Leading articles

THE VIENNA PSYCHOANALYST wants to give not only already internationally established psychoanalysts, but also still unknown psychoanalysts the opportunity to post a self-written and not yet published article on the FrontPage of our online magazine!

Our Users then can leave comments, ask questions or discuss the articles in our forum. Our aim is to provide an international platform where for the first time anyone interested in psychoanalysis can exchange ideas on certain topics.
Articles are welcome in German and/ or English.

If you are interested, please send your article to
leadingarticle@theviennapsychoanalyst.at


(For reasons of readability, the male form is used with personal names, however the female form is also always intended.)

In our interview series "in conversation with“, we will briefly present the authors of the leading articles. We want to give our users the opportunity to read the leading article from a different point of view.


This week we are very glad to welcome Sabine Schreckenthaler from Vienna, Austria:

Psychotherapist in training under supervision (psychoanalysis)
Psychotherapy scientists

In private practice at 1010 Vienna and 2412 Wolfsthal
Psychotherapeutic / Psychoanalytic work with children, adolescents, adults and families

Employed at Kinderhilfswerk since 2012
2012 "Bachelor´s degree" (Psychotherapy Sciences at the Sigmund Freud University):
"The importance of psychotherapeutic childrens games from a psychoanalytical and pedagogical point of view"

2015 Magistra degree (Psychotherapy Sciences at the Sigmund Freud University):
"Dreams of preschoolers - A qualitative, in-depth hermeneutical investigation according to a psychoanalytical viewpoints"



DWP: What brought you to psychoanalysis?

Sabine Schreckenthaler: Basically, my studies of psychotherapy sciences. When I first started, I never thought I would become a psychoanalyst. The desire only grew gradually. I can not put into words what exactly brought me to psychoanalysis - but about one thing I am certain: It is and was the right decision.


DWP: If you had the opportunity to talk with Sigmund Freud, what would be the topic?
Are there any specific questions?

Sabine Schreckenthaler: I can think of many, many questions: Nevertheless, I would try to prepare for this talk as little as possible and to rely on the free association. Specifically, I would like to ask what manuscripts Mr. Freud destroyed and has never published.


DWP: Fabric or leather couch?

Sabine Schreckenthaler: Fabric.


DWP: According to Bruno Bettelheim and the importance of fairy tales in childhood. Will you tell us your favorite fairy tale? And do you see parallels to your own adult life?

Sabine Schreckenthaler: As a child fairytales were always very scary for me. Therefore, it is really difficult to answer, which one was my favorite tale. But I remember that I liked Snow White - but not as a film or story. I had a sticker album. But I liked the fairy tale novel "The Wonderful Adventures of Nils"
There are certainly some parallels: even today I like stories and pictures rather than films. That at the moment I can not even replicate the content of Nils Holgersson surely says something ...


DWP: I dream,….

Sabine Schreckenthaler: Colorful and lively. Memories of dreams stay with me for a long time.


DWP: What do you find good or particularly good in psychoanalysis and is there anything you do not like about it?

Sabine Schreckenthaler: I particularly like that psychoanalysis does not operates on al "if-then" principle, but that there are individual solutions and understandings. Thus, the work with patients is always different - no interpretation is like the other. Nevertheless, one moves in a closed thinking system. I especially like the trust in the unconscious mind, by the technique of free association.

What I do not like is the largely outdated and rigid Image of psychoanalysts.


DWP: What challenges did you have to face during your analytic training?

Sabine Schreckenthaler: Above all, I had to defend myself for my age very often. Why someone deals this early with psychoanalysis and psychotherapy, was for many incomprehensible.


DWP: Do you have a favorite Freud - quote?

Sabine Schreckenthaler: “Reality – wish-fulfilment: it is from this contrasting pair that our mental life springs” (Letter of S. Freud to Wilhelm Fliess)


DWP: Are there other psychoanalysts, in addition to Sigmund Freud, who you like to study?

Sabine Schreckenthaler: There are quite a lot, but at the moment I would single out Sabina Spielrein and Melanie Klein.


Thank you very much for this conversation, we are already looking forward to your leading article!



Contact information of the author:
Sabine Schreckenthaler