Learning Objectives

This chapter explores the historical traditions and origins of psychoanalytic theory and practice, showing a developmental line through to contemporary psychodynamic practice and describes techniques used in practice. 

Reflection Questions

• What role do relationships play in psychodynamic counselling? 
• How can you explain this within the context of different theories and approaches to psychotherapy?

With these questions in mind, watch the following videos:

Adrian Hemmings explains psychodynamic therapy as heavily emphasizing the client-therapist relationship

Frederick Redekop defines Object Relations Psychology simply and conceptually (i.e. without referrence to history of development of the theories)

A brief and accessible introduction to the idea of attachment

Richard Bowlby briefly describes categories of attachment as identified in Mary Ainsworth's 'Strange Situation' Experiment

Ramani Survasala defines countertransference