Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy

Psychoanalytic psychotherapy is more varied than psychoanalysis. It may be
very intensive, or it may be focused on a specific problem, such as a recent
loss or trouble deciding about a job. In psychoanalytic psychotherapy, the
patient and therapist usually sit face-to-face and approach the patient’s
problems, whatever they are, in a more interactive way. Most often, patient
and therapist meet twice per week in fifty-minute sessions. Once per week is
also common but not considered to be as helpful. More frequent meetings
(three to five times per week) may be necessary if the patient is in crisis or
has chronic problems that are not treatable with psychoanalysis.
Although psychoanalysts are well trained to practice psychoanalytic psychotherapy,
this treatment is also practiced by psychotherapists who are not
psychoanalysts. Some of these therapists have taken courses at psychoanalytic
institutes.