually takes a long time, sometimes a life time. Often those who undertake long-term explorative psychotherapy (L.T.E.P.) want to “grow” — searching to find the best of themselves and to be in “gold”. But L.T.E.P. can also be used for more severe mental symptoms (for example, recurrent black depression) in an attempt to help somebody “grow-up again” with a different “parent” (the therapist). All the ideas and approaches discussed in Psychotherapeutic approachescan be used.

PSYCHO ANALYSIS

This involves seeing a psychoanalyst for between three andfive 50-minute sessions a week, usually for a minimum of three years. Usually you will be asked to lie down on a couch and the analyst will sit in front of you or out of sight according to his form. You will be encouraged to speak whatever comes into your mind. The analyst may remain silent or may make an interpretation, the type of interpretation depending on the system of analysis he uses.

Advantages

With such a constant and long-term contact you may regress to such an extent that you are able sometimes to “go through” some of the earliest life phases again. This can be useful for intensive long-term therapy for those with severe symptoms who need to “grow-up” again.

It is a slower and less threatening way of facing yourself, compared to some of the alternative techniques.

If you successfully manage to get through the dependency, that experience of growing up will be valuable to you.

You may find an analyst of personal wisdom and warmth who will transcend the technique.

Disadvantages

Time and money. 3 to 5 separate sessions per week is a considerable, and often expensive, commitment.

Over-intellectuality. The intellectuality often takes people away from their feelings so that they may understand what’s wrong, without feeling any more alive or spontaneous.

Dependency. Most psychoanalytic systems lay great stress on “transference” — the transferring of feelings from a parent, for instance, on to the therapist. Although it is undoubtedly true that people do transfer their earliest ideas of a man or a woman on to a male or female therapist, and this can be a useful way of seeing their preconceptions, the use of “transference” has often turned out to be negative and over-used. Firstly, not all the feeling between client and therapist is transference — there may be genuine human warmth and love for another person, and in fact this is one of the most important requirements for success. Secondly, the encouragement of transference can create more power for the therapist and more dependency for the client, which is not useful if you are looking for autonomy.

Different systems of psychoanalysis tend to adhere rigidly to their own dogmas.

The client learns from the therapist’s example of lack of expression; this can be a devitalizing and depressing process.

For those who are looking for more specific help, psychoanalysis tends to be all-embracing and not focused on a particular problem of development.

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