Psychodynamic Theory, Research and Therapeutic Intervention Across the Lifespan
Psychology 952
Spring 2015
Thursday 10:20am-1:10pm
Room: 153 Psychology Building
Professor: Alytia Levendosky, Ph.D.
Office: 107 C Psychology
Phone: 353-6396
Email: levendo1@msu.edu
Office Hours: As needed
Course Goals: The purpose of this class is to acquaint students with the broad range of
psychodynamic theories, including historical and current views, focusing on interpersonal and other
relational theories. In addition, students will learn about research on psychodynamic theoretical
concepts and interventions. Finally, students will learn three evidence-based psychodynamic
psychotherapies, a play therapy for children, a short-term model for higher functioning adults, and a
long-term model for adults with personality pathology. A thorough understanding of
psychodynamic theory is a lifetime project – this course is aimed at acquainting you with this rich
and varied theoretical framework and inspiring you to continue to learn more about it on your own.
Course Requirements: 9 reaction papers, a midterm exam and a final paper are required.
Class Participation: Worth 30% of your grade. Includes nine 1 page reaction papers where specified
and participation in class discussion and role plays.
Midterm Exam: Given on February 13 and due on February 20 . Worth 35% of your grade.
This exam will cover the first half of the course and will be a take-home essay exam in which
you will choose 3 of 5 essay questions – each essay will be limited to 3 double-spaced typed pages.
You will have 1 week to complete the exam.
Final Paper: Due date of May 7. Worth 35% of your grade.
You are to write a 10-12 page paper on an evidence-based psychodynamic approach to
psychotherapy that was not covered in class (i.e. Not Strupp & Binder’s approach and Not
Kernberg’s approach). The paper should discuss the theoretical approach, specific guidelines or
techniques utilized, the evidence base for the treatment, and its utility across patient populations.
Readings: There are 4 required texts and articles. The articles can be downloaded online. The texts
are available at the student bookstores.
Fonagy, P. (2003). Psychoanalytic Theories: Perspective from Developmental Psychopathology.
New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group. PT
Strupp, H. H. & Binder, J. L. (1984). Psychotherapy in a New Key: A Guide to Time-Limited
Dynamic Psychotherapy. New York: Basic Books. PNK
Clarkin, J.F., Yeomans, F. E., & Kernberg, O. F. (2006). Psychotherapy for Borderline Personality:
Focusing on Object Relations. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Publishing. PBP
Bromfield, R. (2007). Doing Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy: Adapting Psychodynamic
Technique to Contemporary Practice. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons. CAP
For the purposes of the syllabus, these books will be referred to as PT, PNK, PBP, & CAP.
Two additional books are required for our program for research methods. They are as follows:
Kazdin, A. E. (Ed.) (2003). Methodological Issues & Strategies in Clinical Research, 3rd edition.
Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association. MI
Kazdin, A. E. (2003). Research Design in Clinical Psychology, 4th Edition. Boston, MA: Allyn &
Bacon. RD
For the purposes of the syllabus, these books will be referred to as MI and RD.
SYLLABUS
January 15
Introduction and Overview: Historical and current views
Westen, D. (1998). The scientific legacy of Sigmund Freud: Toward a psychodynamically
informed psychological science. Psychological Bulletin, 124, (3), 333-371.
Loevinger, J. (1966). Three principles for a psychoanalytic psychology. Journal of Abnormal
Psychology, 71, 432-443.
Stricker, G. & Trierweiler, S.J. (1995). The local clinical scientist: A bridge between science and
practice. American Psychologist, 50, 995-1002.
Lilienfeld, S. et al. (2013). Why many clinical psychologists are resistant to evidence-based
practice: Root causes and constructive remedies. Clinical Psychology Review, 33, 883-900.
PT: Ch. 1
January 22
Unconscious conflict, motivation and defenses: Historical and current
views
1 page reaction paper to be submitted online by Tues. 1/20 at 9pm.
Freud, S. (1990). The method of interpreting dreams: An analysis of a specimen dream. Ch. 2 in
The Interpretation of Dreams.
