The Conscious, Preconscious and Unconscious Mind. Freud’s Topographical Model

Sigmund Freud believed the human mind has three parts, the conscious, pre-conscious and unconscious. This is called the Topograpical model. Freud used the analogy of an iceberg to describe this model. If you see a picture of an iceberg you will notice only a fraction rises above the surface of the ocean and most of the iceberg remains hidden under the surface. The tip of the iceberg depicts the conscious mind. The conscious mind consists of all the mental process and sensations of which you are aware. For example, you notice you feel hungry and decide to get make some food or your feel cold and decide to put a jacket on. The conscious mind also takes control over all logical and intellectual thought processes, its all that we are aware of at any given time.
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🔵 CHAPTERS
0:00 Conscious Mind
1:13 Preconscious Mind
1:49 Unconscious Mind
2:10 Repression And The Unconscious
The preconscious is just below the level of consciousness. This includes things you don't instantly know but you can access by association. For example, the smell of freshly baked bread brings back a memory of baking with your grandmother when you were five years old or listening to a specific song evokes memories of your first holiday abroad. The preconscious is like a mental waiting room in which memories, thoughts or feelings remain until they move into conscious awareness.
The unconscious mind is depicted by the base of the iceberg. The unconscious mind includes mental processes that are inaccessible or hidden, this might include traumatic events or desires that are too frightening to acknowledge. Most of what goes on in the mind is unconscious but can still impact your behaviour. Like an iceberg, the most important part of the mind is the part you cannot see.
Much of what is in the unconscious mind got there via the process of repression. Repression describes the mechanism whereby you push unpleasant or unacceptable feelings, memories or urges into your unconscious mind. For example, Anna was abused by a parent when she was 3 years old. She has no memory of the abuse but struggles forming relationships with others. Simon who was attacked by a stray dog when he was 5, he doesn’t remember the incident but has an intense phobia of dogs. Although both Anna and Simon repressed traumatic childhood events, the symptoms they experience as adults is an expression of their traumas. Repression is a defence mechanism. A defence mechanism is a behaviour used to separate yourself from unpleasant events, actions, or thoughts.
According to Freud much of what happened to you as a child is still present in your unconscious mind and is therefore capable of exerting great influence over you as an adult. Since most people are incapable of recalling the details of their childhood, the focus of psychoanalysis is to look more closely at the past with the view of uncovering significant and meaningful memories. The idea here is that by understanding the connections between past and present a new perspective can be achieved.
🔵 ABOUT TERESA LEWIS
Teresa Lewis is the founder and Director of Lewis Psychology and a Senior Accredited psychotherapist with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (MBACP Snr. Accred). Qualified in 1995, Teresa has been providing counselling and psychotherapy treatment for nearly 30 years. Teresa holds a masters degree in counselling and psychotherapy and is a qualified EMDR Practitioner having completed training accredited with EMDR Europe. Teresa is also a qualified adult educator and an accredited Mindfulness teacher As a recognised expert in her field Teresa is frequently asked to conduct editorial reviews and endorse counselling and psychotherapy books for international publishing houses.
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🔵 GRAPHICS AND THUMBNAIL
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#LewisPsychology

[@GodHelpMe369]

Traits that predict and cause illness: 1. Automatic concern for other people's (emotional) needs above your own 2. A rigid identification with duty, role, and responsibility 3. Repressed (and/or suppressed) emotions 4. (Self-limiting) beliefs: 5. Responsibility for other people's emotions 6. "I must NEVER disappoint ANYONE..." So, When there’s a disagreement, when I need to say YES or when I need to say NO, when I need to state my needs, and ask for them to be met... When I need to create boundaries... There's a possibility and a probability, that someone will inevitably, most likely, be disappointed in me... So I engage in every encounter, interaction, and relationship... In a way that ensures, that the person disappointed in me... NEVER ends up being me! I aim to never repress, never suppress. I aim to never lose parts of myself. Radical honesty only: 100% of the time. Always, all ways. I NO LONGER HAVE MY VOICE SILENCED. I ROAR!!! ‼‼‼‼‼‼‼‼

[@LewisPsychology]

I love this. Thanks for sharing. Best wishes, Teresa.

[@healforreal9566]

I love the iceberg analogy. It's a very clear explanation of the model. 😊

[@LewisPsychology]

Thanks for your support. Best wishes, Teresa.

[@abdurrafay8381]

Great work

[@stevebatty7733]

When I was around I was bitten in the face by a black lab while in our front yard. My father came running when he heard my screams. I only know of the event because my father related the event to me many years later. There used to be a few small scares along my hair line and have long since disappeared. I can never remember having a fear of dogs. I attribute this to how my father reacted to the event as he examined my face. My father was a small town MD and a had a very calming nature with me and his patients. He frequently told me Steve, don’t let fear control your life. Except for my college years and two years in the USAF I have always had a dog in my life. Sometimes more than one. Thanks Dad for being there for me.

[@LewisPsychology]

Your father’s calm reassurance certainly made all the difference here. Thanks for sharing your story. Best wishes, Teresa.

[@GodHelpMe369]

how do I heal? how do I swim through the oceans of grief? how to release the rage? why must I suffer? and how do I stop suffering?

[@adrianmiles7678]

Have the courage to choose to face what’s in ur subconscious, no matter what it is and find a therapist who does EMDR. I’m 4 years in to the hard slog but can only say this about it. It’s the most meaningful journey you will ever take in life!

