Controversial issues in psychodynamic and symptom-focused treatment

The choice between psychodynamic and symptom-focused treatment tends to polarize clinicians. Unfortunately, practitioners often take sides, universally applying one or the other treatment rather than choosing the approach best suited to each patient's needs. Discussion between the adherents of each treatment may generate more heat than light. To facilitate a more objective discussion of this division, the authors describe some of the major differences between the two viewpoints and discuss their implications. Their purpose is not primarily to choose sides or resolve the dilemmas but rather to clarify the issues involved.