Anna Freud

Anna Freud was born on 3 December 1985 in Vienna. She is one of the greatest contributors to psychoanalysis at its beginning stage. Anna Freud was the daughter of Sigmund Freud who is considered to have innovated psychoanalysis.

Before we talk about Anna Freud’s works and publications we need to understand what psychoanalysis is. 

Psychoanalysis is used to help the person recall experiences, ideas and feelings he had in childhood and that are now forgotten and imprisoned in the unconscious. That which may be forgotten is gradually revealed in three major ways. They are: 

• Understanding dreams.
• Understanding the past to understand behaviors in the present.
• Free association, which is uncovering, refeeling, rethinking the past and saying whatever comes to mind. Without second thought.

The work done by Anna Freud in the nature of ego is critically acclaimed. Anna Freud is said to have been the closest member of the family to her father. The pressures that Anna had to bear were hard because she never formed a real attachment with her mother. Anna Freud is said to have been fiercely competitive not only with her siblings but also with herself. 

Anna Freud’s first article was centered on herself but that did not make it any less scientific. She understood her own mental processes and catalogued, presented it beautifully. Her contributions in the field of child psychoanalysis is widely recognized, she wrote almost all her work relating to herself or her father. Anna Freud is said to be someone who worked her whole life to make sure the legacy of her father lived on. 

Anna Freud’s observations and work were something more of candid observations of self to bring about better awareness of the environment. Anna Freud was considered to be the shadow of a great man, Sigmund Freud but in reality she was someone who had much greater insight and truth at heart than any other. After her father’s death she wrote her best psychoanalytic papers. It talks about loyalty to the dead and ways to recuperate from loss. 

Questions

• Is her work strictly for psychologists and psychoanalysts?
• What was Anna Freud’s driving force?