The Practical Issues of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

We have just completed the 22 hours of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy module by Dr Lyn Chua. I must say it was a very enriching learning experience. Dr Lyn is very knowledgeable. She is organized in her approach yet opened to intuition. The class felt drawn to her as she seemed approachable and whole-hearted in her dedication to impart knowledge and skills to us in a short time.


I learnt that, as a psychodynamic psychotherapist, I will have to convey information about patterns of client’s thinking, feeling and behaviors. Like a good teacher, I will have to exert profound effect by my impact as a person. As always, client’s cultural orientation needs to be factored in.

Not all clients are suited for psychodynamic psychotherapy. The class came up with a list of clients who are potential candidates for psychodynamic psychotherapy. And they are perfectionistic patients who are bright and suffering from panic attack, senior manager putting on an indifferent façade at work, substance abuse addicts, PTSD patients, and terminally ill patients, homosexual, angry, egoistic and narcissistic clients….


In addition to the assessment and selection, techniques and basic concepts of psychodynamic psychotherapy, I learnt the practical problems as well. Dr Lyn highlighted that gifts from clients are not to be accepted, ideally. And there’s a place to explore reason behind client’s desire to give gift. However, small gifts to establish relationship or mark important occasion can be appropriate. Secondly, telephone call from client should be kept brief and to avoid giving `interpretations’ on the phone so that client will not be kept in suspense or go into distress. 

As a psychotherapist, I need to be aware of power imbalance between client and myself. I have to ensure that there is no manipulation of transference. Instead to use the trust of the client to serve the latter’s own needs, so that fiduciary duty will not be breached.
I need to be aware of what emotions make me uncomfortable. It will really help if I begin to reflect on own strengths, weaknesses, feelings and issues. I need to be able to accept client’s critiques of me and acknowledge my own limits. Supervision too opens my mind to explore options and possibilities, and bring out awareness of my own blind spots.




I visited Freud’s home-turned-museum last December but have come to know Freud better through Dr Lyn Chua.




I Am by temperament nothing
but a Conquistador - An Adventurer…
with all the curiosity, daring, and tenacity
characteristic of a man of this sort.
~ Sigmund Freud to Wilhelm Flieβ
1 February 1900