Individuals with little previous knowledge of psychoanalysis sometimes form a negative view of the field based on movie and television depictions that show patients in endless analysis on the couch with near-silent or even untrustworthy analysts. In addition, people often dismiss psychoanalysis with comments such as “I don’t want to dwell on the past,” “I shouldn’t blame everything on my parents,” or “Therapy is too indulgent.”
Contemporary psychoanalysis has a different look and feel at the Institute. Clinicians often work with patients sitting up instead of on the couch, and treatment may feel like a conversation with a trusted friend. Engaging in the process of analytic treatment can free you from entanglements with the past that may be affecting current relationships, help you become more independent and self-aware, and expand your life choices.