Pychodynamic Approaches to Behavioral Change: A Guide to Effective Psychotherapy

Traditionally, psychoanalytic psychotherapies have focused on gaining insight and making the unconscious conscious, with behavioral change seen as a secondary outcome. However, clinical evidence suggests that an increasing number of psychoanalysts are now targeting behavioral change as a primary goal. Despite this shift, strategic frameworks for achieving behavioral change remain scarce.

Psychodynamic Approaches to Behavioral Change addresses this deficiency by providing a comprehensive guide to integrating behavioral change into psychodynamic therapy. This innovative approach demonstrates how targeting behavioral change can enhance self-understanding and improve treatment outcomes.

A Framework for Behavioral Change Interventions

This guide offers clinicians a step-by-step framework for behavioral change interventions, including:

• 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 effective use of homework in behavioral change

Clinicians will also benefit from a frank discussion of potential pitfalls in efforts to change behaviors and a description of interventions for sustaining behavioral change.

Real-Life Applications in Clinical Settings

Throughout this guide, illustrative vignettes demonstrate how to apply psychodynamic techniques in real-life clinical settings. By following these examples, clinicians can collaborate with their patients to make practical changes in their lives and improve treatment outcomes.

A Jargon-Free Resource for Mental Health Professionals

Psychodynamic Approaches to Behavioral Change is written in a clear, jargon-free tone, making it accessible to a broad range of mental health professionals, including psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, psychiatric nurses, and others. This guide will enable clinicians to integrate behavioral change into their practice, regardless of their therapeutic approach.

Publisher: American Psychiatric Association Publishing

Publication Date: May 21, 2018

Language: English

ISBN: 9781615371303, 9781615372041