MACAZO, ADELYN C.

COURSE AND CODE: BS PSYCH PSY304

CHAPTER 12: Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

EXPLANATION OF THE CONCEPT MAP

PSYCHODYNAMIC PSYCHOTHERAPY

Psychodynamic psychotherapy, founded by Sigmund Freud and developed further by subsequent theorists,

explores unconscious conflicts, childhood experiences, and defense mechanisms that shape current thoughts,

emotions, and behaviors.

PROPONENT: SIGMUND FREUD

GOAL: Accessing the Unconscious

● Techniques:

○ Free Association: Clients express thoughts without censorship to uncover unconscious

material.
 ○ Freudian "Slips": Unintentional errors revealing hidden thoughts or desires.

○ Dreams: Interpretation to uncover symbolic meanings and unconscious conflicts.

○ Resistance: Reluctance to discuss certain topics revealing underlying conflicts.

○ Transference: Clients projecting feelings onto therapists, revealing unconscious dynamics.

● Defense Mechanisms:

○ Repression: Pushing painful thoughts into the unconscious.

○ Projection: Attributing one's own unacceptable feelings onto others.

○ Reaction Formation: Expressing opposite feelings to hide true ones.

○ Displacement: Redirecting emotions from the original source to a less threatening one.

○ Sublimation: Channeling unacceptable impulses into socially acceptable activities.

PSYCHOSEXUAL STAGES: CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS:

● Oral Stage: (Birth to 18 months) Dependency and oral fixations.

● Anal Stage: (18 months to 3 years) Control and anal-retentive/anal-expulsive traits.

● Phallic Stage: (3 to 6 years) Oedipal/Electra complexes and sexual identity development.

MORE CONTEMPORARY FORMS OF PSYCHODYNAMIC PSYCHOTHERAPY:

● Interpersonal Therapy: Focuses on current relationships impacting emotional health.

● Time-Limited Dynamic Psychotherapy: Structured, time-limited approach for achieving specific

therapeutic goals efficiently.

CHAPTER 10: Humanistic Psychotherapy

EXPLANATION OF THE CONCEPT MAP

HUMANISTIC PSYCHOTHERAPY

● Proponents: Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow

● Rogers was trained psychodynamically, but disagreed with Freud’s ideas

● Thought Freud’s view was too pessimistic

● Belief that people are basically good or neutral, but not bad

● Note: humanistic therapy has also been referred to as:

○ nondirective therapy, client-centered therapy, and person-centered therapy

HUMANISTIC CONCEPTS

● People have an inborn tendency to grow (Self-Actualization):

● self-actualization: to grow and fulfill our own/natural potential

○ Rogers and Maslow would say if you meet this, you will be psychologically healthy

○ looked at environment to make sure they reach this potential

● But people need certain things to survive and reach self-actualization

● Positive Regard: the warmth, love, and acceptance of those around us

○ Typically get positive regard from our parents

○ this helps us reach self-actualization

○ automatically growing in a psychologically healthy way

GOAL

● Primary goal is to foster self-actualization

○ Psychopathology is the result of a satisfied growth process

○ The therapist has to create climate in which clients can resume their natural growth toward

psychological wellness

● If we’re all guided by our self-actualization tendency, why does psychopathology exist?

○ the need for positive regard can override the natural tendency to self-actualize

○ something stunted your growth, you did not get unconditional positive regard, did not get to

self-actualization, you have some emotional distress, it is the therapist’s job to provide the

environment your parents did not

Conditions of Worth

● Conditions of worth: Conditional positive regard communicates that we are prized “only if” we meet

certain conditions

○ These are called conditions of worth

○ saying “I am only going to love you IF you meet these goals/standards”

 ● Children are typically aware of these conditions, try to meet them

● Consequently, when they compare who they actually are (real self) with the selves they could be if

they met their potential (ideal self) they perceive a discrepancy (incongruence)

