or click to send a message
Short-term, “brief” Psychodynamic Counselling.
In addition to open-ended counselling, Dean can offer short-term psychodynamic psychotherapeutic counselling for both individuals and couples – where an assessment deems it appropriate to do so.
Short-term psychodynamic psychotherapeutic counselling is where the client(s) and counsellor meet weekly for an agreed set number of sessions. Each session lasts for fifty minutes, occurs once a week, and the whole therapy is limited to an agreed number of sessions (which may be between four to twelve sessions, to give an example). The actual number will be agreed by mutual consent between counsellor and client. The brief-therapy work concentrates upon a specific (and agreed) matter in the life of the client(s) and the therapy aims not to expand into other subject matters. Expanding into other matters is more in the realm of open-ended counselling.
In Summary…
- Short-term psychodynanic counselling works to a fixed number of sessions.
- The client and counsellor must agree a focus at the beginning.
- Although other matters may come up during counselling, these matters may need to be put aside (at least for now).
- The client must be motivated and focussed to do this form of therapy.
- The relationship between counsellor and client must be good to achieve this focussed work.
Some benefits of short-term, brief psychodynamic counselling work can include:-
- …the therapy lasts for a certain “known” amount of time,
- …the end date of the therapy is known at the start (which can be helpful on the focus of the counselling),
- …the client is aware of how much money the counselling will cost,
- …only a specific matter is worked with,
- …it can be useful to be able to measure the outcome of the counselling, although this is in no way essential or compulsory,
- …the rapport between client and counsellor is good, and therapeutically reliable (the client having had at least one beneficial relationship in their life)
- …uses client’s own insight into their problem,
- …works if the area of conflict can be agreed upon.
This approach – and these limitations – can be beneficial to some clients. It is important, however, to realise that this approach is not suitable for everyone, and an initial assessment will be helpful in evaluating if this form of therapy could be helpful and in the client’s best interests.
Arguments against brief therapy include the client’s needs not being met by focussing upon just one subject matter or by setting a deadline to a psychological or emotional matter, when a deadline would be inappropriate. The assessment session will allow client and counsellor to discuss what is and what is not possible, and to reach a decision together as to whether short-term, brief therapy would be suitable as opposed to open-ended therapy.
See also “How long can counselling take”.
Related reading items are provided and controlled by Amazon.co.uk
Free pamphlet: "How to get the best out of your therapist."
