The second virtue, which superficially seems to be related to Freud’s psychoanalysis, is objectivity. That is, fear precludes objectivity, and Freud was not afraid to examine every aspect of human anatomy and human drives.
However, the virtuous aspect of objectivity was lost when psychoanalysis isolated the parts of human functioning. Seeing the id or the superego as entities acting independently, destroyed the unified whole that a person is. Psychotherapy forgot that a person capable of sitting in the driver’s seat, directing all the parts of his self. A human being has freedom and autonomy.
If the person was a complex of mechanisms, the psychotherapist became the mechanic who knew techniques for repairing the mechanism. (pp. 19-21)
Today psychotherapy is much more eclectic than in the time of Freud, Adler and Frankl. Strict psychoanalysts are few in number. But Frankl’s challenge to Freud reminds us to ask ourselves very important questions: How does your therapist relate to you? How do you relate to your clients, you family or your co-workers? How do you relate to yourself?
Do you see yourself as having impulses and habits that have a mind of their own and are not in your control at all or do you see the different aspects of yourself as pliable and that you have the ability to mold as you wish?