PSYCHOTHERAPY BY A COMBINED BEHAVIORAL AND DYNAMIC APPROACH

Much of the psychological theory underlying behavior therapy and dynamic therapy are not contradictory or mutually exclusive but are different levels of conceptualization of the same phenomena. There seems to be much overlap in the way patients are actually treated within the frameworks of these two approaches. It is argued that for some patients an effective therapeutic regimen may be one that includes both a behavioral and a dynamic course of treatment. The feasibility of such a combined approach is illustrated by a case report of a woman whose severe frigidity was first treated by Brevitalaided systematic desensitization. This brought about an increase in her sexual responsiveness and improvement in her general adjustment. Following this, problems in relationships with her husband and others were the focus of short-term dynamic psychotherapy. This was followed by further improvement in her sexual functioning as well as improvement in other aspects of her adjustment. © 1968.