Psychodynamic Psychology

By Alina | Psychodynamic Psychology

A place to nerd-out about psychodynamic theory, books, and ideas.... more

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FAQs about Psychodynamic Psychology:

How many episodes does Psychodynamic Psychology have?

The podcast currently has 18 episodes available.

Psychodynamic Psychology episodes:

January 14, 2026 5 Books That Influenced How I Think About Psychodynamic Theory and Practice in 2025
There were 5 books that had the biggest impact on my growth as a clinician in 2025. Some helped me improve my psychodynamic thinking. Others helped me gain an even deeper appreciation of the field (not that I needed that but a little extra never hurts). All of them made me excited about what there still is to learn.

💌 Psychodynamic Newsletter → https://psychodynamicpsychology.com/newsletter

📖 Books mentioned (Amazon affiliate links)
Book #1 → https://amzn.to/4hYD00h
Book #2 → https://amzn.to/43m3bIH
Book #3 → https://amzn.to/3QmtYxD
Book #4 → https://amzn.to/45WFYNL
Book #5 → https://amzn.to/3A79i84

EQUIPMENT (affiliate links)
Camera: https://amzn.to/40o7jah
Lens: https://amzn.to/420Igvb
Microphone: https://amzn.to/4fQQ0TN

DISCLAIMER: The content provided is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. This description contains affiliate links. That means I will receive a small commission at absolutely no extra cost for you if you decide to purchase an item or sign up for a free trial.
...more
25min
November 06, 2025 Building Your Personal Psychodynamic Curriculum
If you want to get a solid foundation in psychodynamic psychology, here are three books I'd put together into apersonal curriculum.

📖 Books mentioned (Amazon affiliate links)
Book #1 → https://amzn.to/3WGLYWU
Book #2 → https://amzn.to/47tCx3n
Book #3 → https://amzn.to/4ouySZ9

💌 Psychodynamic Newsletter → https://psychodynamicpsychology.com

TIMESTAMPS
01:05 Book #1
04:59 Book #2
08:48 Book #3

DISCLAIMER: The content provided is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. This description contains affiliate links. That means I will receive a small commission at absolutely no extra cost for you if you decide to purchase an item or sign up for a free trial.
...more
15min
July 16, 2025 Anna Freud: Altruism as a Defense
Anna Freud explores how altruism can be used to fend off anxiety (and fulfil "forbidden" wishes), with her interesting exploration of Altruism as a Defense.

💌 Psychodynamic Newsletter → https://psychodynamicpsychology.com/newsletter

📖 Books mentioned (Amazon affiliate link)
The Ego and the Mechanisms of Defense: https://amzn.to/467LwH9
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Introduction
01:16 Anna Freud
02:27 Defense Mechanisms
03:30 Altruism (as a Defense)
05:02 Why People Use Altruism as a Defense
06:45 How Altruism as a Defense Works
08:45 Consequences
10:15 (Superficial) Examples + Variations
14:33 My Takeaway

EQUIPMENT (affiliate links)
Camera: https://amzn.to/40o7jah
Lens: https://amzn.to/420Igvb
Microphone: https://amzn.to/4fQQ0TN
Music: https://share.epidemicsound.com/un7jc6

DISCLAIMER: The content provided is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. This description contains affiliate links. That means I will receive a small commission at absolutely no extra cost for you if you decide to purchase an item or sign up for a free trial.
...more
16min
June 25, 2025 Anna Freud: Identification with the Aggressor
This is an introduction to Anna Freud's concept of the Identification with the Aggressor (from her book The Ego and the Mechanisms of Defence).
For more book recommendations and deep-dives into psychodynamic theory join my newsletter 💌 → https://psychodynamicpsychology.com/newsletterCORRECTION at 08:25: the term Anna Freud uses is not "acting out (=Ausagieren) aggression" but "abreaction (=Abreagieren) in the transference" in psychotherapy! I made a mistake.📖 Resources mentioned (Amazon affiliate link)Link to study: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/255419693_Does_Venting_Anger_Feed_or_Extinguish_the_Flame_Catharsis_Rumination_Distraction_Anger_and_Aggressive_RespondingThe Ego and Mechanisms of Defense: https://amzn.to/4lhgctETIMESTAMPS00:00 Introduction03:06 What is Identification with the Aggressor?05:41 "Prophylactic" Aggression06:55 Helpful vs. Unhelpful08:57 Back to the Study...I'm Alina, a German psychoanalyst in training. I share what I read and learn online to make psychodynamic theory more accessible.DISCLAIMER: The content provided is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. This description contains affiliate links. That means I will receive a small commission at absolutely no extra cost for you if you decide to purchase an item or sign up for a free trial.
...more
13min
May 27, 2025 How to Read Karen Horney
👀 Curious about Karen Horney? My workshop is your shortcut to understand her core ideas (distilled from 2,000+ pages of her writing) including basic anxiety, neurotic trends, idealized self, tyranny of the shoulds, and more… in 150 minutes: https://karen-horney.teachery.co/checkout

