Question

Freud’s radical idea that an individual’s physical problems might be best alleviated by a “talking cure” served as the foundation for many more theoretical approaches over the past 100 years.  Even today, at the beginning of the 21^st century, the many forms of psychodynamic therapy are used by mental health professionals worldwide.  In your opinion, why has Freud’s theory had such enduring and “staying” power for so many years?

Answer 1

Perhaps the most significant achievement of Freud was his discovery of the powerful impact the unconscious mind has in our everyday lives. Much of what we do is guided by conflicts and motives that we are not aware of. Freud’s theory was not only controversial but also groundbreaking, as it shed light into a huge chunk of our consciousness, the existence of which was not known. The unconscious as the seat of human behaviour and personality is an underlying principle of psychodynamic theories and its implications are explored only in psychodynamic-oriented therapy.