A therapist who says to a patient 'Say whatever comes to mind' is practicing

• A. Repression
• B. Dream Analysis
• C. Transference
• D. Free Association

Answer: (D)

Free association is a technique in psychoanalytic therapy where the patient is encouraged to say whatever comes to mind, with minimal censorship. The goal is to let thoughts flow freely so unconscious material—wishes, fears, memories—emerges and can be explored. This helps reveal underlying conflicts and defenses that the patient may not be aware of. Repression describes keeping distressing thoughts out of conscious awareness, not the act of speaking openly in the moment. Dream analysis focuses on interpreting dreams after they’re recalled to uncover latent content, rather than eliciting spontaneous thoughts during the session. Transference involves the patient redirecting feelings toward the therapist, not the method of prompting free speech. So the described practice aligns with free association.