○ Congruence: a match between the real self and the ideal self

● Although conditions of worth come from others, they can become incorporated into our own iews of

ourselves

● These lead to some sort of mental health disorder/psychopathology

● Stifle the child’s psychological development

ELEMENTS

Empathy

● Empathy: a deep, nonjudgmental understanding of the client’s experiences in which the therapist’s

own values and point of view are temporarily suspended

● Therapists who empathize accurately and communicate this to clients positively impact the client

● You as a therapist, you could accidentally place conditions of worth on the client’s views

○ client says they want to be a doctor and you say, ‘well that is a really stressful job idk’

Unconditional Positive Regard

● Unconditional positive regard: full acceptance of another person

○ the person did not get this growing up, now as a therapist it is your job to give it to them

● The therapist accepts the client in total, rather than conditional, way

● Allows the client to grow in a self-directed way with no concern about losing respect or acceptance

from the therapist

● Accepting the person in totality

● Help client foster self-actualization

● This has to be genuine, you have to fully respect every aspect of the client
Genuineness

● Empathy and unconditional positive regard aren’t helpful unless they are honest

● Therapists don’t act empathy toward clients or as though they prize them unconditionally. They truly

are empathic and prize them unconditionally

● Therapist transparency is encouraged

● This is very different from the psychodynamic idea of being a “blank screen”

○ not responding to what a client is saying, even if what they are saying is surprising,

● Don’t show it, this is NOT what you want to do for humanistic therapy

● has to be sincere otherwise it doesn’t ‘count’

● self disclosure should always benefit the client, not you

● the belief is that unconditional positive regard, empathy and genuineness, if a therapist truly has all 3,

that they can treat any mental illness ever, even in replace of giving any medication to the client

Necessary and Sufficient?

● Rogers asserted that empathy, genuineness, and unconditional positive regard were both necessary and

sufficient conditions for successful therapy

○ That is, he argued: that no additional techniques or procedures are necessary

● What does research suggest?

○ This has been very controversial and has generated a lot of research to test the assumptions

○ They are necessary for any therapeutic approach and to form a good working relationship with

the client

● Is it sufficient?

○ no, not on its own, it will not help all people with all mental disorders necessary but not

sufficient
Therapist Attitudes, Not Behavior

Humanists emphasize that empathy, unconditional positive regard, and genuineness are attitudes, not specific

behaviors. They believe successful therapy is less about technical skills and more about the therapist's

attitudes, which should be perceived and felt by the client. This perspective contrasts with formulaic

approaches, suggesting that the therapist’s genuine presence and attitudes are crucial for effective

psychotherapy, as highlighted by Carl Rogers, who asserted that these attitudes, rather than technical expertise,

are key to therapeutic success.

REFLECTION

● Humanists believe that reflection can contribute to the success of therapy

○ Reflection takes place when a therapist responds to a client by rephrasing or restating the

client’s statements in a way that highlights the client’s feelings or emotions

● Rogers did not want this to be a mechanical, wooden response

ALTERNATIVES TO HUMANISM

Historical Alternatives to Humanism in Psychotherapy

Existential Therapy

● Addresses the anxiety of human aloneness and life's inherent meaninglessness.

● Encourages clients to create personal meaning through authentic choices.

● Limited empirical support, but beneficial for existential crises.

Gestalt Therapy

● Holistic experience, emphasizing the "here and now".

● Role-playing to achieve self-awareness and integration of mind and body.

Motivational Interviewing (MI)

● Resolves ambivalence toward change, particularly in addiction treatment.

● Non-confrontational, fostering intrinsic motivation by highlighting behavior-value discrepancies.

● Supported by research for various issues, including substance abuse and health behaviors.

Positive Interventions and Strength-Based Counseling

● From Martin Seligman’s positive psychology movement.

● Building strengths and fostering happiness.

● Gratitude exercises, kindness activities, and optimism cultivation.

● Shown to enhance well-being and reduce mental disorder symptoms.

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)

● Emotional expression and acceptance, often used for couples.

● “Empty chair” for emotional sharing and strengthening relationships.

● Beneficial for depression, PTSD, and relational issues.

Bohart and Tallman's Self-Healing Approach

● Empowering clients as active problem-solvers.

● Creating a supportive environment for clients to generate their own solutions, countering

symptom-focused therapies.