Psychoanalysis and the unconscious

Articles, Films and practical Guides on psychoanalysis and the unconscious, part of Psyche’s coverage of therapies and practical advice.
Black and white photo of a child silhouetted against a brightly lit fountain at night.
PSYCHOANALYSIS AND THE UNCONSCIOUS
1

How to reconnect with your inner child

The experiences you had as a child influence your emotional life as an adult. Recognising these dynamics can be healing

by Nickan Arzpeyma

Black and white photo of an elderly man with glasses and a moustache wearing a suit, sitting in a patterned chair.
THINKERS AND THEORIES

‘Man cannot stand a meaningless life’ – a conversation with Carl Jung at 84

Video by Face to Face

Photo of a set of keys on a pavement with yellow and grey paint markings in the background.
PSYCHOANALYSIS AND THE UNCONSCIOUS

How I became a psychoanalyst by losing my keys

What are we really doing when we sit in a room with our patients and exchange some words?

by Jordan Osserman

A man observing a large, lifelike sculpture of an elderly man with a braid on a white gallery wall.
PSYCHOANALYSIS AND THE UNCONSCIOUS

Men’s anxiety about hair loss can have a deeper meaning

As a psychoanalyst, I’ve seen how reflecting on the emotional symbolism of hair loss can be therapeutic for many men

by Tom Wooldridge

Black and white drawing of stylised smoke or clouds rising from the ground in swirling patterns.
THE SELF

Why bad doodles can reveal more about you than good drawings

For Marion Milner, ‘not being able’ is a valuable state – one that allows for new and unexpected forms of learning

by David Russell

A child sitting at a desk with a cat, sunlight casting patterns through a window.
PSYCHOANALYSIS AND THE UNCONSCIOUS
5

Three ways to get in touch with your Shadow self

Jung believed we all have a Shadow self. Facing up to it could help you live more fully and be more forgiving of others

by Ruth Williams

Black-and-white photo of a man with glasses holding a pipe, sitting in an office with stained glass windows.
PSYCHOANALYSIS AND THE UNCONSCIOUS

For Jung, architecture was a tool to represent the psyche

Carl Jung’s approach to architecture is a provocation: how are we creating spaces for the forgotten dimensions of our minds?

by David Borkenhagen

Painting of a mysterious woman with long dark hair and a snake, set against an orange and black background.
SEX AND SEXUALITY

My take on ‘Venus in Furs’ as a modern-day dominatrix

My experiences as a 21st-century femdom echo the gendered themes that feature in Leopold von Sacher-Masoch’s 1870 novel

by Gia Marcos

Close-up photo of hands holding a silver wristwatch with a white dial and black numerals on a black background.
SELF-HARM AND SUICIDE

The violence of suicide reverberates in, and through, us all

A psychodynamic perspective on suicide can help us all reckon more honestly with the interconnectedness of psychic pain

by Kyle Boyd

Etching of nude figures dancing and playing instruments under trees, with a building in the background.
HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHIATRY
6

How a Viennese genius (not the one you think) understood penis envy

Karen Horney’s challenge to Freudian psychosexual theory helped me say ‘penis’ without flinching in my Cairo classroom

by Heba Yosry

Black and white photo of a person leaning from a window in a brick building with a fire escape, traffic light in foreground.
HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF MENTAL HEALTH
4

Can we diagnose suffering without knowing a person’s history?

Human bodies and mental states are always transforming. How can the DSM portray the full range of human suffering?

by Christos Tombras

Painting of a person sitting on a colourful bed in a room with abstract patterns and vibrant colours.
PSYCHOANALYSIS AND THE UNCONSCIOUS
13

The power of slow therapy, revealed in two pioneering memoirs

Two therapy memoirs by Lucy Freeman, an overlooked mental health pioneer, remind us of the value of slow, convoluted therapy

by Elliot Jurist

Photo of a performer singing surrounded by a group of dancers in red hooded outfits on stage under dramatic lighting.
THERAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIPS

Either/or questions are part of psychotherapy’s language games

When a patient poses a binary question, it’s tempting to give a straight answer, but they are often seeking so much more

by Darren Haber

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DRUGS AND PSYCHEDELICS

To learn from a psychedelic trip, explore the dreams that follow

Psychedelic experiences, properly digested, offer opportunities for change – and the dreams that follow them can help

by Mackenzie Amara

Black and white photo of a woman in a dark dress lying on a leather couch, looking upward with one hand on her face.
THERAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIPS

My failed analysis gave me confidence and taught me when to quit

What does successful psychoanalysis look like? I’d read all around Freud and I didn’t know, but then neither did my analyst

by Lisa Levy