Psycho-dynamic - Psychoanalysis as a theraphy

Freud developed psychoanalysis as a theraphy which is used on a variety of pateints. It has also helped to develop other therpies such as CBT.

It helps contribute to society as it helps treat those with mental illness by creating a healthier. This will help contribute to society as it will help create a more economically-productive soceity. 

Strengths 

• In depth theraphy as takes time to explore the individual entirely e.g. background, concerns of the patient and taking a holistic view 
•  Quite successful theraphy as has helped treat numerous people with mental health problems and help clinically sound people function over a period of time. 
• Fonagy sugggests that freud approach to understanding the individual is more scientific as looking at a patient with an objective and reductionist approach is not a valid treatment 

Weaknesses 

• concepts such as dream analysis/symbol analysis are extremely subjective.This makes freuds methods unmeasurable, therefore if the same patient vistited two different therapists their conclusions may be different 
• Masson suggests that to the e
• xtent to this could be a contribution to society is questionable this is because it could cause a problem due to the power the therapist has.    It is expensive and time consuming and may not always be effective.