How psychologists learn to practise psychodynamic psychotherapy

Abstract

This article presents a theory about how psychologists learn to practice psychodynamic psychotherapy. Previous research has sought to standardise teaching practices and identify core competencies of the approach that practitioners should be able to demonstrate. However, there is a notable absence of hearing from those who both learn and teach the model, which would help to better understand the actual process of how this complex approach is assimilated by practitioners, and thereby enhance training practice and maximise competence and proficiency in the approach. Constructivist grounded theory is used to formulate a process of learning, centred on the core concepts of a journey to an alien land, and the kinds of nourishment and dependency necessary to navigate this terrain. In relation to existing research, recommendations for trainees and trainers are offered to guide academic practice.

Keywords:

• Clinical psychology
• counselling psychology
• psychodynamic psychotherapy
• doctoral training
• grounded theory

Acknowledgment

The authors would like to thank their participants and colleagues, as well as three anonymous reviewers, who generously contributed their time and thoughts to this research.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Russel Ayling

Russel Ayling is a clinical psychologist, psychoanalytic psychotherapist and independent doctoral trainer in psychology. He received his doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Exeter and trained in psychoanalytic psychotherapy at The Site for Contemporary Psychoanalysis, London. Since working in several NHS services, he has been part of doctoral programme teams in clinical and counselling psychology, most recently co-directing the professional doctorate in counselling psychology at Regent’s University London. Currently, he works primarily in private practice and contributes to the doctorate in clinical psychology at the Salomons Institute for Applied Psychology.

Anna Butcher

Anna Butcher is a counselling psychologist and independent doctoral trainer in psychology. She has a special interest in perinatal psychology and the experience of motherhood. Anna received her counselling psychology doctorate from City University, London and she has gone on to do various trainings in perinatal and infant mental health with the Anna Freud Centre, London, The Brazelton Centre UK and Oxford Parent-Infant Project (OXPIP). Anna worked as a counselling psychology trainer for over a decade and most recently co-directed the professional doctorate in counselling psychology at Regent’s University London. She currently works in both NHS and private practice in adult and perinatal mental health.