Search

This review proposes an analysis of some of the many possible psychotherapeutic treatment approaches and modalities that are most effective at present according to the latest guidelines. Psychotherapy, often underestimated, plays a key role in the integrated treatment of patients presenting with various forms of psychological distress and/or psychiatric disorders and is an essential element in the healing process. The usefulness of psychological supports is too often poorly considered in general practice clinics, while its scientific value has also been recognized by Evidence Based Medicine. This paper has set out to examine the most effective current psychotherapies for the treatment of the most prevalent psychological and psychiatric disorders at present, with a focus on the so-called third-wave or third-generation psychotherapy approaches (DBT, ST, EMDR, MBT, TMI, MBCT), which represent an evolution of standard TCC and arise precisely from the need to integrate the concreteness and Evidenced-based efficacy of TCC with the most powerful elements of the psychoanalytic approach, thus creating a unique, comprehensive and integrated synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vicissitudes of a group of psychotherapy with adolescent patients, from its foundation to just over one year of work, bring to the attention of the conductor and of the observer of the group the suffered subject of the absence of the other. Depending on the analysed matter, and therefore at different levels, in this paper they retrace, listening also to their own countertransference, the trouble and urgency to match depressive and deadly experiences linked to absence and loss. Far from regarding the matter as depending only on the patients, the conductor and the observer ask themselves about the drives that have supported and influenced the birth and the definition of this group, which shows working features of its own, which are described in here. Then the hypothesis is suggested that a "joint" among different facts (such as the lack of a shared group culture in the institution where the group was born, the often small number of participants, the histories of the patients scattered with dropouts and also the tasks of adolescent development itself) have resulted in and allowed the group, if not to work through the matter of the absence of the other, at least to push on presenting it in different times and with different languages (interactions among participants, actings out, movie storytelling,...), aiming to expand increasingly broader areas of thinkability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Covid-19 Pandemia is still in progress. Several long term consequences are to be foreseen on Mental Health too. International Institutions like WHO did'nt had a proper response to the challenge. So did Italians Institutions who payed poor attention to Psychological effects. Virus contagion and Fear and Distress have worked together and touched many people in several ways. The article will mention some of those: Change in Institutions, Losses and bereavement, childhood and adolescence, psychosocial risks. Some of the interventions revealed to be effective and will be mentioned at the end of the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the numerous studies that have been conducted in recent years on the effectiveness of Mindfulness practices in different contexts and in relation to various psychological disorders, the debate on its usefulness of the same in training course of students of psychotherapy schools remains open. The aim of this paper is to give a theoretical contribution to the subject through a review of studies that evaluate the effect of practical Mindfulness on the individual training of future therapists. It is hypothesized that Mindfulness can be introduced as an ideal solution to those training obligations concerning personal development, as set out by current regulations regarding training. This paper examined 8 studies concerning the usefulness of Mindfulness practices for clinicians in training, from 2000 to 2018, identified through a study on PsycINFO and Medline. Only studies using secular meditation techniques of contemplative awareness, such as MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) and similar have been considered. The studies reviewed showed positive results in reference to the individual training of the therapist and as a defence against burnout. The results regarding the fact that these individual benefits may produce positive outcomes on the improvement in patients are, however, more controversial. Therefore, further controlled and randomised research is necessary, especially in comparison with different alternatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper highlights the developments of the clinical dimension of Psychology undertaken and carried out by Renzo Canestrari since his entry into the School of Medicine of the University of Bologna, in 1961. The work describes the educational objectives, the lines of research, and the expansion of teaching in the academic institution. In this path Psychosomatic Medicine has represented a crucial disciplinary area and research field that worked as a point of convergence of medical and psychological needs, while encouraging the integration of different theoretical and methodological perspectives, such as Gestalt psychology, psychoanalysis, psychometric and psychophisiological approaches. This analysis of the scientific, institutional and professional events makes it apparent the close relationship between medicine and psychology, which provided a mutual advantage and favored the affirmation of clinical psychology in its academic, scientific and professional side. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of the present paper is to investigate aspects of the external setting characterizing remote clinical relationships. This is also accomplished through the presentation of data from a study conducted during the CoViD-19 lockdown. Method: Research was carried out with a semi-structured questionnaire developed with Google Forms. The questionnaire, consisting of 17 multiple-choices closed questions and 2 open questions, was divided into four sections: 1. Personal data; 2. Professional activity; 3. External/material setting; 4. Internal/mental setting. The questionnaire was available online from the 6th to 27th of April 2020. 45 psychologists (28.13%) and 115 psychotherapists (71.87%) participated in the research for a total of 160 participants. Results: The need to switch to the remote clinical relationship during the CoViD-19 lockdown led to some changes in the external setting. 53.13% of participants changed the day and time of their clinical encounters and 40% changed the number of weekly meetings. Compared to the characteristics of the external setting chosen by the patients, 30.43% of our study participants reported inappropriate environments (cars, balconies, parks, bathrooms, etc.) and a certain variability of the place used for the online clinical encounters. However, the majority of participants only occasionally investigated the reasons behind their patient's choice. 29.71% of participants reported that their patients engaged in other activities while in the meeting with them (looking after a child, drinking alcohol, petting pets, etc.) and 21.74% mentioned intrusions (parents, partners, animals, etc.) in the environment where the telehealth encounter was taking place for their patients. Finally, the research has shown that in the online setting 66.88% of responding participants had difficulty tuning in adequately with the patient; 25.63% tended to be more active; 37.50% more supportive; while 18.75% have greater difficulty remaining silent. Conclusions: After a brief analysis of the concept of setting, the authors state that in remote clinical relationships the clinician delegates the identification and management of a part of the external setting to his or her patient. This delegation affects the functionality of the clinical setting, particularly to what refers to its ability to isolate and shield the relationship from “external reality” and plays a role in the inhibition of enacted behaviors. The subdivision of the external setting into two locations and separate environments across the video screen increases the patients’ responsibility towards it but also the chances of acting out common emotional patterns. In fact here the actual structure of the clinical setting changes: the side managed by the therapist is more anchored on theoretical and on “theory of the technique” foundations and can therefore be considered “an actual traditional clinical setting”; while the side of the patient has the tendency to more likely express his or her internal world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What do we see when we observe a psychodynamic group with adolescents? The present paper tries to put in evidence three possible observational perspectives: centered on the single-case, on the group as a totality and on the intersubjetive interactions. The three points of view do not exclude each other and, if they are integrated, new hypothesis can be opened on the interrelations between individual and group functioning. The observation represents the main tool to understand and explore the group process while working with children and adolescents. For this reason it is necessary to reflect on how this tool defines the observed field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The communication and the relations with children in psychotherapy needs further studies and experimentations to develop effective methods, suitable to be taught. This paper presents the clinical experience of the authors about the use of techniques of illusionism in the clinical consultation with children with cancer, starting from a review of the scientific literature on their use in patients with organic diseases during the developmental age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]