Waiting,I'll take your easiest question first. How do you know what kind of therapist you are getting? Ask them.How does pscyoanalysis work? Freud used several methods to get access to a person's unconscious and the traumas of early childhood that were buried there. He used hypnotism, dream analysis, and free association. He used free association the most. In this process, he might have a person free associate words or a particular set of memories at a certain time in child hood. When the therapist noted a person vering away from a subject or changing subjects, the therapist would take this a a sign of some buried trama. The goal of treatment was to break through the unconcsious barrier which would cause an out pouring of memories with a great release of emotion, called catharsis. Freud believed that with catharsis would come a cure. As I am reading the two papers I mentioned, it appears that modern psychoanalysis is far different than the original version that lasted at least 70 years.Regarding Loftis, I read her original article in American Psychologist and found it to be very impressive. I have not read the pros and cons of her ideas since then, so I can not give a fair appraisal of her work. You probably know more about this subject than I do.
Thanks for your continuing interest.
Thanks for your continuing interest.