Freud, S. (1990). The psychology of dream processes. Ch. 7 in The Interpretation of Dreams.
Freud, S. (1923). The Ego and the Id., Ch. 1-3.
Siefert, C. J., Hilsenroth, M. J., Weinberger, J., Blagys, M. D., & Ackerman, S. J. (2006). The
relationship of patient defensive functioning and alliance with therapist technique during
short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy,13, 20-33.
Solms, M., & Panksepp, J. (2012). The "ID" knows more than the "Ego" admits:
Neuropsychoanalytic and primal consciousness perspectives on the interface between
affective and cognitive neuroscience. Brain Sciences, 2, 147-175.
PT: Ch. 2 & 3
Role play in class around defenses
January 29
Origins of personality and social relationships in childhood and internal
representations: Developmental considerations
1 page reaction paper to be submitted online by Tues. 1/27 at 9pm.
Bowlby, J. (1988). A Secure Base. Ch. 2 and 7.
Bonovitz, C. (2012). Disorganized attachment and the use of fantasy: An
Interpersonal/Developmental Perspective. Psychoanalytic Psychology, 29, 459-471.
Cortina, M. & Liotti, G. (2010). Attachment is about safety and protection, intersubjectivity is about
sharing and social understanding: The relationships between attachment and intersubjectivity.
Psychoanalytic Psychology, 27, 410-441.
Huth-Bocks, A. C., Levendosky, A. A., Theran, S. A., & Bogat, G. A. (2004). The impact of
domestic violence on mothers’ prenatal representations of their infants. Infant Mental Health
Journal, 25, 79-98.
Blatt, S. J. (2006). A fundamental polarity in psychoanalysis: Implications for personality
development,psychopathology and the therapeutic process. Psychoanalytic Inquiry, 26 (4),
494-520.
PT: Ch. 7-10
Role play in class around discussion of internal representations
February 5
Interpersonal processes in psychotherapy (Chris Hopwood guest
lecture/discussion)
1 page reaction paper to be submitted online by Tues. 2/3 at 9pm.
Anchin, J.C., & Pincus, A.L. (2010). Evidence-based Interpersonal psychotherapy with personality
disorders: Theory, components, and strategies. In J.J. Magnavita (Ed.), Evidence-based
treatment of personality dysfunction: Principles, methods, and processes (pp. 113-166).
Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Benjamin, L. S. (1993). Every psychopathology is a gift of love. Psychotherapy Research, 3, 1-24.
Hopwood, C.J., Wright, A.G.C., Ansell, E.B., & Pincus, A. L. (2013). The interpersonal core of
personality pathology. Journal of Personality Disorders, 27, 270–295.
Messer, S. B. (2013). Three mechanisms of change in psychodynamic psychotherapy: Insight,
affect, and alliance. Psychotherapy, 50, 408-412.
Optional Readings
Sullivan, H.S. (1954). Psychiatric Interview. Ch. 1-4.
Reik. T. (1948). Listening with the third ear: The inner experience of a psychoanalyst. Ch. 12-16.
New York: Grove Press.
February 12
Gender/Sexual Orientation/Multicultural Issues in Theory: Historical
and Current Views
1 page reaction paper to be submitted online by Tues. 2/10 at 9pm.
Freud, S. (1933). Femininity. New Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis, pg. 145-169.
Chodorow, N. (1989). Family structure and feminine personality. Ch. 2 in Feminism and
Psychoanalytic Theory. New Haven, CT: Yale Univ. Press.
Tummala-Narra, P. (2007). Skin color and the therapeutic relationship. Psychoanalytic Psychology,
24, 255-270.
Altman, N. (2006). Whiteness. Psychoanalytic Quarterly, 75, 45-72.
Hamer, F. M. (2002). Guards at the gate: Race, resistance, and psychic reality. Journal of the
American Psychoanalytic Association, 50, 1219-1237.
Leary, K. (2012). Race as an adaptive challenge: Working with diversity in the clinical consulting
room. Psychoanalytic Psychology, 29, 279-291.
Perry, J. C. (2011). When race and culture matter in psychodynamic child therapy: Considerations
of theory, process and technique. Psychoanalysis, Culture & Society, 16, 179-195.
