Psychodynamic Therapy
This is an extract taken from the UK council for psychotherapy (UKCP) [link]
[Psychodynamic psychotherapy is a term that encompasses therapy of an analytical nature; essentially it is a form of depth psychology that focuses on the unconscious and past experiences, to determine current behaviour. Generally psychodynamic psychotherapists adhere to the theories and teaching of Freud and his followers. But psychodynamic therapy also draws upon techniques from a variety of sources, including the ideas of various other luminaries including Jung and Adler.
The client is encouraged to talk about childhood relationships with parents and other significant people, the primary focus being to reveal the unconscious content of a client's psyche in an effort to alleviate psychic tension. The therapist endeavours to keep his own personality out of the picture, in essence becoming a blank canvas onto which the client can transfer and project deep feelings about themselves, parents and other significant players in their life. The therapist remains focused on the dynamics between the client and the therapist.
Psychodynamic therapy tends to be less intensive and briefer than psychoanalysis, and also relies more on the interpersonal relationship between client and therapist than do other forms of depth psychology. It is a focus that has been used in individual psychotherapy, group psychotherapy, family therapy, and to understand and work with institutional and organisational contexts.]
Blog: I am not sure that Freud figures in modern psychodynamic therapy any longer, but it certainly owes a debt to him.
ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy)
This is an extract from the Asscociation for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS) website
[The general goal of ACT is to increase psychological flexibility – the ability to contact the present moment more fully as a conscious human being, and to change or persist in behavior when doing so serves valued ends. Psychological flexibility is established through six core ACT processes. Each of these areas are conceptualized as a positive psychological skill, not merely a method of avoiding psychopathology.]
Blog: The six core ACT principles are: Acceptance, Cognitive Fusion, Being Present, Self as Context, Values, Committed Action.
Briefly, Cognitive defusion is learning to perceive thoughts, images, emotions, and memories as what they are, not what they appear to be. Acceptance is allowing these thoughts to come and go without struggling with them. Being present is an awareness of the here and now, experienced receptively. Self as context is, loosely, an awareness of yourself as a continually changing consciousness . Values are discovering what is actually important to you. Committed Action is setting goals according to your values and carrying them out.
Finally …
This is an extract from CSG (Control Systems Group), which I consider an exciting new (originally developed some 60 years ago by engineers) theory of behaviour.
Perceptual control theory
Stated broadly, PCT explains how entities control what happens to them. It explains the relationships between actions and goals, perceptions and actions, and perceptions and reality, and it does so within a single, testable concept of how living systems work.
PCT says that:
- Behavior is controlled input
- Organisms do not produce behavior by computing output. Instead, they produce behavior by comparing inputs with desired inputs, and using the difference to drive output
- Organisms do not “respond to stimuli” rather they control input variables
- Behaviors such as talking and writing are seen as the observable consequences of actions (vocal and hand movements, respectively) aimed at producing intended inputs (sounds, graphical patterns).
- Behavior is goal directed and purposeful, not mechanical and responsive
PCT focuses on how we look at and experience things, and the way these perceptions are compared with experiences we want. The difference produces action and physiology. Thus PCT explains how thoughts become actions, feelings and results, and its principles can be applied to any activity involving human experience.
How It’s Different
PCT stands in contrast to the stimulus-response model of behavior associated with B. F. Skinner, and to the cognitive science model. These older models attempt to explain behavior either do not recognize or do not clearly understand control. Behavior is neither just caused by stimuli in the environment nor is it blind execution of internal plans. Behavior is not an end result. It is an integral part of the closed loop process which controls perception. By the way, the therapy has the rather cumbersome name of ‘Method of Levels’
In conclusion
That’s my review of a few of the psychological therapies available and the end of this four part post. I just wanted to add, in contrast to all these well developed theories, something amusing that happened to me in a session and as it turns out the client I was seeing.
I was briefed that a depressed, middle-aged woman was coming to see me. She had done the rounds in terms of seeing everyone that might be able to help her but was not responsive to anyone, communicating very little. I prepared myself by reading a little about her history but didn’t really believe that I could do any more than had already been attempted by other professionals.
When I first saw her in the waiting room she looked much older than her years. She walked very slowly to the consultation room. I sat down and introduced myself and went through the usual assessment protocol. The atmosphere was serious and intense. Now, I have never crossed my legs while being in a therapy session. It’s one of those psychodynamic things! This day my legs were aching and I chose to cross them. I am a clumsy person, I know it, and cannot deny it.
And so, I crossed my legs quite quickly and as I did I went backwards over the chair onto the floor with a thud! I am six feet five inches tall so there is quite a lot of me to go flying and being overweight a lot more than there should be. My papers and board travelled elsewhere in the room. I sat up on my butt and looked at the woman with a wry smile. Slowly, I saw a smile develop on her face, then came a little laughter, which developed into a belly laugh with me laughing along with her. We both had tears running down our faces while I gathered up my things and sat back in the chair.
She told me that she had not laughed like that for years. The realization made her cry and then she began talking. Following that meeting she had little laughs all through our sessions remembering it and waiting for it to happen again. I did hit myself in the face with the door once, which had the same results. Our work continued from that point and I am pleased to say she made significant progress and change in her life.I was very happy to see her walk away from me smiling.
I have experienced different ways of breaking down well established, emotional barriers with people, many of them hinged on anger. But, you never can tell what might be the breakthrough for someone, least of all with unexpected accidents. Yet, being prepared to capitalise on the unexpected is part, I believe, of being a good therapist. By the way, I did not incorporate this into my therapy sessions as a useful tool due to the pain and possible chance of serious accident. 
