Options for brief psychotherapy: Cognitive and psychodynamic variations

Abstract

Short-term psychotherapy options from psychodynamic and cognitive orientations are sampled, reviewed and summarized in order to help practitioners make informed choices in theory, technique and practice. Doing brief therapy can be risky with out an appreciation of: 1) the decisions that must be made at each phase of treatment, 2) the attendant fiscal and ethical pressures which push for shorter treatment and 3) the variety of empirically validated options. A grasp of developmental issues also helps predict and apply manageable goals, technique and scope of individualised treatment. Psychotherapists doing effective brief psychotherapy must understand the qualities common to all forms of effective treatment so that nothing essential is left out. Comparison of the common and contrasting needs and pressures in doing time-limited therapy in the United Kingdom and United States are also addressed.