Downey, J. I., & Friedman, R. C. (2008). Homosexuality psychotherapeutic issues. British Journal
of Psychotherapy, 24, 429-468.
Suchet, M. (2011). Crossing over. Psychoanalytic Dialogues, 21, 172–191.
Role play around racial/gender issues in the therapeutic dyad.
Midterm Exam. This will be emailed to students on Feb. 13 and will be due on Feb. 20.
Feb. 19
Transference/countertransference - theory and research (Needs to be
rescheduled)
1 page reaction paper to be submitted online by Tues. 2/17 at 9pm.
Kernberg, O. (1987). An ego psychology-object relations theory approach to the transference.
Psychoanalytic Quarterly, 56, 197-221.
Ellman, S. J. (2007). Analytic trust and transference: Love, healing ruptures, and facilitating repairs.
Psychoanalytic Inquiry, 27, 246-263.
Eagle, M.N. (2000). A critical evaluation of current conceptions of transference and
countertransference. Psychoanalytic Psychology, 17, 24-37.
Comas-Diaz L & Jacobsen FM., (1991). Ethnocultural transference and countertransference in the
therapeutic dyad. American Journal of Orthopsychintry, 61, 392-402.
Hamer, F. M., (2006). Racism as a transference state: Episodes of racial hostility in the
psychoanalytic context. The Psychoanalytic Quarterly, 75, 97-214.
Levy, K. N., Meehan, K. B., Clarkin, J. F., Kernberg, O. F., Kelly, K. M., Reynoso, J. S., & Weber,
M. (2006). Change in attachment patterns and reflective function in a randomized control
trial of transference-focused psychotherapy for borderline personality disorder. Journal of
Clinical and Consulting Psychology, 74, 1027-1040.
Hilliard, R.B., Henry, W.P. & Strupp, H.H. (2000). An interpersonal model of psychotherapy:
Linking patient and therapist developmental history, therapeutic process, and types of
outcome. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 68, no. 1, 125-133.
Role play with transference – evoking countertransference.
Feb. 26
Case Formulation: Developmental Considerations
Greenspan, S. I. with N. T. Greenspan (1991). Constructing a formulation based on a developmental
approach. First part of Ch. 6 in The Clinical Interview of the Child, 2nd Ed. Washington,
D.C.: APA, pg. 167-191.
PNK: Ch. 4 & 5
PBP: Ch. 5 & 6
CAP: 1 & 2
Case Presentation
Mar. 5
Psychotherapy – Strupp and Binder’s short-term approach and Research
Design
PNK: Ch. 2, 3, 7, 9
MI: Ch. 30
March 12
No Class Spring Break
March 19
Short-term psychodynamic therapy continued and Research Design (Needs to
be rescheduled)
1 page reaction paper to be submitted online by Tues. 3/17 at 9pm.
Teyber, E. & Teyber, F.M (2014). Working with process dimensions in relational therapies:
Guidelines for clinical training. Journal of Counseling Psychology.
Hilsenroth, M. J. (2007). A programmatic study of short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy:
Assessment, process, outcome, and training. Psychotherapy Research, 17, 31-45.
Leichsenring, F., Hiller, W., Wesisberg, M., & Leibing, E. (2006). Cognitive-behavioral therapy
and psychodynamic therapy: Techniques, efficacy, and indications. American Journal of
Psychotherapy, 60, 233-259.
Binder, J. L., & Betan, E. J. (2013). Essential activities in a session of brief
psychodynamic/interpersonal psychotherapy. Psychotherapy, 50, 428-453.
Briggs, S. (2010). Time-limited psychodynamic psychotherapy for adolescents
and young adults. Journal of Social Work Practice, 24(2), 181-195.
Caligor, E., Kernberg, O.F., & Clarkin, J. F. (2007). Handbook of dynamic psychotherapy for higher
level personality pathology. American Psychiatric Publishing: Washington, D.C. Ch. 4, The
Basic Elements of DPHP, pages 61-84.
