The Psychoanalytic Consortium is a network of psychoanalytic groups founded with the aim of keeping the spirit of psychoanalysis alive in a culture which tends to favour quick fix solutions and a simplistic conception of our inner lives. Psychoanalysis sees human beings as complex and contradictory and the task of psychoanalytic therapy is to slowly unravel our histories to see how they have contributed to our present difficulties.

Psychoanalysis in the 21st century is not always what people expect. Since its early days in Vienna, it has developed into a flourishing and highly diverse set of practices. The number of sessions varies for each individual and fees are agreed to suit the budget of the particular person who seeks help. There are many different approaches to psychoanalytic therapy and details of these can be found on the websites of the member organisations

of the Consortium. What they have in common is an attentive and unhurried approach where listening to what the patient says is what is most important.

Analytic work is not easy. Psychoanalysis recognises that there are powerful resistances that stop us from engaging with many aspects of our lives. Thoughts and phantasies may be split off from consciousness, yet continue to have powerful effects on us. This is one of the reasons why psychoanalytic therapy is a long and challenging process. But in contrast to many of the cosmetic treatments available today, psychoanalytic therapy can allow us access to our deep rooted problems and gain insights into how we have come to be who we are.

Many short-term treatments today promise relief from symptoms such as depression and anxiety. Psychoanalysis, on the