Module 5 Discussion: Initial Post
The Oldest Daughter Loses Her Job: A Psychodynamic Reading of Teresa
This week I tried reading our course client, Teresa, through a psychodynamic lens, and it changed how I understand the case. In the cognitive behavioral module, I described her core belief that her worth depends on providing. A psychodynamic approach asks where that belief came from and how it lives in her relationships now, including with the counselor.
In session five, Teresa mentioned that her father died when she was 14 and that she, the oldest of four, helped her mother raise her siblings while working after school. She said it matter-of-factly. From a psychodynamic view, this history suggests that providing became more than a value; it became the way she held the family together and kept grief at a distance. The layoff removed the role that had protected her for almost 40 years. Her repeated line, "It's just a job," may work as a defense, minimizing the loss so that she does not have to feel it, and the evening wine may serve the same purpose. What she is grieving may not only be a job; it may be the first time since she was 14 that no one needs her to provide.
Shedler (2010) described distinctive features of psychodynamic technique, including a focus on emotion and its expression, exploring attempts to avoid distressing thoughts and feelings, identifying recurring themes and patterns, discussing past experience, attending to relationships, and attending to the therapy relationship itself. Several fit Teresa. The counselor might gently notice how quickly she moves past sad moments, or observe that she has taken care of everyone except herself for a long time. The therapy relationship matters too: Teresa has been an ideal client, always prepared and apologetic when she forgets homework. She may be trying to provide for the counselor as well, and exploring that could open the grief she keeps closed. The concept of the working alliance itself came from psychoanalytic writing before Bordin (1979) generalized it to all therapies.
The evidence is stronger than its reputation. Shedler (2010) concluded that effect sizes for psychodynamic therapy are as large as those for therapies promoted as empirically supported, and that patients maintain gains and appear to continue improving after treatment ends. That does not make it a competitor to cognitive behavioral therapy, whose evidence base a review of meta-analyses judged very strong (Hofmann et al., 2012). I would not replace the behavioral and motivational work we have planned, since Teresa needs practical relief now, but I think a psychodynamic understanding explains why the cognitive work may stall: a belief protecting someone from grief is not given up just because the evidence against it is good.
Question for classmates: when a client's present problem seems practical, how do you decide whether exploring the past will help or feel like a detour to them?
References
Bordin, E. S. (1979). The generalizability of the psychoanalytic concept of the working alliance. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice, 16(3), 252-260. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0085885
Hofmann, S. G., Asnaani, A., Vonk, I. J. J., Sawyer, A. T., & Fang, A. (2012). The efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy: A review of meta-analyses. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 36(5), 427-440. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-012-9476-1
Shedler, J. (2010). The efficacy of psychodynamic psychotherapy. American Psychologist, 65(2), 98-109. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0018378
How this PSY 530 Module 5 example is structured
Aspen's catalog describes PSY530 as analyzing theories' techniques and principles and evaluating them in real-world scenarios. Aspen does not publish module deliverables, so check your classroom for the exact prompt. This example applies a theory's core concepts to new case material, names features of its technique from a source, reports its evidence accurately, relates it to other approaches and asks peers a question.
PSY530 Module 5 questions, answered
What does the PSY530 Module 5 discussion usually ask for?
Discussions in the middle of PSY530 often ask you to apply another theory, such as psychodynamic therapy, to a client and compare it with approaches studied earlier. Aspen does not publish module deliverables, so your classroom's instructions govern.
What are distinctive features of psychodynamic therapy?
According to Shedler, they include a focus on emotion, exploring avoidance of painful thoughts and feelings, identifying recurring patterns, discussing past experience, attending to relationships and to the therapy relationship, and exploring fantasy life.
Is psychodynamic therapy evidence based?
Shedler's 2010 review concluded that its effect sizes are as large as those of other therapies promoted as empirically supported, with gains maintained and often continuing after treatment ends.
Write yours, or have the desk draft it
This paper is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Aspen University document. Read it for the moves, then write your own to the instructions in your classroom. If you want one built to your exact prompt and rubric, the first custom sample is free and arrives in 24 to 48 hours.