Teaching Psychodynamic Psychotherapy with the Y Model

The Y model of psychotherapy represents core components of all psychotherapies on the stem of the Y, and the specific components of psychodynamic psychotherapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) on the arms of the Y. Familiarity with the Y model can help students cope with the confusion that emerges when trying to learn several different types of psychotherapy. The Y model also can be an important aid to teachers of psychodynamic psychotherapy. Use of the Y model helps students see how specific components of psychodynamic psychotherapy emerge from the core. It also helps students to compare psychodynamic psychotherapy with CBT (and other therapies). A student who has reached a point of confusion while doing psychodynamic psychotherapy can be invited to "zoom out" to the Y model, using it to examine this point of confusion, "zooming back in" for a fresh look at the patient-therapist interaction.