I agree. I think Freud has gotten a bad rap--some valid, some not deserved.
IMO, I think Freud has made some brilliant insights and important contributions to the field of psychiatry. The three I think are most useful and will probably endure are 1) our development and past experiences influence our current way of interacting in the world and have contributed to our personality 2) we often use "defenses" to guard against unpleasant affective states or to maintain a sense of equilibrium in the face of conflict and 3) we sometimes behave in ways that we are not always aware of (i.e. unconscious of). My biggest problem with Freud has to do with ego psychology and drive theory. I also think the whole "libidinal zone" in regards to development is a little whacky...Maybe a little too much cocaine was ingested, Dr. Freud? 🙄
I also take issue with psychoanalyst that insist that most everything we do or say has an unconscious motive. I wouldn't disagree that some people are not aware of why they behave the way they do and we are sometimes not aware of our motivates. I'd also agree that there are some people who are not as conscious of their motives then others and have not developed the ability of self-reflection necessary to understand their behavior. However, the idea that most everything is unconscious in everyone is a little hard for me to buy. It's no wonder that some analyst are so damn neurotic. If I constantly questioned everything others did or said as having some "hidden" meaning, I'd be pretty neurotic myself!
Overall, I just think that some of the concepts are pushed a little too far and are too one-dimensional.
Keep in mind, that modern psycho-dynamic theory has evolved since Freud, especially with the addition of object relations theory and attachment theory.
