Psychological Disorders in Psychoanalytic Practice

Understanding mental health disorders requires looking beyond surface-level symptoms into the underlying unconscious conflicts and structural dynamics that shape human experience. This comprehensive written course provides a structured introduction to how psychoanalysis conceptualizes psychopathology, symptom formation, and psychic suffering. You will build a solid theoretical foundation by exploring how classic psychoanalytic models interpret clinical disorders and how depth psychology interfaces with modern descriptive diagnostic manuals. What you'll learn: - Understand core psychic structures including neurosis, psychosis, and perversion - Analyze symptom formation, repression, and primary defense mechanisms - Compare structural psychoanalytic diagnosis with modern descriptive frameworks like the DSM-5 - Explore contemporary clinical challenges such as anxiety states, depression, and borderline personality dynamics - Apply principles of psychoanalytic listening and conceptual case formulation through written case studies The course begins with foundational terminology, psychic apparatus models, and defense mechanisms before progressing into structural psychopathology and modern clinical considerations. Designed specifically for beginners, psychology students, and healthcare professionals, no prior clinical or psychoanalytic background is required. Begin reading today to develop a nuanced understanding of psychopathology through the lens of psychoanalysis.