Teaching psychodynamic technique during an observed analytic psychotherapy interview

Psychodynamic techniques of confrontation, clarification, and interpretation were taught to psychiatry residents during "live" analytic psychotherapy interviews. First, during a therapeutic interview with a resident's patient in a seminar group setting, the interviewer (author) periodically stopped to discuss formulations and technique. Later, the author conducted the interviews until dynamic intervention seemed indicated; at those points, the author stopped, discussed the defenses and affects causing pathology, and then asked a resident to make the psychodynamic intervention with the patient. This teaching technique was rated by the residents as extremely helpful in integrating psychoanalytic theory with clinical interventions.