The Institute’s tasks
The Sigmund Freud Institute’s tasks are set by its constitution: it assigns the institute to research the conditions of mental health and creative development as well as the conditions of relational and work ability in the context of social developments and to investigate the theoretical, clinical and methodological foundations of psychoanalysis.
Innovative Research Projects
In its interdisciplinary research projects, the SFI combines clinical psychoanalysis and psychosomatics with cultural analyses as well as basic psychoanalytical research with sociology and social psychology.
Another important task within our research is to achieve applicability to current health and socio-political problems and to propose therapeutic and preventive options for action.
Interdisciplinary and Socially Committed
Our work follows a research tradition that includes many aspects of modern society. For instance, current research projects are dealing with the psychological consequences of digitalisation, but also with psychosocial aspects of migration and flight, as well as with pathologies associated with social change.
One focus consists in the further development and quality assurance of psychoanalytic therapy: nowadays we are a leading centre in this field. We combine basic psychoanalytical research with practical applications, conduct clinical studies and evaluate the documentation of our outpatient clinic.
You can find out more about the individual research focuses and projects at research.
Promoting Young Talents Is a Top Priority
It is a tradition of our institute to implement the current state of the art into teaching and to promote young scientists. Over recent years, a large number of young scientists have participated in our research projects. Several doctoral, post-doctoral and diploma students are supervised at the SFI ‒ a contribution of this institution to the promotion of young scientists.
Link to Goethe University ‒ GRADE ‒ Research Academy for Early Career Researchers
Help and Advice
Providing psychotherapeutic care for the population is an important concern of us. In our outpatient clinic, we treat about 500 patients per year. They receive qualified counselling, diagnoses and indications as well as referral to local therapists who cooperate with us.
Supervision and organisational development are an important part of the Institute’s clinical and scientific work. Thus, the quality of professional action can be improved and assured.
Knowledge for Experts
The special scientific library for psychoanalysis and its applications conduces to the research within SFI projects, university teaching as well as to analytic education and further training. Our library is available not only to institute staff but also to researchers, students, practitioners and those interested in the field of psychoanalysis. Literature searches can be done 24 hours a day via our online catalogue OPAC.
Connected to Frankfurt, Internationally Networked
The SFI is traditionally tied to Frankfurt and at the same time engaged in a vital international exchange. In particular, we work closely with independent institutes in the Main metropolis as well as with Hessian universities. In cooperation with the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt and the University of Kassel, we regularly organise national and international events. In the Rhine-Main area we have been able to establish a network of psychoanalytic and psychotherapeutic treatments. The SFI cooperates nationally and internationally with leading research institutions.
Link to Frankfurter Wissenschaftsrunde
Link to associated institutes of the Goethe University Frankfurt