The Core Competencies of Relational Psychodynamic Therapy
7 Core Competencies of Relational Psychodynamic/Psychoanalytic Therapy
Therapeutic Intent
Therapeutic Stance/Attitude
Deep Listening/Affective Attunement
The Here and Now, and the There and Then
Patterning and Linking
Repetition and Working Through
Courageous Speech/Disciplined Spontaneity
Therapeutic Intent
The first of the seven core competencies outlined in the Core Competencies of Relational Psychoanalysis is Therapeutic intent. Therapeutic Intent ior Intents are the goals and motivations of the therapist and the therapeutic process. Healing occurs only when there is an intention to help facilitate growth and change through the relationship and with the patient. Intentions are what we are striving towards and working towards in the therapy process and healing endeavor. Without an intention, growth, change, and progress cannot be made. It is important to each of us, as therapists, to have an idea of what we believe we are heading towards, and that growth and healing is possible.
Therapeutic Stance/Attitude
Every therapist has their own unique stance and attitude in the therapeutic endeavor and process. But there are some basic tenets to the therapeutic stance that are shared amongst all therapists. The most universal tents being that of compassion, healing is possible for everyone, and presence. There are many others, but there is also room for subjectivity and individualized stances and attitudes. It’s important to know where you stand as a therapist, and how you view and approach the therapy process. If one does not take a stand on anything, then one stands for nothing.
Deep ListeningAffective Attunement
One of the core competencies of Relational psychodynamic therapy, is deep listening and attuning to affect. Deep listening is more than just active listening to what is being said by the other– it is listening for what lies beneath the surface, and what has yet to be named. This means listening for subtext, themes, and emotions that the other may not even realize they are feeling or carrying. This is a hard skill to hone and master, and takes more than years of practice. Listening with the third ear requires high-0degree of concentration and awareness– as well as a keen sense and emotional intelligence.
The third ear also goes beyond deep listening, as it is crucial in listening to one’s own affect. As a therapist, part of my job is to check in with myself and notice what is coming up for me, and seeing how that might have something to do with what my patients are bringing to me in any given session. Once I have an idea of what I am feeling, I can then attune to the affect or emotional expression and communication of my patient. Attuneing to our patient's effects, helps us to grow closer in understanding what is going on, and to help regulate disavowed or unwanted emotions.
The Here and Now, and There and Then
Both the past and present are important in the psychotherapy process. We understand our present by first knowing where we came from and how we have gotten to where we are now. The There and Then, is our roast and how we have moved through the world and relationships in a particular way of being and response. In therapy, we attempt to recollect the past and put it into context. By examining and looking at our past we can see patterns of relational dynamics and behavior– as well as gaining perspective on a past trauma.
Once we understand our past, we can begin to better understand our present. With this knowledge, we can start to see the patterns and trauma responses emerge in the present and current relationships. The There and Then shows up in the Here and Now, which is the focal point of the therapeutic relationship. As a therapist, I focus on both the There and then, and the Here and now. But it is through the Here and Now that we can catch sight of a pattern and dynamic, and begin to shift that problematic pattern or dynamic. We cannot change the past, but we do not have to be chained by it either.
Patterning and Linking
In therapy, we are looking at the patterns that show up in session, that are often problematic patterns from the past. These patterns echo and ripple throughout our lives often creating the same situation– and we feel as though we are constantly reliving the past or the same thing over and over again. Rarely though, are we able to see these patterns for ourselves, and only see the aftermath and consequences– and are left feeling confused or in pain . The feeling of, ‘I’ve been here before’, or ‘here we go again’ often is a sign of a patterned behavior or dynamic.
In spite of this, we do not have to repeat the past– and we have the freedom and agency to choose our own way and change. We start to find ways out of these patterns by making links between the past and present. Seeing how our past has shaped us, and how we have become stuck in old patterns that are no longer serving us is the beginning down a path towards growth, hope, and forgiveness. This is one of the core competencies of relational psychotherapy, and a vital task in the therapy process for healing and growth.
Repetition and Working Through
People often come to therapy after having run up against the same issue and situation time after time. You may feel as though you are back at square one and have made no progress. This feeling that arises is a result of a repetition or repeated pattern or dynamic. The hurtful repetition or the repetition that wounds is what causes a repetitive injury to one’s psyche and heart. Repetitive wounds of the heart are like scar tissue wounds of the body– they become ingrained and difficult to recover from. We often close ourselves off and develop defenses to protect against future or potential harm. And when these defenses grow harmful or helpful– we begin to seek out a new way of working through these issues.
In therapy, we also run ito these repetitions– albeit in a more nuanced and sublte way. My task as a therapist is to not avoid these repetitions, but identify them and help us to find a way out. Getting caught up in a repetition or enactment is all part of the therapy process, and it is through this working through, that we can begin to heal. The task of therapy is to see how we are repeating the past, and finding a new and creative means for resolving the conflict or enactment. Through this working through, we can find a new ending, and break out of our wounding repetitions. In this way, therapy itself is a new beginning– and the beginning for true growth and healing.
Courageous Speech/Disciplined Spontaneity
The work of therapy is difficult and arduous. Oftentimes, it is challenging to sit with these painful and heavy emotions, and to work through trauma and relational dynamics. The traditional model of psychotherapy espoused a blank screen approach, or a more distant and authoritarian stance. This meant that the therapist would listen and make interpretations when needed. A massive shift came in the form of more relational modalities that moved away from this way of doing therapy– towards something more active and engaging. Much has been written about this relational turn, and it is in this tradition that I practice and am currently receiving post-graduate training in through the Relationally-Focused Psychodynamic Therapy training program.
A core competency aroused by this model is that of courageous speech and disciplined spontaneity. This means that I don’t just sit back and listen– that I engage with whoever is sitting with me in the room in a brave and disciplined manner. This means my speaking to and addressing that which will heal, but I or the other person might be afraid to bring up, for fear of possible abandonment or inflicting pain. It is courageous for attend to the hard emotions and painful dynamics that we often let go in silence, preferring to just be polite and nice– resulting in little growth on behalf of the client. But, we don’t do this without first taking the time to think about what we are saying and how we deliver it to the patient. This is a difficult concept to expound upon in this short blog. So I highly recommend reading further in The Core Competencies of Relational Psychoanalysis by Roy Barsnses.
If you wish to read more about this idea, please check out The Core Competencies of Relational Psychoanalysis by Roy Barsness.