What Is Psychoanalysis? A Plain-Language Guide for People Considering Depth Therapy
At its heart, psychoanalysis is a conversation between two people. But it is also a way of thinking—a process that helps us become more curious about ourselves and more open to aspects of our experience that we might otherwise avoid, dismiss, project onto others, or act out.
The goal is not endless self-examination. It is to strengthen our capacity to understand ourselves, our relationships, and the patterns that shape our lives.
Psychoanalysis Is a Way of Thinking
Psychoanalysis isn't a technique reserved for a particular kind of person. Psychoanalysis is a way of helping people.
We all have thoughts, feelings, wishes, fears, and conflicts that are difficult to recognize. Sometimes we repress painful feelings. Sometimes we project them onto others. Sometimes we repeat patterns without understanding why. We may find ourselves making the same choices, getting stuck in the same kinds of relationships, or reacting in ways that surprise us.
Psychoanalysis is based on the idea that much of what influences us lies outside our awareness. By becoming curious about these hidden aspects of ourselves, we gain greater freedom and more choices in how we live. Psychoanalysis represents a type of mindset toward ourselves and the world.
It's an Ordinary Conversation—And It Isn't
At first glance, psychoanalysis can seem surprisingly ordinary. Two people sit together and talk. You might speak about your work, your relationships, something that happened that day, a dream, or a feeling you can't quite make sense of. You might talk about how you’re feeling being in the room with me.
But the conversation is also unlike any other you are likely to have.
In everyday life, conversations are full of demands and expectations. We try to explain ourselves, reassure others, avoid conflict, or present ourselves in a certain way. Other people have their own needs and agendas. There is rarely enough space to slow down and become curious about our own minds.
Psychoanalysis creates a different kind of conversation.
It is a place where thoughts, feelings, fantasies, and reactions that might ordinarily be ignored, acted out, projected onto others, or pushed out of awareness can gradually become available for reflection.
Your analyst does not simply listen. They share observations and interpretations—ideas about patterns, conflicts, and meanings that may not yet be fully visible to you. Sometimes these interpretations resonate immediately. Sometimes they don't. Over time, however, the repeated experience of thinking together begins to cultivate something deeper.
Little by little, you begin to develop a different stance toward yourself. Instead of simply reacting, avoiding, or repeating familiar patterns, you become more interested in understanding them. You begin to ask yourself questions. Why did I react so strongly? Why does this relationship feel familiar? What feeling am I trying not to experience?
Over time, certain patterns begin to emerge.
You may notice themes that repeat across relationships, work, family, or different periods of your life. Incrementally, you begin to recognize not only these patterns, but also the conflicts, fears, wishes, and experiences that give rise to them. Understanding these patterns—and the underlying reasons for them—can help you understand yourself more deeply and live in a way that feels more authentic and aligned with who you are.
In this sense, psychoanalysis is about learning, through the repeated practice of these conversations, to adopt a more curious and reflective relationship to your own mind. Over time, the process of thinking together becomes something you carry within yourself.
How Does Change Happen?
Insight never arrives all at once. It develops gradually through the experience of returning to sessions.
Just as learning a language requires practice, developing self-understanding is something that grows through repeated conversations. Through the process of speaking freely and having another person share what they think, you gradually become better able to think about yourself. You start noticing things that once escaped your awareness. You become more capable of tolerating difficult feelings rather than immediately pushing them away. You begin to wonder about yourself rather than judge yourself.
Eventually, the conversation that once happened between you and your analyst becomes a way of thinking that you carry within yourself. You become more able to reflect before reacting, to understand rather than simply repeat, and to approach yourself with greater curiosity and compassion.
The goal is not to become perfectly self-aware. Human beings are endlessly complex. Rather, the goal is to strengthen your capacity to think about yourself instead of simply reacting, repeating, or remaining puzzled by your own behavior.
Is Psychoanalysis About Blaming Parents?
No.
Our early experiences matter because they shape how we come to understand ourselves and others. But psychoanalysis is not about assigning blame. It is about understanding.
Looking at the past isn't done to stay there. It is done because our histories continue to live inside us, often in ways we don't recognize. By understanding how earlier experiences have shaped us, we become freer to live differently in the present.
Who Is Psychoanalysis For?
Psychoanalysis can help people struggling with anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, perfectionism, self-criticism, loneliness, or major life transitions. It can also be valuable for people who are functioning well but feel that they keep encountering the same problems or have a sense that there is more to understand about themselves.
You don't need to be in crisis to benefit from depth therapy. Many people seek psychoanalysis because they want something more than symptom relief. They want to understand themselves more deeply, understand why they feel and relate as they do, and live with greater freedom and authenticity.
The Goal Is Greater Self-Understanding
Perhaps the simplest way to describe psychoanalysis is this:
It is a process that helps you become more open to parts of yourself that would otherwise remain hidden.
Through the repeated experience of thinking with another person, you gradually develop a greater capacity to think about your own mind. You become better able to recognize your feelings, understand your reactions, and make sense of patterns that once seemed confusing or inevitable.
Psychoanalysis doesn't promise a life free of conflict or suffering. But it can help you live with more freedom, more choice, and less mystery about why you think, feel, and relate in the ways that you do. Knowing yourself better is key to good mental health.
Ultimately, psychoanalysis is both very ordinary and very unusual. It is a conversation—but one that most people only encounter in analysis.
Start Psychoanalysis in Washington, DC
If you've ever found yourself repeating the same patterns, reacting in ways that surprise you, or sensing that there is something more to understand about yourself, you may be ready for a different kind of conversation. Psychoanalysis isn't about finding quick answers or fixing symptoms. It's about developing a deeper, freer relationship with your own mind — one that gradually changes how you live, relate, and understand yourself. You can start working with Nina Van Sant, LICSW, by following these simple steps:
Meet with a caring psychoanalyst
Start exploring what lies beneath the surface!
Other Services Offered with Nina Van Sant, LICSW
In addition to psychoanalysis, I provide a variety of services to support people navigating a wide range of emotional challenges and life transitions. Other services offered include infertility-related stress, postpartum therapy, and therapy for teens and older adults at different developmental stages. I also work with expats and international professionals who are managing cultural adjustment, relocation stress, and the emotional weight of significant life changes.