What is Psychoanalysis - An Introduction

Since its discovery, psychoanalysis has been one of the defining influences of the 20th century, with a profound impact on the humanities and social sciences. However, in the public eye it is often equated with the insights of its founder, the Viennese neurologist Sigmund Freud. The further evolution of psychoanalysis, particularly through the works of Joseph Sandler and Melanie Klein, remains far less known to the public.

This introductory text, tailored for the curious layperson, aims to bridge this knowledge gap. It combines elements of psychoanalytic theory with numerous practical treatment and therapy examples.

Author Biography

Alfred Rink, born in 1949, originally studied computer science at the Technical University of Berlin. After several years of industry experience, a one-year research stay at Stanford University, California, and a three-year position as a scientific advisor for the European Commission, Alfred Rink, alongside a physics graduate, founded a company dedicated to developing software for industrial applications.During his forties, Alfred Rink completed his training as a psychoanalyst at a training and further education institute of the German Psychoanalytical Association (DPV).He is a member of the German Psychoanalytical Association, the International Psychoanalytical Association and the German Association for Psychoanalysis, Psychotherapy, Psychosomatic and Depth Psychology.He was active in his own psychoanalytic practice and served as a lecturer at a training and further education institute of the DPV.