Psychoanalytic psychotherapy with emerging adults between past and future

ABSTRACT

Recent years have seen a growing interest in psychoanalytic and psychodynamic psychotherapy regarding clinical work with young adults. What has been particularly useful in defining the specific nature of clinical work with young adults is the construct of emerging adulthood. This work puts forward a psychoanalytic psychotherapeutic approach aimed at emerging adults, illustrating it through clinical cases. The objective of this approach is to help young adults acquire greater awareness of their resources, inclinations, and relational models, promoting consolidation of the process of subjectification. Therefore, therapy intends to foster the capacity of the patient to process the feelings of instability and indecision typical of emerging adulthood, serving as a secure basis for the exploration and mentalization of identity aspects which are in the shadows or have been colonized by alienating parental introjections. From the perspective of developmental psychoanalysis, the therapist performs an action aimed to promote interrupted or suspended developmental processes in young adults. This action pays attention to the definition of their life choices relating to the present and the capacity to design their future, creating a safe space suitable for fostering the emergence of the potential of the Self and the consequent process of becoming a subject.

KEYWORDS:

• Psychoanalytic psychotherapy
• emerging adults
• developmental needs
• subjectification

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. My emphasis.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Cristina Riva Crugnola

Cristina Riva Crugnola Phd, is an Associate Professor of Dynamic Psychology at Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca and a psychoanalyst in private practice, full member of the International Psychoanalytic Association (IPA) and of the Italian Psychoanalytic Association (SPI). She is also scientific secretary of the Center of Psychoanalysis of Milano of the Italian Psychoanalytic Association (SPI).