psychoanalyst

American  

[sahy-koh-an-l-ist] / ˌsaɪ koʊˈæn l ɪst /

noun

1. a person trained to practice psychoanalysis.

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Etymology

Origin of psychoanalyst

First recorded in 1910–15; psycho- + analyst

Explanation

A psychoanalyst is a mental health professional who works with clients over a long period of time to get at the root causes of their emotional and mental problems. Ever since Sigmund Freud first developed his theories of psychoanalysis in the 1890s, its practitioners, known as psychoanalysts, have helped people explore the origins of their mental states. Unlike other kinds of therapists, psychoanalysts tend to focus on dreams and childhood memories and traumas, and they use techniques meant to tap into a client's subconscious. A psychoanalyst is often called an analyst for short.

Example Sentences

Psychoanalyst Carl Jung wrote in 1927 that Liverpool, a city he had only ever dreamt of, was the "Pool of Life".

From BBC • Jul. 9, 2022

British Psychoanalyst and author Sally Weintrobe argues that "Exceptionalism" is largely responsible for the climate crisis.

From Salon • Jan. 8, 2022

Psychoanalyst Hendin agrees: "When I grew up, there was a greed for material things; now it's a very egocentric greed for experience."

From Time Magazine Archive

Psychoanalyst Erik Erikson invented the term "generativity" to describe the necessary transmission of life experiences from elder to younger generations.

From Time Magazine Archive

"It's the fear of being attacked," says Manhattan Psychoanalyst Walter Stewart, "the fear that you will be treated as contemptuously as you would like to treat everyone else."

From Time Magazine Archive

Related Words

• psychotherapist
• therapist