RD Ch. 6-12, 14
March 26
PBP: 1-4
Psychotherapy – Transference Focused-Psychotherapy
Kernberg, O. (1967). Borderline personality organization. Journal of the American Psychoanalytic
Association, 15,641-685.
Clarkin, J. F., Levy, K. N., Lenzenweger, M. F., & Kernberg, O. F. (2007). Evaluating three
treatments for borderline personality disorder: A multiwave study. The American Journal of
Psychiatry, 164, 922-928.
Goodman, G. (2013). Is mentalization a common process factor in transference-focused
psychotherapy and dialectical behavior therapy sessions? Journal of Psychotherapy
Integration, 23, 179-182.
Bateman, A. & Fonagy, P. (2013). Mentalization-based treatment. Psychoanalytic Inquiry, 33, 595613.
April 2
Psychotherapy – Transference Focused-Psychotherapy
PBP: Ch. 7-9
Aron, L. (1992). Interpretation as an expression of the analyst’s subjectivity. Psychoanalytic
Dialogues, 2, 475-507.
Fitzpatrick, K. (1999). Terms of endearment in clinical analysis. Psychoanalytic Quarterly, 68,
119-125.
Case presentation
April 9
Play Therapy: Developmental considerations
CAP: 3-10
Protopopescu, X. & Gerber, A. (2013). Bridging the gap between neuroscientific and
psychodynamic models in child and adolescent psychiatry. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric
Clinics of North America, 22, 1-31.
Abbass, A. A., Rabung, S., Leichsenring, F., Refseth, J.S., & Midgley, N. (2013). Psychodynamic
psychotherapy for children and adolescents: A meta-analysis of short-term psychodynamic
models. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 52, 863-875.
April 16
Play therapy continued and Group Therapy
1 page reaction paper to be submitted online by Tues. 4/14 at 9pm.
Yanof, J. A. (2013). Play technique in psychodynamic psychotherapy. Child and Adolescent
Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 22, 261-282.
Lieberman, A.F., & Harris, W.W. (2007). Still searching for the best interests of
the child: Trauma treatment in infancy and early childhood. The Psychoanalytic Study of the
Child, 62, 211-238.
Novick, K. K., & Novick, J. (2013). A new model of techniques for concurrent psychodynamic
work with parents of child and adolescent psychotherapy patients. Child and Adolescent
Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 22, 331-349.
Luthar, S., Suchman, N. W., Altomare, M. (2007). Relational psychotherapy mothers’ group: A
randomized clinical trial for substance abusing mothers. Development and Psychopathology,
19, 243-261.
Marvin, R., Cooper, G., Hoffman, K., & Powell, B. (2002). The Circle of Security
project: Attachment-based intervention with caregiver-pre-school child dyads. Attachment &
Human Development, 4(1), 107-124.
Tasca, G. A.; Foot, M.; Leite, C.; Maxwell, H.; Balfour, L.; & Bissada, H. (2011). Interpersonal
processes in psychodynamic-interpersonal and cognitive behavioral group therapy: A
systematic case study of two groups. Psychotherapy, 48, 260-273.
April 23
Supervision and Consultation
1 page reaction paper to be submitted online by Tues. 4/21 at 9pm.
Trimboli, F. & Keenan, C. W. (2010). Supervising student therapists: Suggestions for the transfer of
long-term psychotherapy patients. Psychoanalytic Psychology, 27, 319-329.
Goodman, G. (2005). I feel stupid and contagious: Countertransference reactions of fledging
clinicians to patients who have negative therapeutic reactions. American Journal of
Psychotherapy, 59 (2), 149-168
Gray, L. A., Ladan, N., Walker, J. A., & Ancis, J. R. (2001). Psychotherapy trainees’ experience of
counterproductive events in supervision. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 48, 371-383.
Riggs, S. A., & Bretz, K. M. (2006). Attachment processes in the supervisory relationship: An
exploratory investigation. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 37, 558-566.
Tummala-Narra, P. (2004). Dynamics of race and culture in the supervisory encounter.
Psychoanalytic Psychology, 21(2), 300-311.
Watkins, C. E. (2013). The contemporary practice of effective psychoanalytic supervision.
