Outpatient Psychotherapies for personal disorder patient

Jumat, 15 Januari 2010

Establishing an ongoing and productive working relationship with a therapist is a fundamental goal in any treatment, but it is of particular importance for individuals with BPD because it is often very difficult to facilitate with these patients. Consequently, therapists practicing a wide variety of therapy disciplines have recognized the importance of employing a supportive stance with their borderline patients. Winston and colleagues (2001) advocated the notion that “supportive therapy can be considered a ‘shell’ that fits over most theoretical orientations” (p. 346).

That is, whether the core orientation of the treatment is from a cognitivebehavioral or a psychodynamic tradition , a supportive demeanor is necessary to engage and keep the patient in treatment. Although it is important in establishing the alliance, this approach also allows the therapist to model an alternative way of interacting through such interventions as empathic responses and validation of feelings. The therapy relationship is used to teach the patient about his or her difficulties with other people, to enhance the patient’s self-esteem, and to assist in managing anxiety. A variety of psychotherapeutic approaches have incorporated supportive elements in treating patients with BPD, and many therapists now employ supportive psychotherapy as a distinct approach in and of itself.