📖 Books mentioned (Amazon affiliate links)
Book #1: https://amzn.to/3XOMuSO
Book #2: https://amzn.to/470yo55
Book #3: https://amzn.to/4cne9Qc

I'm Alina, a German psychoanalyst in training. On this channel, I introduce you to psychodynamic theory and help you find your next favourite book ;)

💌 Psychodynamic Library + Newsletter → https://psychodynamicpsychology.com/newsletter🤳
Instagram: Casual updates → https://instagram.com/psychodynamicpsychology

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Intro
00:39 My Karen Horney Workshop
01:14 Book #1
04:36 Book #2
06:42 Book #3

EQUIPMENT(affiliate links)
Camera: https://amzn.to/40o7jah
Lens: https://amzn.to/420Igvb
Microphone: https://amzn.to/4fQQ0TN
Music: https://share.epidemicsound.com/un7jc6

DISCLAIMER: The content provided is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. This description contains affiliate links. That means I will receive a small commission at absolutely no extra cost for you if you decide to purchase an item or sign up for a free trial.
...more
11min
March 14, 2025 Screen Hunger, Eternal Dilettante, Narcissism of Minor Differences | Salman Akhtar's Dictionary
Psychoanalysis is full of weird ideas, some are weird in a good way and some... well... see for yourself. In this video I take you along as I browse through Salman Akhtar's masterpiece the "Comprehensive Dictionary of Psychoanalysis" and *ramble* through how I discover and study three random new concepts as a psychoanalyst in training.

💌 Psychodynamic Library + Newsletter → https://psychodynamicpsychology.com

📖 Books mentioned (Amazon affiliate link)
Salman Akhtar: Comprehensive Dictionary of Psychoanalysis → https://amzn.to/3FshnH3
Otto Fenichel: The Economic Function of Screen Memories (1927)
Kata Levy: The Eternal Dilettante (1948)
Sigmund Freud: The Taboo of Virginity (1918)

🤳 Instagram: Casual updates → https://instagram.com/psychodynamicpsychology

Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
01:41 Screen Hunger - Otto Fenichel
09:11 Eternal Dilettante - Kata Levy
14:43 Narcissism of Minor Differences - Sigmund Freud

Equipement I use (affiliate links)
Camera: https://amzn.to/40o7jah
Lens: https://amzn.to/420Igvb
Microphone: https://amzn.to/4fQQ0TN
Music: https://share.epidemicsound.com/un7jc6

DISCLAIMER: The content provided is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. This description contains affiliate links. That means I will receive a small commission at absolutely no extra cost for you if you decide to purchase an item or sign up for a free trial.
...more
20min
January 20, 2025 Psychoanalytic Diagnosis (and Why It Matters) | Nancy McWilliams
If I could only recommend one book to every psychodynamic psychotherapist (in training), this would be it: Psychoanalytic Diagnosis - Understanding Personality Structure in the Clinical Process by Nancy McWilliams. It’s a masterpiece that you shouldn’t miss in your own library to improve your clinical knowledge and practice.

📖 Get the book (Amazon affiliate link) → https://amzn.to/4hkDwF3

🎥 Videos mentioned
Defense Mechanisms: https://youtu.be/tiQRJh0HL4E
Dwight Schrute: https://youtu.be/Xjbzbe0ubqU

💌 Psychodynamic Library + Newsletter → https://psychodynamicpsychology.com/newsletter

🤳 INSTAGRAM: Casual updates → https://instagram.com/psychodynamicpsychology

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 My favourite psychodynamic book
00:51 Why (psychoanalytic) diagnosis matters
04:22 Content of the book
09:19 Personality types aka my favourite part
11:40 Limits

EQUIPMENT (affiliate links):
Camera: https://amzn.to/40o7jah
Lens: https://amzn.to/420Igvb
Microphone: https://amzn.to/4fQQ0TN
Music: https://share.epidemicsound.com/un7jc6

DISCLAIMER: The content provided is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. This description contains affiliate links. That means I will receive a small commission at absolutely no extra cost for you if you decide to purchase an item or sign up for a free trial.
...more
15min
January 01, 2025 What I Read in December 2024 (as a Psychoanalyst in Training): Karen Horney, Thomas Ogden, and more
In this ongoing series of “What I Read” I hope to help you find interesting new books to discover (and at least sometimes understand) the great minds and ideas of psychoanalysis. Here is what I read in December 2024 as a psychoanalyst in training.
💌 NEWSLETTER: Get my Psychodynamic Library → https://psychodynamicpsychology.com/newsletter
🤳 INSTAGRAM: Casual updates → https://instagram.com/psychodynamicpsychology
📚 Books mentioned (Amazon affiliate links):
Karen Horney, New Ways in Psychoanalysis: https://amzn.to/470yo55
Karen Horney, Final Lectures: https://amzn.to/49rektU
Andrew Morrison, Essential Papers on Narcissism: https://amzn.to/4fz2Upk
Heinz Kohut, The Restoration of the Self: https://amzn.to/3WRbKsc
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Introduction
00:29 Overview
01:28 Karen Horney, New Ways in Psychoanalysis
05:01 Thomas Ogden, Reading Loewald: Oedipus Reconceived
06:07 Karen Horney, Final Lectures
08:23 What’s next
DISCLAIMER: The content provided is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. This description contains affiliate links. That means I will receive a small commission at absolutely no extra cost for you if you decide to purchase an item or sign up for a free trial.
...more
14min
December 19, 2024 Best (Psychodynamic) Books of 2024 | What I Read as a Psychoanalyst in Training
Here are my favourite psychodynamic books and articles out of 4200+ pages I read in 2024 (as a psychoanalyst in training). Each of them allowed me to dive into another great mind, theory, or contribution of psychoanalysis.

