Trauma-Focused Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

Fredric N Busch; Barbara L Milrod

doi:10.1016/j.psc.2018.01.005

Trauma-Focused Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2018 Jun;41(2):277-287. doi: 10.1016/j.psc.2018.01.005.

Authors

Fredric N Busch¹, Barbara L Milrod²

Affiliations

¹ 65 East 76th Street, Suite 1B, New York, NY 10021, USA; Weill Cornell Medical College, 525 East 68th Street, New York, NY 10021, USA; Columbia University Center for Psychoanalytic Training and Research, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, USA. Electronic address: fnb80@aol.com.
² 65 East 76th Street, Suite 1B, New York, NY 10021, USA; Weill Cornell Medical College, 525 East 68th Street, New York, NY 10021, USA; Columbia University Center for Psychoanalytic Training and Research, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, USA; The New York Psychoanalytic Institute, 247 East 82nd Street, New York, NY 10028, USA.

PMID: 29739526
DOI: 10.1016/j.psc.2018.01.005

Abstract

The authors describe a psychodynamic psychotherapeutic approach to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), trauma-focused psychodynamic psychotherapy. This psychotherapy addresses disruptions in narrative coherence and affective dysregulation by exploring the psychological meanings of symptoms and their relation to traumatic events. The therapist works to identify intrapsychic conflicts, intense negative affects, and defense mechanisms related to the PTSD syndrome using a psychodynamic formulation that provides a framework for intervention. The transference provides a forum for patients to address feelings of mistrust, difficulties with authority, fears of abuse, angry and guilty feelings, and fantasies.

Keywords: Defense mechanisms; Intrapsychic conflict; Manualized psychotherapies; Posttraumatic stress disorder; Psychodynamic psychotherapy; Transference.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Humans
Psychotherapy, Psychodynamic / methods*
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / psychology*
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / therapy*
Transference, Psychology

Grants and funding

UL1 TR000457/TR/NCATS NIH HHS/United States