Free Association in Psychoanalysis and the Legal Injunction of Relating Sin

Psychoanalysis is a common method in psychotherapy, and one of the important therapy techniques in this method is free association. In this technique, the patient relates whatever comes into his mind during the analytic session to help the therapist to discover his unconscious and prepare the way for treatment. Sometimes the patient also relates his criminal or sinful actions in this process. The question is that, is free association in compliance with the legal injunction of relating sin? To answer the question, first the ground and scope of the decree of relating sin are explored through Shia jurisprudential sources, then the decree’s applicability to psychoanalysis process is examined.
Jurisprudential studies show that relating sin is not prohibited as an independent title in jurisprudence but rather is considered as haram only when it is the instance of self-degrading, disseminating sinful deeds, or assisting in sins. So, as primary ruling, relating sin in psychoanalysis sessions is not prohibited because it is not subjected to any of these titles. In addition, relating criminal or sinful actions is permitted in psychoanalysis process, as secondary ruling, in the cases that refusing psychoanalysis treatment causes considerable difficulty or harm for the patient.