When the psychiatrist R. D. Laing, associated with the anti-psychiatry movement in the 1970s, wrote 'The Divided Self', its unifying theme was that of existential insecurity - a sense of being out of touch with ourselves and with the world in which we live.
One of the aims of analytical psychotherapy is to bring the more split-off, unconscious elements of the psyche into a more balanced relationship with the conscious elements - to become, in effect, less divided, and more integrated.
Often it is our past experiences that continue to affect us in our present lives. By examining our past lives and looking at way they continue to prevent us from leading more rewarding lives now, we can begin to remove the obstacles in our way.
What is 'the frame'?
Just as the artist brings structure to the scene she is painting by framing it, the idea is that the mind, and the presence, of the therapist, as well as the physical space of the consulting room, provide the containing framework that holds the client safely while she, or he, explores her, or his, inner landscape.
Analytical psychotherapists regard their work with their clients as collaborative. It is an encounter between two individuals, each with their own psychic blueprint, who work together to discover the meaning behind the puzzles that are brought into the consulting room.