Psychoanalysis: Dream and Helen

Psychoanalysis helps the client to uncover and resolve unconscious conflicts and to strengthen the ego by redirecting energy to conscious processes. What methods does Dr. Donavan use to achieve this goal? How effective is it with Helen?
In reviewing the case study of Helen and watching the therapy session online it became apparent that Helen was still struggling with feelings of the “benign neglect” she experienced as a child. Murdock (2009) in quoting Sigmund Freud “maintained that the forces of which we are unaware (the unconscious) are the most powerful sources of behavior” (p. 34). Dr. Donavan was successful in using the technique of “Dream Analysis” to help Helen bridge the gap between her unconscious (dream) and her conscious feelings of neglect from her husband. Dr. Donavan helped Helen to realize that in her dream where she is floating alone in a river going pass her husband and kids without any of them noticing her (she did later recall that her son looked up and saw her), is much like her feeling of being taken for granted by her husband in her everyday life. Helen reportedly carries out her duties as wife and mother with little help or gratitude from her husband. Dr. Donovan also made an association with Helen’s unconscious feelings of needing to be seen and recused with the chance meeting of a former professor. Helen in a session with Dr. Donovan discussed the fact that days prior to this dream she ran into a former professor who knew her in graduate school and was aware of her gift of writing (he sees her). The professor who is now divorced invited Helen for drinks which aroused her interest (thought process). Dr. Donovan associated that thought process with Helen dreaming that while she was floating down the river this professor had his hand out trying to recuse her. Dr. Donovan tried to strengthen the ego by redirecting Helen’s conscious process suggesting that Helen try to remember what if felt like when she was noticed for her