Reaction paper: Psychoanalysis
Name: Ascen Castillo González
Respond to the following questions:
What important points did you learn about Freud and psychoanalysis approach?
The personality theory was the main point I learnt about this approach, mainly in
Miguel’s speech. I also identified the types of personality with the personalities that
people I know very well have. I was really surprised because although I have been
taught a lot of times about Freud’s theory I was never aware about the existence of a
personality theory.
What stands out to you about how psychoanalysis works?
One thing that is very interesting for me is the way that dreams work. They are useful
for knowing what people is repressing and they are meaningful for giving sense to the
“unconscious world”. I have felt it so many times about my dreams, that they had a
sense with what I felt was happening in my unconscious.
As a therapist, what was most beneficial to you about the model presented?
I think the psychoanalysis itself can be beneficial sometimes in some cases. For
example, for people that want to know why he or she acts one way or another, the
therapy can be good. But, in other cases it would be more difficult to have good results.
So, the model has to fit with the client and with what the client needs always.
What tools or perspectives did you find helpful and might you use in your own
work?
I think a good idea about psychoanalysis is to let the patient talk without a concrete
meaning or direction. That idea is also used in other therapies, where the patient selects
what he/she want to talk about without any direction or signal of the therapist. Probably,
I would use this tool in my own work.
What challenged you to think about something in a new way?
Again, the personality theory. I was amazed about the way it could predict some
symptoms or even future pathologies. Although I knew about indirect relationships
between personality and pathologies, it was very new for me this direct relation that was
explained in Freud’s theory between both of them.
What principles/techniques/interventions did not make sense to you?
The principle that makes less sense for me is the importance of sexuality in future
pathologies or problems. I am sure that sexuality is really important for personal
development, but I do not think that is exactly the way Freud’s explained it, probably it
has less importance than he thought.
Did anything push your buttons or bring about a sense of resistance in you, or just
not fit with your own style of working?
Not really. The main thing about Freud’s theory that does not fit with my style of
thinking or working with something, is the lack of scientific support holding this
interesting theory. Although we know that it can be useful sometimes with some
