Class 1 Flashcards
Sigmund Freud (1856 -1939)
(1. Theory based on?)
(2. Nerosis derives from?)
(3. Talking cure based on?)
- Case studies
- Specifically his studies on Meloncony in women
- Unconscious conflicts in childhood
- neurotic feelings and behaviors came out of unconscious conflicts that were going on within a person
- therapist interpretation
- talk therapy…you talk about it and its catharthic
Main Criticisms of Psychodynamic Theory
- Unscientific
- Psychodynamic theories cannot be empirically tested
- Interpretations are subjective
- Deterministic
- Childhood events determine behavior
- Eurocentric/Androcentric/Heterocentric
- Derived from European/American middle- and upper-middle class, heterosexual, cisgender male experience and values (that founded these theories)
Evolution of Psychodynamic Theories (picture)
- Drive theory is where you find Freud…you would be hard pressed to find a therpy/thery that is not based on Freud…even CBT
- It went from a Drive…Ego psychology to
- object relations to
- which is the internal drives that you may have but also to the relationships that you form objects around you…with you being one of the object…and as an object you have drives…you have an ego
- self psychology to
- Relational and intersubjective
- object relations to
- somewhere as all of this going on…behavior therapy….and cognitive therapy were talking off
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/brainscape-prod/system/cm/227/146/603/a_image_thumb.png?1512800539)
Response to Critique of Psychodynamic theory #2: Deterministic
- Every theorist since Freud has reconceptualized and expanded psychodynamic theory to include later development and social/environmental interactions from
- Anna Freud’s (1936) understanding of the primacy of the Ego to…
- Erik Erikson’s Epigenetic Stages (1964, 1968) to…
- intersubjective theories of Stephen Mitchell (1988, 2003), Thomas Ogden (1994) and Paul Wachtel (2008).
- (her note on slide)
- inside oriented work
- talking about the client therapist relationship…transference and CT
- inside oriented work
Research on Effectiveness of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
- “Effectiveness” may not be the same as an absence of symptoms.
- “psychological health is also the presence of inner capacities and resources that allow people to live life with a greater sense of freedom and possibilities” - shedler
Biopsychosocial Model of
Health and Disease
- Use of biological/medical, psychological and social lenses to understand patient’s behavior and distress allows for complementary foci
- pic of flower and girl…focus on flower or foucs on girl
- might not be all about the flower…or all about the girl…but will help you notice the pattens
- the girl might be unconscious and they bring it into focus
The Essence of Psychodynamic Therapy
The Sensibility of the Therapist
- An attitude of Curiosity and Awe
- Respect for Complexity
- Tendency toward Identification and Empathy
- Capacity for Faith
Essential Features of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
- Use of exploratory (curious), interpretive (more like observations), and supportive interventions as appropriate
-
Frequent sessions
- cant express empathy with a deadline of 6 sessions
- need to build caring (close) relationship (theraputic alliance)
- Emphasis on uncovering painful affects, understanding past painful experiences
- this is the heart of psychodynamic
- Goal is to facilitate emotional experience and increase understanding
- Focus on the therapeutic relationship, including attention to transference and countertransference
- noticing transference and bringing attention to it
- another reason for freq. sessions….client cant be on best behavior for long
- noticing transference and bringing attention to it
- Use of a wide range of techniques, with variability in application by different practitioners
Distinctive Features of Psychodynamic Therapy
(list 1-7)
- Focus on affect and expression of emotion.
- Exploration of attempts to avoid distressing thoughts and feelings.
- Identification of recurring themes and patterns.
- Discussion of past experience (developmental focus).
- Focus on interpersonal relations.
- Focus on the therapy relationship.
- Exploration of fantasy life.
Distinctive Features of Psychodynamic Therapy
(1. Focus on affect and expression of emotion)
- Feelings play a central role in shaping people’s behaviors.
- There is a distinction between intellectual understanding and emotional insight.
- when in doubt go to the feelings….
Distinctive Features of Psychodynamic Therapy
(2. Exploration of attempts to avoid distressing thoughts and feelings)
- Patients (like all people) are invested in avoiding painful or troubling feelings. They may do this intentionally or without awareness.
- Psychodynamic techniques include noticing when patients miss sessions, arrive late, change topic, or shift focus away from feelings.
Distinctive Features of Psychodynamic Therapy
(3. Identification of recurring themes and patterns)
- Hallmark of psychodynamic therapy…noticing patterns
- People have patterns or themes in their thoughts, feelings, self-concept, relationships, and life experiences, and may or may not be aware of them.
- e.g.: an attraction to controlling people when choosing a romantic partner, a perception of self as a failure, etc.
- Psychodynamic techniques include identifying these themes or patterns, and helping patients recognize them.
Distinctive Features of Psychodynamic Therapy
(4. Discussion of past experience (developmental focus))
- Early experiences of attachment figures affect present behavior. Understanding those early experiences helps people make different choices in current situations.
- Psychodynamic techniques include exploring early experiences in order to shed light on current experiences and difficulties.
Distinctive Features of Psychodynamic Therapy
(5. Focus on interpersonal relations)
- People’s personality and sense of self (a.k.a. “ego”) evolve in relation to attachment figures; in these relationships, either their developmental needs are sufficiently satisfied, or they are not, and this has lasting consequences in later life.
- Psychodynamic techniques involve helping patients explore those early relationships, to recognize areas where needs were not satisfied.
Distinctive Features of Psychodynamic Therapy
(6. Focus on the therapy relationship)
- The relationship between therapist and patient is an important element of therapy and can become a focus of attention, based on the belief that a patient’s relational patterns and themes will surface in the therapeutic relationship.
- e.g. a person raised by ineffective caregivers may perceive the therapist as ineffective
- Psychodynamic techniques involve paying attention to the patient’s feelings toward the therapist (aka “transference”) and the therapist’s own feelings toward the patient (aka “countertransference”).