[@perusewithme]

you teach better than my psychology teacher😭. Loved it fr!!😭💖

[@LewisPsychology]

Thank you so much. Best wishes, Teresa.

[@harastefanou4940]

I enjoyed the shift from the iceberg image to that of the puzzle because it aligns with Lacan’s idea that the three topographies are actually one the same surface level and it’s a matter of connecting them.

[@LewisPsychology]

Glad you like it. Best wishes, Teresa.

[@malakdarraj4943]

The way you talk is so soothing 🫶

[@LewisPsychology]

Thank you so much. Best wishes, Teresa.

[@lienrich2507]

Thank you for this insightful video! :)))

[@LewisPsychology]

That's great to hear, thank you. Best wishes, Teresa.

[@denaceabeo2021]

📌thanks for this video!💓 helped me a lot🌟

[@LewisPsychology]

Thanks Denace. Best wishes, Teresa.

[@user-zx3yt1oz2v]

Thanks ❤

[@martinnogales2259]

I'm very happy to find your channel , the topic are amazing , plus your british accet are marvelous , You have a new suscriptor , and thanks for your effort and confidence

[@LewisPsychology]

Thank you so much for your kind words of support. Best wishes, Teresa.

[@RainnaSpencer]

Very helpful

[@krishnendu008]

Thank you for such a wonderful and simple explanation..A really helpful vdo..

[@LewisPsychology]

Thank you for your support. Best wishes, Teresa.

[@liontigercatviji]

Very clear explanation.

[@LewisPsychology]

Thank you. Best wishes, Teresa.

[@musaarif3126]

Thank you for your effective explanation

[@LewisPsychology]

Thank you for your kind feedback. Best wishes, Teresa.

[@jamieestavez7752]

Thanks for the short yet detailed video. I have an exam on Tuesday and am trying to simplify my revision and this has helped. 😊

[@LewisPsychology]

Best of luck! Best wishes, Teresa.

[@myrahouse2368]

Thankyou.

[@sultanalblooshi8912]

you helped me so much thank you :)

[@LewisPsychology]

That’s great to hear. Best wishes, Teresa.

[@mayasnew2085]

❤ Great thanks

[@alyaaqilla7108]

Hi Lewis I do really love your explanation! it helps me a lot in completing my thesis. If you don't mind, could you help me by mention some books you use to explain this video? Thank you in advance!

[@LewisPsychology]

I’m pleased to hear my video has been helpful. I think any book about Freuds work would be helpful. I can’t recommend one book. Best wishes, Teresa.

[@waynezahra9213]

This woman’s explanation is spot on. She has a great way of explaining. Have you seen other KZbins videos trying to explain? They actually like the sound of their own voices and forget what their purpose is. -True story.

[@LewisPsychology]

Thank you for your support. Best wishes, Teresa.

[@waynezahra9213]

@@LewisPsychology Good morning Teresa. Have a great day. The power of our mind creates our world right? 🙏❤️

[@YutiyaH.]

Thank you for the great insights and explanation. I found it very useful.

[@LewisPsychology]

That’s great to hear. Best wishes, Teresa.

[@emekdenizdemirci]

Thanks for a Great video

[@LewisPsychology]

Thank you for your kind comment. Best wishes, Teresa.

[@adrianmiles7678]

The preconscious is just the easier stuff to access as it’s not as traumatised as the fully repressed stuff.

[@dogstick12]

My take away is grouping things in three gives you the ability to access things in your conscious.

[@3SIDEGOOF]

Is it possible to not have any repressed memories ? What if i have experiences trauma or something unpleasant but I can remember it all ?

[@LewisPsychology]

Yes, not all memories are repressed. You can remember unpleasant experiences too. Best wishes, Teresa.

[@mayasnew2085]

❤

[@cronesgaming7912]

Can we access represed memory

[@LewisPsychology]

It is not available to us, it is repressed. Best wishes, Teresa.

[@asamnbelay3352]

How deep our 🧠 is 🤔

[@abdurrafay8381]

👍

[@asamnbelay3352]

Is there anyway to delete our unconscious memory?

[@LewisPsychology]

No. Best wishes. Teresa.

[@oopswrongplanet7309]

You can change the contents of your subconscious mind. You can’t delete it but you can edit or alter it. There are several ways to do this and numerous videos you can explore on this topic, especially from Joe Dispenza, and Bruce Lipton.

[@jeddklampitt9749]

The conscious mind has no memories. All memories and life experiences are inside the unconscious mind. In Transactional Analysis, there are three ego states. They are the Child Ego state, the Parent Ego state, and the Adult Ego state.

[@LewisPsychology]

I have many videos on TA. Take a look at my TA playlist. Best wishes, Teresa.

[@jeddklampitt9749]

I have many books that I read on TA so I am well informed about the subject.

[@putripurnamasari-zk6kx]

@@jeddklampitt9749hello can you recommend me about the books? Sorry i am not fluent at english. Thank you

[@jeddklampitt9749]

@@putripurnamasari-zk6kx I recommend Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman, The Road Less Travelled by M. Scott Peck, I'm OK - You"re OK by Thomas Harris, Transactional Analysis by Eric Berne, The Mind Diet by Maggie Moon, and The Six Pillars Of Self Esteem by Nathaniel Branden.