Working Through

In psychoanalytic psychotherapy, a process in which, after clients become aware of an unconscious conflict causing psychological abnormality, they begin to apply this insight throughout their lives; by, for example, looking at how the conflict developed, how it has been expressing itself in maladaptive ways across various situation, and how to begin responding in more adaptive ways in these situations. The period of "working through" is intended to help clients learn to develop control over and regulate the influence of their intrapsychic conflicts.