Psychodynamic Approaches to Behavioral Change: A Guide for Mental Health Professionals

Traditionally, psychoanalytic psychotherapies have considered behavioral change as a secondary outcome, a beneficial byproduct of gaining insight and making the unconscious conscious. However, with increasing evidence suggesting that more psychoanalysts are targeting behavioral change, there remains a scarcity of strategic frameworks to guide this process.

This is precisely the gap that Psychodynamic Approaches to Behavioral Change aims to fill. By providing a comprehensive framework for behavioral change interventions, this guide demonstrates how targeting behavioral change can be an integral part of psychodynamic therapy, enhancing self-understanding and overall treatment outcomes.

A Framework for Behavioral Change Interventions

The book offers a structured approach to behavioral change, comprising the following key components:

• Identifying problematic behaviors and their underlying causes
• Examining the context, affects, and meanings of problematic behaviors
• Formulating contributing intrapsychic conflicts, defenses, and developmental factors
• Identifying alternative behaviors and elaborating feelings and fantasies about performing them
• Addressing factors that interfere with alternative behaviors
• Working with the impact of behavioral change
• The use of homework as a tool for reinforcement

Overcoming Pitfalls and Sustaining Change

In addition to providing a clear framework for behavioral change, the book also offers a frank discussion of potential pitfalls that clinicians may encounter in their efforts to facilitate change. Furthermore, it outlines evidence-based interventions for sustaining behavioral change, enabling clinicians to help their patients maintain new behaviors over time.

Applying Psychodynamic Techniques in Clinical Practice

Throughout the book, vivid vignettes illustrate how to apply psychodynamic techniques in real-world clinical settings. By following these examples, clinicians can learn how to collaborate effectively with their patients to bring about practical changes in their lives.

Written in a jargon-free tone, Psychodynamic Approaches to Behavioral Change is an invaluable resource for mental health professionals from diverse backgrounds, including psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and psychiatric nurses. By applying the principles outlined in this book, clinicians can enhance their approach and achieve better outcomes for their patients.

Publication Details:

• Publisher: American Psychiatric Association Publishing
• Publication Date: May 21, 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN: 9781615371303, 9781615372041