| CODE | PSY5613 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Psychotherapeutic Approaches: Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, Humanistic-Existential Therapy and Couples Therapy | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 5 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Psychology | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | The study-unit presents the psychodynamic, humanistic-existential and systemic frameworks with a view to understanding human behaviour when working with individuals and couples. The application of such conceptual frameworks to psychotherapeutic intervention will be highlighted. The theory will be illustrated by case studies. Study-Unit Aims: To consolidate students' understanding of the various theoretical underpinnings of the psychodynamic, humanistic-existential and systemic therapeutic approaches, as applied to individuals and couples. To teach students how to conduct a formulation from the perspective of the above frameworks, whilst keeping in mind both individual and couple dynamics on the basis of case studies provided. To strengthen students' understanding of how these conceptual frameworks inform the implementation of specific therapeutic techniques and to be able to apply them in the different contexts of psychotherapy. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Critically evaluate the various theoretical underpinnings of the schools of psychotherapy; - Describe and critically differentiate between the various schools of psychotherapy; - Evaluate the important elements in a formulation that integrates various aspects of the individual's and the couple's life history, symptoms and contextual information from the theoretical framework of particular schools of thought; - Critically evaluate both theoretical and technical divergences between schools of psychotherapy and the possibility of integration. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Construct relevant therapeutic techniques and strategies whilst drawing from the psychoanalytic, humanistic-existential and systemic theoretical frameworks; - Demonstrate competence in building a meaningful therapeutic relationship with individuals and couples; - Demonstrate a non-judgmental, open and collaborative attitude towards the client/s. Demonstrate appropriate consideration of issues of gender, class and culture in psychotherapy; - Demonstrate competence in focusing on the uniqueness of persons and to tailor the approach to the individual鈥檚 and the couple's unique needs rather than to attempt to fit persons to the specific approach in psychotherapeutic assessment and intervention. Main Text/s and supplementary readings: Core Text: - Corsini, R.J. & Wedding, D. (2019). Current Psychotherapies. Cengage Learning. Additional Readings - Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy: - Bion, W.R. (1962a). The Psycho-Analytic Study of Thinking. International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 43, 306-310. - Bion, W.R. (1959). Attacks on linking. International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 40, 308-315. - Carveth, D.L. (2018). The still small voice: Psychoanalytic reflections on guilt and conscience. Routledge. - Carveth, D.L. (2018). Psychoanalytic thinking: A dialectic critique of contemporary theory and practice. Routledge. - Carveth, D.L. (2024). Guilt: A contemporary introduction. Routledge. - Clarkson, P. & Nuttall, J. (2000). Working with countertransference. Psychodynamic Counselling, 6(3) 359-379. doi: 10.1080/13533330050132125. - Fairbairn, W.R.D. (2008). Psychoanalytic Studies of the Personality. Routledge. - Freud, S. (1917). Mourning and Melancholia. The Standard Edition, 14, (pp. 237-258). - Freud, S. (1923). The ego and the id. Standard Edition, 19, 3- 59. - Grotstein, J.S. (2007). A beam of intense darkness: Wilfred Bion鈥檚 legacy to psychoanalysis. Routledge. - Heimann, P. (1950). On Countertransference. International Journal of Psychoanalysis 31, 81-84. - Leiper, R. (2014). Psychodynamic formulation: Looking beneath the surface. In L. Johnstone & R. Dallos (Eds.). Formulation in Psychology and Psychotherapy: Making sense of people鈥檚 problems (pp. 45-66). London: Routledge. - Kernberg, O.F. (1984). Severe personality disorders: Psychotherapeutic strategies. