Freud's Dora

I think it's interesting that so many people have a problem with Freud's constant connections to sex, because I felt that way too. I can't fully believe that everything in Dora's life is unconsciously connected to sex, rather than feelings of betrayal that her father is having an affair. Because I have trouble believing in Freud's "all neuroses are rooted in sex" premise, I have a little trouble believing his other statements as well. That he thinks Dora wanted to kiss him, for one, seemed farfetched and a bit egotistical, especially since Herr K smokes, so the fact that Freud smokes may be inconsequential.

I did not expect the ending - where Dora's Herr K./Frau K. situation is easily resolved and she comes back to Freud with a symptom relating to him. I also thought it a little...weird that Dora magically ends up fine - married to a guy who has liked her for some time, and accepting of her father's affair, albeit her normal disgust when it is mentioned.

I know that Freud had to leave certain details out of this case study - he explains his reasons why, including the fact that a discussion of his analytic methods would make this work too extensive - but I think that without those details I don't fully trust Freud's conclusions. How do we know that he didn't elicit details from Dora that may not have been true, or that he didn't ask her leading questions to fit his "sex issues" idea? Freud is constantly referring back to this other works, which makes it seem like this study is fueling his personal desires to validate his own work with this work. If that is the case, as I suspect, then he may be ignoring other explanations of Dora's symptoms so that he can instead highlight the explanation that best serves his own purpose.

I'm not sure why I am so mistrustful of Freud.