psychoanalysis

From international scientific vocabulary, after German Psychoanalyse. By surface analysis, psycho- +‎ analysis.

• Audio (US):

  (file)

English Wikipedia has an article on:

psychoanalysis

Wikipedia

psychoanalysis (countable and uncountable, plural psychoanalyses)

1. A family of theories and methods within the field of psychotherapy that work to find connections among patients' unconscious mental processes.
   • 1920, Sigmund Freud, A General Introduction to Psychoanalysis:

     To be sure, this much I may presume you do know, namely, that psychoanalysis is a method of treating nervous patients medically.

   • 1921, D H Lawrence, “Psychoanalysis vs. Morality”, in Psychoanalysis and the Unconscious, New York, N.Y.: Thomas Seltzer, →OCLC, page 9:

     Psychoanalysis has sprung many surprises on us, performed more than one volte face before our indignant eyes.

   • 1968, Joseph Campbell, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, 2nd edition, London: Fontana Press, published 1993, page 8:

     Psychoanalysis, the modern science of reading dreams, has taught us to take heed of these unsubstantial images. Also it has found a way to let them do their work.

   • 2000 May 28, Peter Wolson, “A World of Psychophobia”, in Los Angeles Times‎, archived from the original on 10 May 2025:

     Because psychophobia is so endemic to human nature, the process of psychoanalysis involves a continual exploration of the patient’s resistance to knowing what is dreaded in the unconscious mind.