Rewind of Episode 28: Making the Case for Psychotherapy with Dr. Jonathan Shedler

Mind Dive

Happy Monday to all Mind Dive listeners. This episode has been by far our most popular since we started Mind Dive in Feb. 2022. Thanks again to Dr. Jonathan Shedler for giving his expertise and time to the discussion. This week we replay it for those who may not have heard it.
Hotly debated in mental health care, psychoanalytic therapy has been criticized for lacking evidence compared to other approaches. Now, many clinicians attest to the benefits of this evidence-based treatment and see a great need in their patients for relationship-centered therapeutic approaches from their doctor and an emphasis on knowing oneself in order to heal.

Dr. Jonathan Shedler, psychologist and author of, “The Efficacy of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy,” staunchly advocates for clinicians to keep an open mind about what suits their patients best on this episode of Menninger Clinic’s Mind Dive. This internationally acclaimed clinician is known for his work in establishing psychotherapy as an evidence-based treatment.

Alongside hosts Dr. Kerry Horrell and Dr. Bob Boland, Dr. Shedler explores the dilemmas and nuances of psychotherapy throughout its history and how clinicians can view it through a modern lens.

Jonathan Shedler, PhD, is a consultant, master clinician, clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of California (UCSF) and faculty member at the San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis. He also leads workshops for professional audiences, consults to U.S. and international government agencies, and provides clinical consultation to mental health professionals worldwide.

“I think it’s perfectly fine to say we don’t fully know our own hearts and minds. The things that we don’t know cause suffering and can cause symptoms and limitations. Because of this, there’s a tremendous value in coming to know ourselves more fully,” said Dr. Shedler. “That’s what can happen in the context of psychoanalytic therapy and what can allow our patients to ultimately feel more free and more whole.”
Resources mentioned in this episode:

"The Efficacy of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy" by Dr. Jonathan Shedler

Mind Dive Episode 6: Building Trust in Therapeutic Relationships with Dr. Jon Allen

“That was then, this is now: An introduction to contemporary psychodynamic therapy” by Dr. Jonathan Shedler
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