Psychodynamic Therapy Techniques: A Guide to Expressive and Supportive Interventions

by Brian A. Sharpless

Overview

Psychodynamic therapy has a growing evidence base, is cost-effective, and may have unique mechanisms of clinical change. However, gaining competence in this approach generally requires extensive training and mastery of a large and complex literature.

Integrating clinical theory and research findings, Psychodynamic Therapy Techniques provides comprehensive but practical guidance on the main interventions of contemporary psychodynamic practice. Early chapters describe the psychodynamic "stance" and illustrate effective means of identifying and understanding clinical problems. Later, the book describes how to question, clarify, confront, and interpret patient material as well as assess the clinical impacts of interventions. With these foundational tools in place, the book supplements the "classic" psychodynamic therapy techniques with six sets of supportive interventions helpful for lower-functioning patients or those in acute crisis. Complete with step-by-step instructions on how to prepare techniques as well as numerous clinical vignettes to illustrate their use in clinical settings, Psychodynamic Therapy Techniques effectively demystifies this important approach to therapy and helps practitioners more effectively apply them to a wide range of patients and problems.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780190676278
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	03/28/2019
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Brian A. Sharpless, PhD, Associate Professor, The American School of Professional Psychology, Argosy University

Brian A. Sharpless, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the American School of Professional Psychology and a Visiting Research Fellow (Honorary Appointment) in the Department of Psychology at Goldsmith's University of London. He received his PhD in clinical psychology and MA in philosophy from Pennsylvania State University and completed post-doctoral clinical and research fellowships at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Sharpless has authored over 40 publications on psychodynamic therapy, common and lesser-known disorders, professional issues, and the history/philosophy of clinical psychology. He is the author of Sleep Paralysis: Historical, Psychological, and Medical Perspectives (with Karl Doghramji, MD) and editor of Unusual and Rare Psychological Disorders: A Handbook for Clinical Practice and Research.

Table of Contents

Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgements

1. Introduction

Section I: Background Information for Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Techniques

2. Do we REALLY need Psychodynamic Psychotherapy?

3. Goals of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

4. The Psychodynamic "Stance"

5. The Supportive-Expressive Continuum

6. Characteristics of "Good" Psychodynamic Interventions

7. How to Assess the Impacts of Interventions

Section II: The "Classic" Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Techniques in Contemporary Practice

8. Foundational Techniques Part I

9. Foundational Techniques Part II

10. The Process of Questioning

11. The Process of Clarification

12. The Process of Confrontation

13. The Process of Interpretation

Section III: The Expanded Range of Psychodynamic Therapy Techniques

14. Supportive Therapy Techniques Part I

15. Supportive Therapy Techniques Part II

16. Repairing Ruptures in the Therapeutic Alliance

Afterword

Appendix A: Psychodynamic Therapy Manuals and Models

Editorial Reviews

"Brian Sharpless presents a thoroughly up-to-date and unusually well-balanced view of modern psychodynamic therapy. He judiciously blends theory, practice and empirical research in an extremely readable, almost conversational, style. His outstanding effort is empirically sound, theoretically sophisticated, and contains a treasure of clinical examples that demonstrate how to apply expressive and supportive psychodynamic technique. Graduate students in clinical psychology, as well as clinicians already in practice, will profit greatly from its clinical wisdom, lively presentation and well-argued case for the enduring value of the psychodynamic approach to treatment."
— Stanley B. Messer, PhD, Distinguished Professor Emeritus and former Dean, Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, Rutgers University

From the Publisher