The Psychoanalytic Method Development At The Begining Of Psychanalysis Study (1887- 1896)

Abstract

The analysis of the texts referring to the period from 1887 to 1896 shows that the psychoanalytic method was developed gradually on Freud’s clinic experiences. The method initially used by him, the Breuer’s Cathartic Method, based on hypnosis was gradually modified through daring interventions and attempts until it developed the free association method. Working with the cathartic method, Freud faced a few problems: first, not all his patients were able to be hypnotized, and due to the impossibility of cure, since the Cathartic method deals only with the symptoms and not with the neurosis’ etiology. After forsaking hypnosis, he starts to use the pressure technique, which consisted on pressing the patients’ forehead in order to rescue the lost memories. That technique simulated the hypnotic state, and at that moment of Freudian theorization was observed as a conscience expansion. Thus, the development of the psychoanalytic method started from the cathartic method’s modification, going through pressing and concentration’s techniques, until discovering the free association.