Psychoanalysis

[BisleyBoy]

I've just gotten a referral through for psychotherapy. The letter says the therapists name so I googled it and it seems he's a psychoanalyst so I'm a bit worried now. Has anyone else had experience of this? I just have visions of me lying on a couch while he shows me ink blot pictures, says 'hmm hmm' a lot and scribbles things down about me.

I have therapy with a psychoanalyst and while she draws on psychoanalytic theory, she also draws on other theories and no couches are used either :)
So don't worry

I've had psychoanalytical psychotherapy (on the NHS) and my therapist did ask me to lie on a couch. It's supposed to help reduce eye contact and other social pressures between the therapist and patient, and allow the patient to freely express their thoughts. I'm a bit skeptical about that myself, having gone through it - I felt there were definitely social pressures still present and I thought it put me in a vulnerable position (I was not meant to look at the therapist and also couldn't see a clock or be able to reach my bag for tissues etc). I was never shown ink blots but she did say 'hmm' a lot although she didn't write much during sessions!

I think that what the therapist does just depends on their individual approach - some use couches, others don't. It sounds like you are doing it through the NHS, so there will be limited scope to change therapists, but you're able to question any approach that you don't feel is helpful to you.

I see a psychoanalytic psychotherapist. I've never been asked to look at an inkblot, and her contributions and interpretations are far more useful than "hmm". She doesn't make notes either. I do lie on the couch, but didn't at first and had a choice whether to try it or not.
Good luck with it, I hope you find it helpful.

Thanks for your responses. I hope I find it helpful too. I refuse to lie on a couch! I want to look someone in the eye when I talk to them.

Ink blots have nothing to do with psychoanalysis and therapists don't write notes when in session (apart from sometimes in the first assessment just to get down some useful facts about family history etc.).

You are very lucky to have had a referral to this type of therapy, very rare in the NHS these days.

I hope you will find it very useful.