Final answer:
Before Sigmund Freud developed psychoanalytic therapy, the 'talking cure' was the primary form of therapy and it did not include the use of medication. Freud's theory emphasized the importance of the unconscious mind and childhood experiences in understanding and treating psychological disorders.
Step-by-step explanation:
The common components of psychotherapy used prior to the development of psychoanalytic therapy by Sigmund Freud did not include medication. Prior to the advent of Freud's psychoanalytic theory, therapy primarily consisted of the “talking cure,” which involved the therapist and the patient discussing memories, dreams, and events to uncover suppressed ideas causing their symptoms.
Freud's method, psychoanalysis, was built on this foundation, focusing on the role of a person's unconscious mind as well as early childhood experiences. Unlike previous therapeutic approaches, Freud's theory suggested that accessing the unconscious through methods like free association, dream analysis, and analysis of slips of speech was essential for resolving psychological disorders. This was a verbal and inferential process and did not involve medical interventions such as medication, which became more common in therapy after Freud's time.