Starting out in psychodynamic psychotherapy

Abstract

Many trainees, like myself, are so daunted by the prospect of working with patients within a psychodynamic framework that their anxieties can overcome them, and their experience of psychotherapy suffers. As a result they can end up deeply sceptical of this style of treatment. Later in their career, when they are more confident of their general skills, they may wish to return to psychotherapy to try to understand at a deeper level the interaction between individuals, in particular between doctors and patients. Often though, there is too little time to develop these skills at this stage.