This pragmatically-oriented course will help clinicians provide focused and evidence-based psychodynamic therapy to a wide range of appropriate patients. By providing a clear and consistent model connected to evidence and technique, we simplify and clarify the psychodynamic approach and help clinicians provide state-of-the-art treatment. The course will focus on change in psychodynamic therapy. What are the mechanisms of change that allow patients to feel and function more adaptively, and what are the strategies of change we employ as therapists to promote change in patients? The course will review new empirical evidence that helps to understand the change process and discuss and illustrate the pragmatic clinical applications of these findings. The faculty are international and include clinicians and researchers. The goal of the course is to bring new evidence on psychotherapeutic change to bear in the real world clinical setting, being aware of and sensitive to the dynamics of gender, race and culture, as well as the social context of psychotherapy in our contemporary culture. Video clips of therapy with participant discussion about technique, a group exercise on defining the core psychodynamic problem of a presented patient, and audience response input on assessment of change in therapy will make for a highly engaging learning experience.

This highly interactive course contains a self-paced learning experience and live learning experiences. Participants are expected to attend all live sessions to be eligible to claim CME or participation credit for the course.

Learning Objectives

• Diagnose core psychodynamic problems and develop a psychodynamic formulation for appropriate patients.
• Recognize the mechanisms of change and strategies for facilitating change in psychodynamic therapy.
• Be able to assess the extent of change the patient has experienced and discuss this with patient in relation to goals of treatment.
• Improve treatment effectiveness by applying a contemporary and pragmatic framework for delivering psychodynamic therapy.

Target Audience

Psychiatrists, Residents/Fellows

Estimated Time to Complete

Estimated Duration: 4 hours
Begin Date: July 1, 2022
End Date: October 8, 2022

How to Earn Credit

Participants who wish to earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credit ™ or a certificate of participation may do so by completing all sections of the course including the evaluation. After evaluating the program, course participants will be provided with an opportunity to claim hours of participation and print an official CME certificate (physicians) or certificate of participation (non-physicians) showing the completion date and hours earned. 

Continuing Education Credit

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. 

The APA designates this enduring CME activity for a maximum of 4 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Faculty and Planner Disclosures

The American Psychiatric Association adheres to the ACCME’s Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Medical Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CME activity — including faculty, planners, reviewers or others — are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (commercial interests). All relevant conflicts of interest have been mitigated prior to the commencement of the activity.

Program Presenters

• Richard Summers, M.D., Senior Residency Advisor and Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
• Jacques Barber, M.D., Dean Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
• Sigal Zilcha-Mano, M.D., licensed clinical psychologist, researcher and a lecturer at University of Haifa has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Program Planners

• Richard Summers, M.D., Senior Residency Advisor and Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
• Lama Bazzi, M.D., Course Subcommittee, APA Scientific Program Committee, has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
• Carlyle Chan, M.D., Course Subcommittee, APA Scientific Program Committee, has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
• Helen Lavretsky, M.D., Course Subcommittee, APA Scientific Program Committee, has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
• Ronald Winchel, M.D., Course Subcommittee, APA Scientific Program Committee, has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
• Abhisek Chandan Khandai, M.D., M.S., Course Subcommittee, APA Scientific Program Committee, has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
• John Luo, M.D., Course Subcommittee, APA Scientific Program Committee, has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
• Michael F. Myers, M.D., Course Subcommittee, APA Scientific Program Committee, has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
• Philip Muskin, M.D., M.A., Course Subcommittee, APA Scientific Program Committee, has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
• Xiaoduo Fan, M.D., M.P.H, Course Subcommittee, APA Scientific Program Committee, has the following financial relationships to disclose - Grant Research: Avanir Corporation, Otsuka Pharmaceuticals, Roche.
• Ally Brown, M.S., Former Associate Director, Online Learning, American Psychiatric Association has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
• Violet Moloney, Instructional Designer, Online Learning, American Psychiatric Association has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Accessibility for Participants with Disabilities

The American Psychiatric Association is committed to ensuring accessibility of its website to people with disabilities. If you have trouble accessing any of APA’s online resources, please contact us at 202-559-3900 for assistance.

Technical Requirements

This internet-based CME activity is best experienced using any of the following:

• The latest and 2nd latest public versions of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari
• Internet Explorer 11+

This Web site requires that JavaScript and session cookies be enabled. Certain activities may require additional software to view multimedia, presentation, or printable versions of the content. These activities will be marked as such and will provide links to the required software. That software may be: Adobe Acrobat Reader, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Windows Media Player.

Optimal System Configuration:

• Browser: Google Chrome (latest and 2nd latest version), Safari (latest and 2nd latest version), Internet Explorer 11.0+, Firefox (latest and 2nd latest version), or Microsoft Edge (latest and 2nd latest version)
• Operating System: Windows versions 8.1+, Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) +, Android (latest and 2nd latest version), or iOS/iPad OS (latest and 2nd latest version)
• Internet Connection: 1 Mbps or higher

Minimum Requirements:

• Windows PC: Windows 8.1 or higher; 1 GB (for 32-bit)/2 GB (for 64-bit) or higher RAM; Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content
• Macintosh: Mac OS X 10.5 or higher with latest updates installed; Intel, PowerPC G5, or PowerPC G4 (867MHz or faster) processor; 512 MB or higher RAM; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content

For assistance: Contact educme@psych.org for questions about this activity | Contact learningcenter@psych.org for technical assistance