Deliberate Practice in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

Deliberate practice exercises help trainees and students achieve competence in essential psychodynamic therapy (PDT) skills and apply them in a range of clinical situations using a style and language that is congruent with who they are. These exercises present role-playing scenarios in which two trainees act as a client and a clinician, switching back and forth under the guidance of a supervisor. The clinician improvises appropriate and authentic responses to client statements organized into two difficulty levels- intermediate and advanced- that reflect common client questions and concerns. Each of the first 12 exercises focuses on a single skill, such as engaging in a therapeutic inquiry, deepening emotional experience, pointing out defenses, making transference interpretations, and providing a corrective emotional experience. Two comprehensive exercises follow in which trainees integrate these essential skills into a single psychodynamic psychotherapy session. Step-by-step instructions guide participants through the exercises, identify criteria for mastering each skill, and explain how to monitor and adjust difficulty. Guidelines to help trainers and trainees get the most out of training are also provided.