The basic aim of psychoanalytic therapy is to:

The basic aim of psychoanalytic therapy is to make the unconscious motives conscious. This therapeutic approach, founded by Sigmund Freud, focuses on exploring the unconscious mind to uncover repressed thoughts, memories, and emotions that influence an individual's current behavior and emotional state. By bringing these unconscious elements to conscious awareness, individuals can gain insight into their psychological conflicts and motivations, enabling them to understand and address the root causes of their issues.

This process involves techniques such as free association, dream interpretation, and analysis of transference, which help clients access deeper layers of their psyche. Understanding these unconscious motives is seen as essential for fostering personal growth and emotional healing.

Other options, while important in different therapeutic contexts, do not align with the primary focus of psychoanalytic therapy. Correcting irrational thinking pertains more to cognitive-behavioral approaches, treating specific learning disorders focuses on educational interventions, and changing overt behavior is typically associated with behavioral therapy. In contrast, the unique contribution of psychoanalytic therapy lies in its emphasis on the unconscious and its impact on conscious thought and behavior.