Typically, psychoanalytic psychotherapy meets once, twice or three times a week over a period of many months or years. Individuals are asked to share their thoughts, feelings and views and to reflect on their early and current life. Increased self-examination leads to a greater awareness of the obstacles that have prevented them from pursuing their goals. Psychoanalytic psychotherapy attempts to address a primary struggle but does not undertake the broader and more complex task of attempting fundamental personality or character change. And, while for many people it can be very helpful, for others it does not afford the necessary intensity to truly allow the kind of self-exploration that will lead to bedrock change.
Psychoanalysis is a highly potent form of intensive psychotherapy.
Analysis usually meets four or five times a week over a period of several years with the aim of facilitating lasting, personality change. That is, to help the individual to become aware of motivations underlying their thoughts, feelings and behaviors that have previously been obscure. Individuals are asked to share as much as they can about their internal world. Self-exploration is encouraged in many ways. Dreams can be a very useful tool in bringing into awareness ones unconscious motivations and feelings.