Psychodynamic Therapy Flashcards
What is psychodynamic therapy?
Also known as insight oriented therapy, focuses on unconscious processes as they are manifested in a person’s present bahaviour
Involves looking at early childhood experiences in order to discover how these events might have shaped the individual and how they continue to current actions
Enables client to examine past unresolved conflicts and symptoms that arise from past dysfunctional relationships and manifest in current relationships
Long term therapy, typical 2 years or longer, in order to facilitate shifts in functioning, behaviour and internalised models of attachment
(Brief psychodynamic therapy - usually 25 sessions, with 1 major focus)
Personal growth and enhanced interpersonal relationships
What is the unconscious mind?
Refers to the mental processes of which individuals make themselves unaware
Significant psychic events take place below the surfaces in the unconscious mind
Actively repressed from conscious thought or what a person is averse to knowing consciously
Freud viewed the unconscious as a repository for socially unacceptable ideas, wishes or desires, traumatic memories and painful emotions put put if mind
Define the terms transference and countertransference.
Transference: Patterns/past ways of relating to people are repeated in the present with therapist or doctor. Qualities of a figure from the past are attributed to the doctor and feelings associated with that figure are experience in the same way with the doctor
Countertransference: feelings evoked in the doctor by the patient’s transference projections
What is meant by the term “resistance”?
Patient is ambivalent of change
Going for treatment threatens psychic equilibrium
Resistance can be in many form: silence, forgoing to pay the bill, not taking medication, talking about superficial matters, coming late to appointments
What is a defence mechanism?
Defences always exist to protect us from perceived danger and the ensuing psychic pain
Informed by early experiences with caregivers as these are crucial to the development of our capacity to regulate our affective experiences
List the different types of defence mechanisms.
Repression, Denial, Projection, Displacement, Regression and Sublimation
Provide the description of repression as a defence mechanism. Provide an example as well.
Blocking unacceptable ideas or thoughts from entering he consciousness
E.g. survivor of sexual abuse completely represses the experiences of being abused
Provide the description of denial as a defence mechanism. Provide an example as well.
Blocking external events from awareness. If the situation is too much to handle, the person refuses to experience it,
E.g smokers not admitting that smoking is bad fro their health
Provide the description of projection as a defence mechanism. Provide an example as well.
Individuals attributing their own unacceptable thoughts, feelings and motives to another person
E.g. you might hate someone but its not socially acceptable to do this, so its easier to believe that they hate you
Provide the description of displacement as a defence mechanism. Provide an example as well.
Satisfying an impulse (aggression) with a substitute object
E.g. frustrated with your boss, you go home and kick the dog
Provide the description of regression as a defence mechanism. Provide an example as well.
Return to an earlier phase of development or functioning when in stress or conflict
E.g. a child may begin to suck their thumb or wet the bed at the birth of another sibling
Provide the description of sublimation as a defence mechanism. Provide an example as well.
Satisfying an impulse (aggression) with a substitute object in a socially acceptable way
E.g. sport is an example of putting our emotions into something constructive
What is the selection criteria for dynamic therapy?
Emotional distress
Willingness to talk (basic hope and trust in therapeutic processes)
Willingness to examine feelings
Willingness to consider difficulties in terms of chronic and evasive interpersonal conflicts and difficulties
Capacity to develop meaningful relationship with therapist
List examples of unsuitable candidates for dynamic therapy.
Concrete thinking style
Impoverished description of relationships
Limited introspection + psychological mindedness
Patient in crisis
Poor ego strength
What are the treatment goal fro psychodynamic therapy?
New experience and understating
Change of inappropriate behaviours
Internalise new relationship models
Bring to awareness conflicts and an ability to resolve these conflicts
