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16. Modern Changes in Psychoanalysis Masculine Reason and Feminine Emotion Freud's quest for psychoanalysis was that he would discover the objectiv e truths an d general laws of nature for huma n behavio r a s existed in othe r sciences. Logos would replace myth, man's reason would overcome woman 's irrationality and emotion. However, Freud presented a contradiction to these polarities. Paradoxically, th e most outstanding contribution tha t psychoanalysis mad e was the discovery that unconscious irrationa l force s were more powerful tha n consciou s rationality . Women Patients' Influence on Psychoanalysis Psychoanalysis during Freud's lifetime evolved considerably from what he originally formulate d aroun d th e tur n o f the centur y i n Vienna. Despit e a marked intolerance for any deviation by others, Freud repeatedly changed his own psychoanalytic theory as well as its methods and goals of treatment. His revisions in theory an d technique were a direct result of his listening carefully t o his patients, who were mosdy women, and considering issues brought u p b y them. When Freu d originall y starte d workin g a s a psychiatrist, mos t o f hi s patients were women sufferin g fro m hysteria . At that time , his only goa l was the elimination of neurotic symptoms. The first method h e used was hypnosis, a techniqu e learne d i n Franc e fro m Charco t an d Bernheim . Despite the cultural bias against women, Freud did not discount their talk 160 Modern Changes in Psychoanalysis 16 1 as trivial or irrational. He listened to his women patients and acknowledged the importance of the memories they recounted. His sole aim was to bring into conscious awareness their traumatic repressed memories. In addition , Freud stresse d tha t th e releas e o f th e associate d emotion s wa s necessar y in eliminating symptoms. He learned this cathartic technique from one of Breuer's femal e patients , Ann a O , wh o terme d i t "chimne y sweeping. 55 Since emotions were seen as feminine in the culture, this was an acknowledgment o f the importance o f feminine aspect s in treatment . The nex t chang e i n technique wa s to discontinu e th e use of hypnosi s and to rely on free association. He learned this new technique again fro m his female patients suffering from hysteria, Frau Cacilie M (Baroness Anna von Lieben) an d Emmy von N (Barones s Fanny Moser). Here the patient expressed whatever cam e to mind , withou t censorin g anythin g o r tryin g to establish any logical order to the random thoughts that emerged. How ever , even though the patient now participated more than in hypnosis, all of Freud 5 s patient s remaine d i n a passive position . Th e analys t wa s th e only one to actively interpret the meaning of the patients5 repressed memories . Freud thought that once these unconscious traumatic memories were made conscious b y the analys t an d the associate d affec t wa s released, th e patients5 neurotic symptoms would disappear. His motto was, cc Where id was there shall be ego.55 Masculine logic would contain feminine emotion , with th e analys t directing this process. Freud ha d becom e awar e o f th e importanc e o f traumati c experience s in childhoo d tha t late r produce d neuroti c symptom s i n th e adult . Hi s patients, mostly women, recounte d bein g sexually seduced durin g child hood . Wit h girl s the seduce r was often th e father o r a male relative, an d with boys it was frequently a maid or older sibling. However, Freud late r concluded tha t thes e seduction s ha d no t occurre d i n realit y bu t wer e products of the patient's fantasy. H e abandone d his seduction theory an d admitted that his own activity in the treatment might have influenced wha t his patients relate d t o him. The drivin g force fo r neurosi s was now con sidered t o b e unconsciou s fantasy , whic h wa s derive d fro m th e child' s inborn infantile sexuality. Fantasy influenced how reality was perceived and remembered. Psychi c reality , whic...

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