The Unconscious Mind The Three Levels of Consciousness The concept of the three ‘levels’ of consciousness is attributed to Freud (1915) and is often depicted by an iceberg, with three layers representing each level, namely: The conscious mind, portrayed by the tip of the iceberg, the uppermost part above water that is easily visible…
What is Free Association? Free association is a therapeutic method developed by Sigmund Freud as a technique used in psychoanalysis (read about this here!) to explore the unconscious mind by providing patients with the complete freedom to express their thoughts. In this article, we explore what exactly free association is, how the idea came about and…
Psychoanalysis and the Benefits of Psychodynamic Therapy What is Psychoanalysis? Psychoanalysis refers to a set of psychological theories and therapeutic methods which fundamentally view psychological issues as rooted in the unconscious mind. Accordingly, manifest symptoms (i.e., undesirable or dysfunctional thoughts, behaviours, and other defensive mechanisms) are the result of hidden factors, such as unresolved…
