What is it about?
This qualitative study interviewed 12 adults who had received long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy to examine how they experienced treatment. Participants viewed the therapeutic relationship and increased self-understanding as central mechanisms of change, with gradual improvements in emotional and interpersonal functioning. Other treatments were often seen as insufficient for deeper, longstanding difficulties. Sustaining extended therapy, however, was described as emotionally demanding and financially challenging.
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Why is it important?
Understanding patient perspectives on long-term psychodynamic therapy fills a major gap in a field dominated by trial data and clinician-led accounts, offering insight into how change is actually experienced in real-world practice. These findings can guide more patient-centred decision-making, help identify who may benefit most from extended treatment, and inform policies that address barriers to access
Perspectives
It was a very rewarding and enriching experience conducting this study, and I am deeply indebted and grateful to the participants who agreed to share their views. I believe that this is an important contribution to the literature because it clearly demonstrates that the experience of receiving long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy shows a high fidelity to current theoretical models, suggesting that it is a coherent framework of care for people with complex problems.
Max Moser
University College London
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Patient experiences of long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy for mood disorders: A naturalistic semistructured interview study., Psychotherapy, November 2025, American Psychological Association (APA),
DOI: 10.1037/pst0000609.
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