ABSTRACT
The work of Sigmund Freud has undoubtedly had more impact on psychology, philosophy, medicine and the arts than that of any other writer on psychological matters. Freud's innovative proposal that the mind can be compared to an iceberg, with the great bulk of it below the surface, is very much the cornerstone of this theory and of those of most of the analysts who came after him. One of the most important conflicts in his whole developmental history takes place as the child is passing through this particular phase. Termination of therapy is considered when the patient's ego, strengthened as a result of the 'therapeutic alliance', has worked through the various unconscious feelings and attitudes, and has finally overcome the various defensive strategies it was employing. One of the frequently voiced criticisms of Freud from within psychoanalysis is that he overstated the role of sex in the formation of disorders of the personality.