Psychoanalytic Psychology, 30, 300-328.
Liang, B., Tummala-Narra, P., & West, J. (2011). Revisiting community work from a
psychodynamic perspective. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 42, 398-404.
Blumenfield, M. (2006). The place of psychodynamic psychiatry in consultation-liaison psychiatry
with special emphasis on countertransference. Journal of the American Academy of
Psychoanalysis & Dynamic Psychiatry, 34, 83-92.
Walker, A. M. (2014). The psychodynamic formulation in the pediatric medical consultation:
Purpose, approach, and clinical application. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 68, 305318.
Role play with difficult issue to discuss in supervisory relationship.
April 30
Therapeutic Change and Psychotherapy Outcomes
1 page reaction paper to be submitted online by Tues. 4/28 at 9pm.
Johanssen, P. et al., (2010). The mediating role of insight for long-term improvements in
psychodynamic therapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 78, 438-448.
Muran, J.C. (2002). A relational approach to understanding change: Plurality and contextualism in a
psychotherapy research program. Psychotherapy Research, 12, 113-138.
Muratori, F., Picchi, L., Bruni, G., Patarnello, M., & Romagnoli, G. (2003). A two-year follow-up
of psychodynamic psychotherapy for internalizing disorders in children. Journal of the
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 42, 331-339
Bakermans-Kranenburg, M.J., van IJzendoorn, M.H., & Juffer, F. (2003). Less is more: Meta-
analyses of sensitivity and attachment interventions in early childhood. Psychological
Bulletin, 129, 195-215.
Tonge, B.J., Pullen, J.M., Hughes, G.C., & Beaufoy, J. (2009). Effectiveness of
psychoanalytic psychotherapy for adolescents with serious mental illness: 12 month
naturalistic follow-up study. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 43, 467475.
Driessen, E., et al. (2013). The efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy and psychodynamic therapy
in the outpatient treatment of major depression: A randomized clinical trial. The American
Journal of Psychiatry, 170, 1041-1050.
Hersoug, A.G., Haglend, P., Gabbard, G. O., & Lorentzen, S. (2013). The combined predictive effect
of patient characteristics and alliance on long-term dynamic and interpersonal functioning
after dynamic psychotherapy. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 20, 297-307.
Leichsenring, F., Abbass, A., Luyten, P., Hilsenroth, M., & Rabung, S. (2013). The emerging
evidence for long-term psychodynamic therapy. Psychodynamic Psychiatry, 41, 361-384.
Additional Opportunity
TBD – 2, 1-2 hour periods for case presentation and discussion of psychodynamic and CBT
approaches to interview, assessment, formulation, and treatment. These will be scheduled in March
and April with the CBT class taught by Jason Moser.
Recommended Readings for Further Exploration of Psychodynamic Theories
Freud, S. (1915/1977). Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis. New York: W.W. Norton & Co.
Freud, S. (1900/1913). The interpretation of dreams. New York: MacMillan.
Erikson, E. (1950). Childhood and Society. New York: W.W. Norton & Co.
Winnicott, D.W. (1971/1989). Playing and Reality. London: Routledge.
Sullivan, H.S. (1953/1977). Interpersonal Theory of Psychiatry. New York: W.W. Norton & Co..
Sullivan, H.S. (1954). Psychiatric Interview. New York: W.W. Norton & Co.
Greenson, R.R. (1967). The Technique and Practice of Psychoanalysis. International Universities
Press.
Kohut, H. (1984). How does analysis cure? Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Reik. T. (1948). Listening with the third ear: The inner experience of a psychoanalyst. New York:
Grove Press.
Greenberg, J. & Mitchell, S. (1983). Object relations in Psychoanalytic Theory. Cambridge, MA:
Harvard University Press.
Leary, T. (1957). Interpersonal Diagnosis of Personality. New York: Ronald Press Co.
Herman, J. (1992). Trauma and Recovery. New York: Basic Books.
Stern, D. (1985). The Interpersonal World of the Infant. New York: Basic Books.
Fraiberg, S. (1959). The Magic Years. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Axline, V. (1964). Dibs: In Search of Self. New York: Ballantine Books.