Religious elements have been the object of studies in psychoanalysis, and in psychology, since the beginning of the first theoretical studies and analyzed cases. In general, it is possible to verify that the development of clinical practice in the care of patients, their illnesses and their sufferings passes, at some point, through themes involving religion. In a conceptual research, we investigated the theories of S. Freud and D. W. Winnicott to verify how these psychoanalysts can explain the development and psychic function of religious representations. It was observed that Freud indicates that representations arise by defense mechanisms applied to libido and in function of the father figure. For Winnicott, such representations are symbols resulting from psychic processes in interaction with the environment and care experiences. It was possible to conclude that the theories do not exclude each other, but present different proposals that can be used by psychologists and psychoanalysts throughout psychotherapy and in research on the subject.

Thiago Marques PhD student in Psychology and Master of Science (2019) by USP, specialized in Clinical Psychology and Psychoanalysis, Group, and Interventions (2018). He has experience in the areas of Clinical Psychology, Education and Human Development, including therapeutic and educational interventions, as well as topics such as psychic issues regarding