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. - Klein, M. (1997). Envy and gratitude and other works 1946-1963. London: Vintage. (Original work published 1946). - Luca, M. (2004). The therapeutic frame in the clinical context. London: Routledge. - McWilliams, N. (1999). Psychoanalytic case formulation. New York: The Guilford press. - McWilliams, N. (2004). Psychoanalytic psychotherapy. New York: The Guilford press. - McWilliams, N. (2011). Psychoanalytic diagnosis. New York: The Guilford press. - Mc Williams, N., & Shedler, J. (2017). Personality Syndromes. In Lingiardi, V. & McWilliams, N. (Eds.). Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual: PDM - 2 (pp 15-74). New York: The Guilford Press. - Miller, A. (1981). Prisoners of childhood: The drama of the gifted child and the search for the true self. New York: Basic Books. - Racker, H. (1968). Transference and countertransference. London: Maresfield Reprints. - Segal, J. (2004). Melanie Klein. Sage Publications. - StClair, M. (1996). Object relations and self psychology: An introduction. CA, US: Thomson Brooks/Cole Publishing Co. - Steiner, J. (2009). Psychic retreats: Pathological organizations in psychotic, neurotic and borderline patients. London: Routledge. - Steiner, J. (2011). Seeing and being seen. London: Routledge. - Sussman, M. B. (2007). A curious calling: Unconscious motivations for practicing psychotherapy. Northvale, NJ: J. Aronson. - Winnicott, D.W. (1949). Hate in the countertransference. Journal of psychotherapy practice and research 3(4),349-356. Additional Readings - Humanistic-Existential Therapy: - Clarkson, P. (2003). The therapeutic relationship. (2nd edition.). Whurr Publishers. - Frankl, V.E. (1984). Man鈥檚 search for meaning. Washington Square Press. - Joyce, P. & Sills, C. (2005). Skills in Gestalt counselling & psychotherapy. Sage Publications. - Mackewn, J. (2003). Developing Gestalt counselling. Sage Publications, London. - Perls, F.S., Hefferline, R. F. & Goodman. P. (1994). Gestalt therapy: Excitement and growth in the human personality. The Gestalt Journal Press, NY. - Polster, E., & Polster, M. (1973). Gestalt therapy integrated: Contours of theory and practice. New York:Brunner/Mazel. - Rogers, C. (1961). On becoming a person. Boston: (2nd edition.). Houghton Mifflin. - Rollo, M. (1981). Freedom and destiny. W.W. Norton &Company NY. - Schneider, K.J. & Krug, O.T. (2010) Existential-Humanistic therapy. APA: Washington DC. - Spinelli, E. (2003). The interpreted world: An introduction to phenomenological psychology. Sage Publications. - Thorne, B. (2006). Carl Rogers. Sage Publications. - Yalom, I.D. (1980) Existential psychotherapy. New York: Basic Books. - Yontef, G. (1993). Awareness, dialogue and process: Essays on Gestalt therapy. The Gestalt Journal Press, Highland, NY. - Zinker, J. (1977). Creative process in Gestalt therapy. Vintage Books: USA. Additional readings - Couples Therapy: - Gurman, A. S., & Burton, M. (2014). Individual therapy for couple problems: Perspectives and pitfalls. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 40(4), 470-483. - Johnson, S. M. (2012). The practice of emotionally focused couple therapy: Creating connection. Routledge. - Karam, E. A., Sprenkle, D. H., & Davis, S. D. (2015). Targeting threats to the therapeutic alliance: A primer for marriage and family therapy training. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 41(4), 389-400. - Sammut Scerri, C. , Vetere, A., Abela, A., & Cooper, J. (2017). Intervening after violence: Therapy for couples and families. Springer. - Symonds, D., & Horvath, A. O. (2004). Optimizing the alliance in couple therapy. Family process, 43(4), 443-455. - Wiebe, S. A., & Johnson, S. M. (2016). A review of the research in emotionally focused therapy for couples. Family Process, 55(3), 390-407. General: - Dallos, R. & Johnstone, L. (Eds.). (2014). Formulation in psychology and psychotherapy: Making sense of people's problems. Uk: Routledge. - Houston, G. O鈥橞rien, M. (2007). Integrative therapy: A practitioner鈥檚 guide. Sage Publications. |
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| ADDITIONAL NOTES | Pre-Requisite qualifications: BPsy (Hons) | ||||||||||||
| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Georgina Debattista Colette Farrugia Bennett Ingrid Lanfranco Clarissa Sammut Scerri Maria Vella |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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