While psychoanalysis began as a tool for relieving emotional suffering, it is also a method for learning about the mind as well as a theory of human development. Many do not realize the significant contribution that psychoanalysis has made to our everyday thinking. Psychoanalysis provides insight into a wide range of human activity, both in psychotherapy and in the world at large. In doing so, psychoanalysis continues to have a profound impact on many aspects of contemporary culture. A psychoanalyst can help people:
Adapted from "About Psychoanalysis," American Psychoanalytic Association 2004 (APsaA)