Bringing forth the patient’s strengths: a self-psychoanalytic approach to short-term therapy with a case study

Abstract

Psychoanalytic self-psychology offers a theoretical and clinical framework for brief psychotherapies. The paper reviews in particular “focal therapy" (M. Balint, A. Ornstein, P. Ornstein) and the “developmental model" (M. F. Basch). It applies their insights to a clinical case study. From a self-psychological point of view, a short-term psychotherapy proceeds along three lines: an empathic understanding of the subjective experiences of the patient; the interactive communication between patient and analyst; the positive effects of self-object transference. The analyst pays special attention to factors which block the patient's development in his life and to his growing capacity to cope with it. These aspects appear within the therapeutic relationship. This entails a high degree of focus and engagement on part of the analyst.

Keywords Short-term therapy; Self-psychological psychoanalysis; Case study