ABSTRACT
Psychoanalysis pointed the way towards the exploration of emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. Its humanism has fallen into decline as reductionistic models have gained traction. Yet many aspects of the theoretical paradigm and methods of psychoanalysis can be incorporated into mainstream psychological science. Thus, its principal legacies include the importance of unconscious mental processes, the importance of empathy, and the need to understand and validate life histories. These principles are currently threatened by mindless practices in medicine, as well as by faddish approaches in psychotherapy. It will also show how the commonalities among different forms of psychotherapy are mostly superficial, and review the large literature showing that common factors are most significant for outcome. This line of thinking tends to support a program of psychotherapy integration.
