Abstract
Dynamic Psychotherapy (DP) was developed to overcome the limitations of traditional psychoanalysis, responding to a broader demand of patients who seek help to cope with specific problems in the short term, such as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). OCD is a chronic disabling mental disorder that leads to substantial distress, functional disability and severe occupational and social impairments. Recognizing the literature gap in this field, and the improvements reported by dynamic therapists who have dealt with patients suffering from OCD, a study on the treatment of these patients was conducted in order to discuss the effects of this technique. The method involved a narrative literature review and the analysis of two clinical cases to discuss therapeutic processes, which include the specificities of OCD patients and the mechanisms adopted in the treatment through DP. The therapist’s active stance seemed to be essential to encourage the patient to face feared situations and identify the core conflict. Both patients who were treated through DP presented similarities, such as high anxiety, feelings of guilt and inhibition of aggressive and sexual impulses. Through emotional exploration, confrontation of defensive functioning and interpretative interventions of inner conflicts, patients had reached awareness of their hidden feelings and experiences, and their symptoms and feelings of guilt decreased. They also showed significant improvements in their interpersonal relationships. Although both treatments do not fit into short-term therapies, this technique has led to long-term results, providing evidence that DP may produce favorable outcomes in the treatment of OCD.
Highlights
IntroductionDynamic Psychotherapy (DP) emerged with the objective of overcoming the limitations of traditional psychoanalysis, thereby responding to a broader demand of patients who seek help to cope with specific problems in a short term
Confrontation of defensive functioning and interpretative interventions of inner conflicts, patients had reached awareness of their hidden feelings and experiences, and their symptoms and feelings of guilt decreased. They showed significant improvements in their interpersonal relationships. Both treatments do not fit into short-term therapies, this technique has led to long-term results, providing evidence that Dynamic Psychotherapy (DP) may produce favorable outcomes in the treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Dynamic Psychotherapy (DP) emerged with the objective of overcoming the limitations of traditional psychoanalysis, thereby responding to a broader demand of patients who seek help to cope with specific problems in a short term
Summary
Dynamic Psychotherapy (DP) emerged with the objective of overcoming the limitations of traditional psychoanalysis, thereby responding to a broader demand of patients who seek help to cope with specific problems in a short term. When symptoms provoke social and occupational impairments, patients need a short-term solution, making it essential to focus on symptoms and suffering that led them to seek treatment. Dynamic Psychotherapy works in the connection between reality and unconscious fantasies, through a “free interview” and interpretations of transferential reactions and propensities. This technique is confined to the use of interpretation, and includes clarification and confrontation as additional therapeutic verbal interventions. An example of psychopathology in which patients tend to seek for short-term solutions is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), since it leads to substantial distress, functional disability and severe occupational and social impairments [1]. OCD involves psychosocial, genetic and biological factors, in which orderliness, perfectionism, mental and interpersonal control, lack of flexibility and
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