Deep Dive November�TS Conversation 58

The Practice of Psychoanalysis

The actual couch Freud used.

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From the Freud Museum London

Dr. Mathai B Fenn�Life coach, Cognitive Psychologist,

• Graduate and undergraduate degrees in Psych
• Life Coach, Trainer and Business Consultant
• Teaching
• 10 years at XLRI Jamshedpur
• American University, Armenia
• Armenian State Agricultural University
• SP Jain Global Campus Dubai, IIM Kozhikode, IIM Calcutta, IIT Gandhinagar

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Dr Mathai B Fenn, PhD – IIT Bombay

Former HOD of OB at XLRI Jamshedpur

Http://www.thetalkshop.in/mathaifenn

Psychoanalysis Today

• In 1952, Hans J Eysenck wrote a controversial paper questioning the effectiveness of all forms of Psychotherapy (link).
• There are several reasons why Psychoanalysis is not widely used in clinical practice today
• Shifting Cultural Context.
• Mind – Body Dualism and the doctor’s role in treating the body using specific methods
• Evidence Based Medicine - Reductionism
• Psychoanalysis is a long-drawn process that could potentially go on forever
• It becomes expensive in the long run

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But Psychoanalysis is far from dead

• Psychoanalysis is very active in the space of symbols and interpretations – in the arts and aesthetics
• Just search on google scholar for books and articles in recent years to get an idea
• Sudhir Kakar (link) India’s most famous psychoanalyst taught Organizational Behaviour at IIT and Manfred F. R. Kets de Vries is a leading management thinker at INSEAD france (link) .

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The beginnings of Psychotherapy

• Little has changed in Psychotherapy since the 1886 when Freud set up his private practice (read about Freud and his work here)

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• The field of Neurology had just been established by Jean-Martin Charcot, a talented painter who went on to get his medical degree (link)
• Freud trained under Charcot and learnt about hypnosis
• Neurology at the time was still a clinical practice
• The Pathogenic Secret
• Read notes about Freud’s cases by Prof Rosalyn King ( here )

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The Couch

1. Five Stages
1. Confusion
2. Making the connection
3. Creating the safe space
4. Building an emotional relationship – Transference
5. Psychoanalyst is a blank slate on to which the patient can project
6. Transference and restructuring thought patterns
2. Doubts
• Does it work?
• When can I say it is enough
• Cost of Psychoanalysis
• Emotional Relationship??

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I am not a Psychoanlyst

• In Indian Philosophy Purva Paksha means stating the opposing view in detail and with empathy
• I take a gestalt view. This means that there are some things I agree with and lots of things that I do not agree with, and I am still learning