🎥 Watch the video version here on YouTube: ⁠https://youtu.be/sRsfqNkNwBo⁠

💌 Psychodynamic Library + newsletter → https://psychodynamicpsychology.com/newsletter

🤳 Instagram + casual updates → https://instagram.com/psychodynamicpsychology

📚 Books mentioned (Amazon affiliate links):
"Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy: A Practitioner's Guide" by Nancy McWilliams: https://amzn.to/4ccruul
"The Hidden Spring" by Mark Solms: https://amzn.to/3SB7tqg
"The Neuroscientific Underpinnings of Psychoanalysis" by Mark Solms: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/behavioral-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00294/full
"The Shadow of the Object" by Christopher Bollas: https://amzn.to/3T13N1B
"Psychoanalytic Studies of the Personality" by W. R. D. Fairbairn: https://amzn.to/3ywLKJp
"Why Read Fairbairn?" by Thomas Ogden
"New Ways in Psychoanalysis" by Karen Horney: https://amzn.to/470yo55
"A Mind of Her Own: The Life of Karen Horney" by Susan Quinn: https://amzn.to/3XOMuSO
"Triangulierung" Jürgen Grieser: https://amzn.to/3YzPwwq
"Schopenhauer’s Porcupines: Intimacy and Its Dilemmas" by Deborah Luepnitz: https://amzn.to/3yqDlHw
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Introduction
02:03 Nancy McWilliams, Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy: A Practitioner's Guide
04:16 Mark Solms, The Hidden Spring
06:53 Mark Solms, The Neuroscientific Underpinnings of Psychoanalysis
07:46 Christopher Bollas, The Shadow of the Object
10:29 W. R. D. Fairbairn, Psychoanalytic Studies of the Personality
13:08 Thomas Ogden, Why Read Fairbairn?
13:50 Susan Quinn, A Mind of Her Own: The Life of Karen Horney
15:33 Karen Horney, New Ways in Psychoanalysis
17:38 Jürgen Grieser, Triangulierung
19:52 Deborah Luepnitz, Schopenhauer’s Porcupines: Intimacy and Its Dilemmas

DISCLAIMER: The content provided is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. This description contains affiliate links. That means I will receive a small commission at absolutely no extra cost for you if you decide to purchase an item or sign up for a free trial.
...more
24min
December 11, 2024 What I Read (as a Psychoanalyst in Training) | Oedipus Complex, Fairbairn, Karen Horney...
This is another rambly (video) podcast episode, where I share 5 niche psychodynamic/psychoanalytic articles and books I read in the last two months. In case you look to discover what to read next as a psychodynamic psychotherapist in traning, this might be interesting for you. Thematically they ranged from the Oedipus complex, to Fairbairn, solid introductions into psychoanalytic psychotherapy, and lots of Karen Horney.
💌 Psychodynamic Library + newsletter → https://psychodynamicpsychology.com/newsletter
🤳 Instagram + casual updates → https://instagram.com/psychodynamicpsychology
Articles and books mentioned (affiliate links):
"The Waning of the Oedipus Complex" by Hans W. Loewald
"Why Read Fairbairn?" by Thomas Ogden
"Introduction to the Practice of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy" by Alessandra Lemma → https://amzn.to/3X7WPci
"Feminine Psychology" by Karen Horney → https://amzn.to/3WUA9xj
"A Mind of Her Own: The Life of Karen Horney" by Susan Quinn → https://amzn.to/3XOMuSO
If you're new here: Hi! My name is Alina, I'm a German psychoanalyst in training. I dive into psychodynamic books for a living and hope to make the great psychodynamic thinkers more accessible.
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Introduction
01:58 "The Waning of the Oedipus Complex" by Hans W. Loewald
06:02 "Why Read Fairbairn?" by Thomas Ogden
08:25 "Introduction to the Practice of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy" by Alessandra Lemma
13:10 "Feminine Psychology" by Karen Horney
15:57 "A Mind of Her Own: The Life of Karen Horney" by Susan Quinn
DISCLAIMER: The content provided is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. This description contains affiliate links. That means I will receive a small commission at absolutely no extra cost for you if you decide to purchase an item or sign up for a free trial.
...more
23min

FAQs about Psychodynamic Psychology:

How many episodes does Psychodynamic Psychology have?

The podcast currently has 18 episodes available.

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