According to Psychoanalytic Counseling, what drives a person's behavior?

In Psychoanalytic Counseling, the primary focus is on the unconscious mind and how it influences thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. This approach posits that many of our psychological processes are rooted in unconscious motives and internal conflicts, which shape an individual's behavior in ways they may not fully understand.

Freud, who pioneered this school of thought, believed that unresolved conflicts from early experiences and innate drives can lead to behavioral patterns that surface in various aspects of a person's life. These unconscious motivations can manifest through dreams, slips of the tongue, or defense mechanisms, indicating that underlying psychological factors, rather than conscious thought processes or external influences, are often at play in determining behavior.

This perspective starkly contrasts with other theories that emphasize conscious decision-making or external societal influences, which do not capture the depth of personal internal dynamics that Psychoanalytic Counseling seeks to address. Thus, understanding the role of unconscious motives is crucial in this therapeutic context, as it aids in uncovering deeper emotional issues that affect a person's behavior.