Psychoanalytic View of the Relationship between a Person and a Profession

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the mechanism of individual identification and the stability of professional identity. The hypothesis was confirmed: the more qualitative identifications an individual has with significant figures, the better their defenses, and the greater the likelihood of achieving sublimation in the realm of professional identity. The study involved a comprehensive analysis of identity research and empirical research through semi-structured interviews. Sociological and psychological theories often view professional identity as something stable throughout life. However, the psychoanalytic perspective provides more tools for practical work with professional identity, defining it as stable, unstable, or absent (identity crisis) depending on the style and maturity of the defenses constructed by the individual. Identification is a unique and crucial process for forming a stable professional identity. It allows the individual to make changes to the self through conscious selection of identification objects. Reviewing outdated identifications, which can be achieved through psychoanalysis or psychoanalytic coaching, enables individuals to participate actively in shaping their self. The Oedipal conflict is significant for professional identity. It can create recurring patterns that hinder an individual's professionalization, yet it can also be used for sublimation. Excessive eroticization "blinds" individuals, preventing them from adequately assessing their skills and actions, thereby impeding all stages of professional identity formation. This study suggests viewing professional identity not as an unknown phenomenon but as part of the psyche's stable equilibrium. The more robust the defenses (with more resources to contain increasing anxieties), the less frequently compromise formations are restructured. The main limitation of the study is the small number of respondents. Future research should increase the sample size and include respondents of different ages. Further psychoanalytic studies on the relationship between individuals and their professions can explore other factors affecting professional identity. This research highlights the broad possibilities of psychoanalytic methods for addressing professional identity issues, showing that sublimation is impossible without qualitative identifications. It also indicates ways to improve the quality of one's professional identity through working with a psychoanalyst or psychoanalytic coach to review and enhance identifications and by building relationships with the professional community.