Brief dynamic psychotherapy.

Abstract

In this short report I shall first discuss the history of" brief dynamic psychotherapy. I will then compare short term and long term dynamic psychotherapy: What are their aims; can short dynamic therapy bring about lasting structural changes in the personality; and the impact of short term therapy on the therapeutic relationship. I will look into the concepts of enthusiasm and expectation of the therapist as they apply to short term therapy. Other factors important to short term psychotherapy are selection of patients, technique and matching the patient to a particular technique. I shall also deal with the concept of interpretation, transference and keeping to a consistent focus throughout therapy. The length and termination of brief therapy, the concept of time, and the activity of the therapist as opposed to the passivity of psychoanalysis, are other essential features of short-term therapy. I shall compare the results of brief behavioural therapy with brief analytical therapy and finally mention the implications of one-session analytical psycho