Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
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Psychodynamic psychotherapy is an evidence-based treatment which can effectively help both moderate and complex deep-rooted difficulties. It can help people who are seeking therapy for the first time, as well as those who have tried other forms of treatment or briefer therapies in the past.
There is information about the evidence base for psychodynamic psychotherapy here: https://www.bpc.org.uk/information-support/the-evidence-base/
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Psychoanalysis is often seen as outdated and misunderstood due to negative stereotypes and misinformation, both from outside critics and the field’s own insular tendencies. The use of jargon and internal disputes within psychoanalytic communities further alienate potential supporters. This article by Johnathan Shedler aims to offer a clear, unbiased introduction to psychoanalytic thought and therapy for those unfamiliar with it. A special thank you to Shedler for putting this together for us all.
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This course covers the core concepts of psychodynamic therapy, focusing on how unconscious processes and early experiences influence behavior and personality. Topics include the unconscious mind, dream analysis, ego psychology, object relations, transference, countertransference, defense mechanisms, and repetition compulsion. The course highlights the therapy's effectiveness in encouraging emotional expression, improving relationships, and treating complex conditions like personality disorders. Lets appreciate Opland and Torrico for putting this together.
Good To Consider
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“Psychoanalytic Case Formulation”
Psychoanalytic case formulation uses theory and all relevant data to understand a patient's issues and guide treatment, a skill that can be difficult for new therapists. Nancy McWilliams' book, Psychoanalytic Case Formulation, provides clear, practical advice on applying analytic concepts, critiquing rigid diagnostic systems and emphasizing a thoughtful, individualized approach. With accessible explanations and useful examples, the book is valuable for both beginners and experienced therapists.
“Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy: A Practitioner’s Guide”
This book, authored by Nancy McWilliams, highlights the evolution of psychodynamic therapy from its origins in treating severe hysteria to its current, inclusive approach addressing a wide range of human suffering. McWilliams aims to fill a gap in existing literature by offering an integrative overview of psychotherapy's core principles across diverse populations, diagnoses, theoretical perspectives, and cultural contexts. Primarily intended for trainees in psychology, counseling, psychiatry, medicine, social work, nursing, and faith-based practice, her work also seeks to foster dialogue across various therapeutic approaches and professional disciplines. A great book and a great introduction to any psychodynamically inclined practitioners.
“Psychoanalytic Diagnosis: Understanding Personality Structure in the Clinical Process”
Nancy McWilliams, has long served as an essential resource in psychoanalytic personality theory and practice. The book makes complex concepts accessible to practitioners at all experience levels, offering detailed explanations of character types and showing how understanding a patient's personality can shape therapeutic focus and interventions. It provides clear guidelines for creating a thorough yet adaptable diagnostic formulation to guide treatment, enriched with numerous clinical examples. This edition reflects developments over nearly twenty years, including advances in attachment theory, neuroscience, trauma research, and the contemporary relational movement in psychoanalysis.
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“A clinical Introduction to Lacanian Psychoanalysis: Theory and Technique”
Fink's Introduction serves as a practical guide to Lacanian psychoanalysis, detailing its unique methods and distinctions from other therapies. The book clarifies Lacan's complex concepts through the lens of everyday clinical challenges, such as diagnosis, therapeutic approach, patient engagement, and effecting change.
Fink offers a broad overview of the goals and techniques of Lacanian analysis, outlining the analyst’s strategies throughout the therapeutic process. He illustrates Lacan’s distinct approach to diagnosis with four detailed case studies, addressing theoretical and clinical aspects of psychosis, perversion, and neurosis. These examples demonstrate how Lacanian analysis adapts its methods to suit different diagnostic situations.
“Fundamentals of Psychoanalytic Technique: A Lacanian Approach for Practitioners”
Fundamentals of Psychoanalytic Technique is an accessible introduction to psychoanalytic practice from a Lacanian viewpoint, drawing on Fink’s extensive clinical and supervisory experience. The book is intended for practitioners at all levels and backgrounds, offering clear guidance on Lacanian techniques aimed at uncovering the unconscious, addressing repression, and tackling repetition compulsion. These practical methods are designed to benefit a variety of mental health professionals, often leading to significant changes in their therapeutic work within a short time.
“A Clinical Introduction to Freud: Techniques for Everyday Practice”
This book explores Freud’s direct techniques for accessing the unconscious and demonstrates their modern applications and potential improvements. It outlines Freud’s core concepts—such as repression, displacement, anxiety, and free association—and shows how they can be used in clinical practice by therapists of any orientation. Written with engaging references and clear language, the book aims to provide clinicians with practical tools inspired by Freud, encouraging new perspectives and insights in their therapeutic work.
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Let’s Keep Talking: Lacanian Tales of Love, Sex, and Other Catastrophes, authored by Yael Baldwin, is a collection that plunges us into the world of contemporary youth, observing them through the unique lens of Lacanian psychoanalysis. Composed of five original case studies, the book deftly navigates the perennial dilemmas of love and sexuality, life and death—age-old human struggles now refracted through the complexities of the modern era.
https://www.amazon.com/Lets-Keep-Talking-Lacanian-Catastrophes/dp/1782203079
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Here, Max, Kusovitsky offers us an engaging discussion with Chris Cannida exploring the nuances of effective supervision, clinical competence, the evolving landscape of psychotherapy, and the complexities inherent in training therapists to support individuals without inadvertently treating them as patients themselves.
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This book delves into the idea that ambivalence—feeling mixed or opposing emotions toward the same person or thing—is a fundamental aspect of being human, especially in contemporary Western culture. While much advice exists on how to be more loving or empathetic, the authors argue that genuine love is impossible unless we also acknowledge and address our conflicting feelings, including hatred. Drawing from Freudian and Lacanian psychoanalysis, Owens and Swales explore how modern society tends to ignore or suppress ambivalence, which can lead to issues both for individuals and for society as a whole.
They examine the role of ambivalence in mourning, sexuality, and even how we find pleasure within capitalist and neoliberal systems. The book also discusses how the societal push for complete tolerance of others can actually mask deeper ambivalence, contributing to problems like xenophobia. Throughout, the authors use examples from clinical practice, pop culture, and politics to illustrate their points, making the concept of ambivalence both relevant and engaging for readers interested in psychoanalysis.
https://www.amazon.com/Psychoanalysing-Ambivalence-Freud-Lacan-Couch/dp/1138328448