The tripod of psychoanalysis: what does it mean?

George Alvarez 17-05-2023
George Alvarez

O Tripod of Psychoanalysis In this article, we will deal with the needs of how to be a psychoanalyst, how to graduate in psychoanalysis, and which course in psychoanalysis a professional should take.

The tripod has its foundation in the origin of Psychoanalysis, at the turn of the 19th to the 20th century, an area of knowledge derived from the studies of Sigmund Freud, Neurologist and Psychiatrist, the father of Psychoanalysis.

His detachment, interest, and commitment offered humanity the opportunity to learn about unconscious mental processes and the understanding of physical and emotional conflicts and symptoms through investigative techniques via speech and listening.

You will see that the psychoanalytic tripod determines what a person needs to study in order to become a psychoanalyst. As a rule, the great psychoanalysts and training institutes around the world agree on this tripod:

  • Theory : to learn the technical content and essential concepts of each author's work (knowledge).
  • Analysis The psychoanalyst needs to continue to be analyzed by another professional during the time he/she wants to act as a psychoanalyst (self-knowledge).
  • Supervision : follow the guidelines and case studies with the help of a more experienced psychoanalyst (follow-up).

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What is the Tripod of Psychoanalysis

In the process of training an analyst, it is necessary to consider and respect the Tripod of Psychoanalysis which is: the Study of Theory, Personal Analysis and Supervision.

As part of the tripod of psychoanalysis, there are the theories that are responsible for guiding the Psychoanalyst.

Through the study of research methods, psychoanalytical concepts, illnesses, and their symptoms, the tripod of Psychoanalysis will carry out a work guided and supported by the historical framework of the area.

The study of theory, guided by the eyes of various authors, sheds more light on what was started by Freud, thus allowing the psychoanalyst to improve his work.

Being open to hearing other voices and keeping up to date through constant study allows the professional to integrate listening, increase his repertoire, and deliver quality work that is transparent and honest.

Part One of the Tripod of Psychoanalysis: Theory

To understand the tripod of psychoanalysis It is necessary to understand fundamental concepts, such as: free association; First topic (unconscious, pre-conscious, conscious); Second topic (id, ego and supergender); libido; oral, anal and phallic phases; latency and genital period that are all found in the first learning phase, characterized as theory.

Other important terms for the understanding of psychoanalysis are: transference; countertransference; insight; acting out; acting in; Oedipus and Electra complexes; dreams; displacement; projection; projective identification; narcissism; drives; hysteria; primary repression.

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In addition, you need understand the depressive position; schizo-paranoid position; schizophrenia; fantasy; object; object relationship; holding; transitional object; parental couple; analytic third party; réverie, baluart, enactment, among others.

Part Two of the Tripod of Psychoanalysis: Personal Analysis

Without personal analysis there is no Psychoanalyst. personal analysis is a very important tripod of Psychoanalysis during the formation process and also afterwards, because Psychoanalysis itself is a long journey that may or may not have an end.

As you go through your labyrinths within this tripod of Psychoanalysis and get in touch with yourself, you will then have the possibility to understand what belongs to the other and what belongs to you.

The work with the analyzed

During the work with the analyzed, the awareness of the facts, the distinction of feelings, the symptoms generated, the mechanisms of psychic nature may be understood and elaborated pro of the duo.

This idea may avoid personal assumptions and contamination of the work.

It is also important to consider that the patient brings his repertoire and, together with his analyst, forms a duo.

The Importance of the Patient and Analyst Duo

Every feeling, every color, every sound emitted inside the analysis room must be observed and interpreted. These events only happen with the duo in question, because it tells a story that can only be constructed by this duo.

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When a patient leaves psychoanalytic setting It is as if a "bubble" bursts; the situations that occur with the other duo that enters in the sequence (analyst and new patient), appear in a totally different way.

I want information to enroll in the Psychoanalysis Course .

The focus of personal analysis within the Tripod of Psychoanalysis

This is why it is necessary for the analyst to be aware of himself; to be able to be attentive to these events, attentive to what happens to the other and to himself. This is only possible if the analyst has passed and passes through the filter of personal analysis and supervision.

Part Three of the Tripod of Psychoanalysis: Supervision

The third part of the tripod of Psychoanalysis is a mandatory requirement for the training of an analyst.

It is a process of analysis of the attendances guided by another psychoanalyst with a greater theoretical and practical repertoire than the supervisee.

The listening and the voice of the supervisor clarify what the supervisee alone could not visualize. Supervision sessions can be done individually or in groups.

The choice of a supervisory professional

The choice of the professional for the supervision is personal and occurs according to the identification it has with the supervisor's trajectory.

The work is focused on understanding and handling the cases, and personal issues of the analyst in relation to his patient appear.

The analyst is encouraged by the supervisor to look to his analysis to understand, elaborate or rework the material that signals the wire tapping .

Recommendations for choosing a supervisor

O supervisor may indicate the analyst to read and reread texts, study new theorists, articles, suggest seminars, all with the intention of strengthening the theoretical base to sustain the sessions.

It is important when choosing the professional for the supervisions to do interviews, to go to lectures given by him/her, to understand what approach he/she works with, and then start the meetings.

The experience of the reviewer / supervisor

Even so, the encounter can often be painful, since questions superegoic and narcissistic may appear throughout the supervisions, which does not contribute to the process, on the contrary, it makes the work unfeasible and intimidates the young analyst.

The supervisor is a colleague with more theoretical and practical background, and is therefore in a better position to understand and accept the issues brought up.

Conclusion: the importance of the Tripod of Psychoanalysis

Being able to guide without oppressing will contribute to the fact that the material brought during the supervision hours will not be masked, for fear of criticism and attacks.

Then a Complete Training in Psychoanalysis (get to know our On-Line Training Course) will be completed with quality and truth, thus contributing so that everyone who needs it can use it.

In this way, the tripod of psychoanalysis is the backbone of psychoanalysis. Without this tripod, the professional practice of analysis becomes unfeasible.

Author: Darlene Ferragut.

George Alvarez

George Alvarez is a renowned psychoanalyst who has been practicing for over 20 years and is highly regarded in the field. He is a sought-after speaker and has conducted numerous workshops and training programs on psychoanalysis for professionals in the mental health industry. George is also an accomplished writer and has authored several books on psychoanalysis that have received critical acclaim. George Alvarez is dedicated to sharing his knowledge and expertise with others and has created a popular blog on Online Training Course in Psychoanalysis that is widely followed by mental health professionals and students around the world. His blog provides a comprehensive training course that covers all aspects of psychoanalysis, from theory to practical applications. George is passionate about helping others and is committed to making a positive difference in the lives of his clients and students.