Psychoanalytical therapy?
 

Hi,

I had an appointment with a psychiatrist at hospital today, having been taken to A&E the week before last because I was suicidal.

The psychiatrist recommended that I try something called 'psychoanalytical therapy', but didn't really explain what it is. Can anyone help? All I know is that it's a long-term kind of therapy, often 12-18 months. He mentioned that it's the kind of therapy that's often depicted in movies, and that it's often autobiographical...

Thanks!

if it is freudian, i would be really wary

I am in psychoanalytic based therapy, well, analytic based therapy focused on working through relationship/attachment and similar difficulties. It also includes body process/trauma work, so it's a bit mixed.
Most analytic therapy these days is not pure Freudian.
The key is in where your prospective therapist trained - which I guess you don't know yet.

The doctor at the hospital said he would email me with some options for psychoanalytical therapy (although he hasn't yet)... what should I be looking for then? He mentioned that the Centre for Freudian Studies (or something like this) was one of the options...

Thanks

Well, basic Freudian analaysis is focused around understanding the drives to creativity and destructiveness, and reaching towards the ability to love and work. Dreams and fantasies and the transference [putting past relationship trauma experiences into the present to try and resolve them] may be used as part of this process.
I know some people are repulsed by Freudian ideology, but things really have changed and those basic core issues are at the heart of really good therapy that is based on or includes Freudian thought.

Also, once you get the list of options, you're welcome to pm me and I'll explain a bit more about the different kinds. :)

[As well as being in analytic psychotherapy, I have also done some psychotherapy training which included a lot of psychoanalytic theory].

Thanks, that's very kind of you to offer... once I've been sent the various options I will certainly take you up on that :-)

I second everything that Stellata said.
I had psychoanalytic therapy for 7 years (privately). I found it very helpful as it explores early experiences and unconscious motivations, desires and fears. The exploration of how my relationship with my therapist mirrored early relationships (transference) was especially useful. It didn't 'cure' my difficulties but it gave me a way to think about them and experiences that I needed and had missed in early infanthood in order to cope.
I've also studied psychodynamic theory and therapies as part of my degree and because my therapist suggested books to read. You can get a flavour of the kind of thing it involves from Irvin Yalom's books. They are really accessible, up to date and fascinating case studies of Yalom's patients.
You are very lucky to have been offered it as its rarely available on the NHS!

I am in a psychoanalytic group, but I see no evidence of the supposed psychoanalysis. We don't seem to use any Freudian techniques.

I would suggest you give it a go to see if it helps you, you won't really know what type of therapy will suit you until you try it.

Sadly it's not on the NHS (apparently there's a 12-month waiting list)...

I was assessed for something similar once and the psychologist and I decided it would be useless for me, but I think that's because of my autism.

Yes, if you're on the spectrum they tend not to use it as it involves a lot of interpreting symbols and fantasies which some people with autism find difficult or unhelpful.

^ yeah

So this is what the hospital psychiatrist sent me:

I was expecting something a bit more actually helpful than that if I'm honest. Anyway, I had a bit of a look and it seems that a session is around £35-£50, which is more than I'd been led to believe and also more than I can afford really (even though I'm significantly above the threshold to qualify for the low-cost stuff).

Now I feel like it was all a bit of waste bothering to go through that process.

I'm not sure this a useful reply. It's a massive generalisation at best. I'm in Psychoanalytic psychotherapy now and it has helped me more than any other kind. Pm me if you have questions.