Final answer:
The 'one person therapist' in traditional psychoanalysis, as developed by Sigmund Freud, actively engages in interpreting a patient's unconscious mind to address psychological distress. Freudian therapy focuses on dream analysis and free association as tools for treatment. While the field has evolved, with figures like Karen Horney and Carl Rogers contributing new insights, the historical significance of Freud's approach continues to influence psychotherapeutic practices.
Step-by-step explanation:
The view of the 'one person therapist' in traditional psychoanalysis, largely developed by Sigmund Freud, centers on the therapist as an active and interpretative agent. In traditional psychoanalysis, the therapist's role is to analyze dreams, slips of the tongue, and engage in free association to access the patient's unconscious mind. Freud saw the unconscious as a repository of repressed desires and traumatic experiences which influence conscious behavior. The aim was to bring these unconscious elements to conscious awareness, allowing the patient to deal with them rationally and thereby alleviate psychological distress.
Karen Horney, a prominent psychoanalyst who initially followed Freudian teachings, eventually deviated from Freud, emphasizing self-realization over the exploration of childhood experiences. The historical significance of Freudian psychoanalysis set the tone for emerging psychotherapeutic practices, despite later adoption of different theoretical frameworks like behaviorism, cognitive therapy, and client-centered therapy spearheaded by Rogers. While Freud's methods have been contested and evolved over time, the importance of the unconscious and early experiences remains a cornerstone in understanding personality and treating psychological disturbances.