The psychoanalyst doesn't prescribe any drugs and does not give advice, opinions, suggestions, solutions to his patient's problems. The work is centered on the interpretation of the transference, which is the kind of emotional relation the patient establishes with his analyst. The analytical process aims at developing the analysand's awareness and working-through of his inner conflicts so that he becomes increasingly more capable of managing his emotional and private life.

At a training institute, which is monitored by an international association (IPA), a psychoanalyst, usually previously graduated as a psychologist or psychiatrist, has to go through a learning and training process that may last from 5 to 10 years and must complete:
- a deep personal analysis;
- a theoretical course given by other analysts;
- a clinical training under the supervision of a senior analyst.

According to the International Psychoanalytical Association (IPA), regardless of the kind of psychopathology, an analysand should have 4 sessions a week.

By lying on the couch, undistracted by the analyst's visible presence, the analysand has a unique emotional experience, concentrating on his inner mental processes in a much deeper fashion.

The psychic pain, due to long lasting internal conflicts, will be gradually overcome as a structural change is brought about, through a rather long laborious working-through of crucial emotional experiences, which will provide a higher degree of internal cohesion in the analysand's mental life.

It can be said that the analytical process is successful when the analysand reaches a stage of emotional development, in which he is willing to fully experience and be responsible for his feelings, instead of relying upon defense mechanisms to avoid awareness of his emotional life.