Transference-focused psychotherapy (TFP) is a psychodynamic therapy that focuses on the patient’s patterns of transference and countertransference in relationships. The primary goal of TFP is to increase a patient’s capacity for emotional regulation and integration by addressing the underlying personality structure, especially in patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD). This therapy is based on the assumption that individuals with BPD have difficulty with relationships due to their unstable sense of self and their inability to regulate their emotions.
TFP is a manualised, short-term psychotherapy that typically lasts for one year. It is typically conducted in weekly sessions, and the therapist aims to maintain a neutral and non-judgmental stance throughout the therapy. The therapy involves exploring the patient’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviours, as well as the patient’s experiences in relationships. The therapist and patient work together to identify the patient’s patterns of transference, including projection, idealisation, devaluation, and splitting.
The therapist also explores the patient’s countertransference, which refers to the therapist’s emotional reactions to the patient. The therapist helps the patient to understand how their emotional reactions to the therapist may reflect patterns of behaviour that occur in their other relationships. By addressing these patterns of transference and countertransference, the therapist aims to help the patient develop a more integrated sense of self and an improved ability to regulate emotions in relationships.
TFP involves several techniques, including:
TFP is specifically designed to treat patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD). It has also been found to be effective in treating other personality disorders, including narcissistic and schizotypal personality disorders. Research has shown that TFP can lead to significant reductions in symptoms of BPD, including impulsivity, suicidal behaviour, self-injurious behaviour, and affective instability. Additionally, TFP has been found to improve social and occupational functioning and to reduce the frequency and severity of hospitalisations for individuals with BPD.
Transference-focused psychotherapy is a short-term psychodynamic therapy that aims to improve emotional regulation and integration by addressing the underlying personality structure, particularly in patients with borderline personality disorder. TFP works by exploring the patient’s patterns of transference and countertransference in relationships and using various techniques to improve their capacity for emotional regulation and integration. While TFP is specifically designed to treat BPD, it has also been found to be effective in treating other personality disorders and improving social and occupational functioning. Overall, TFP can be an effective treatment option for individuals struggling with personality disorders and related issues.
Clarkin, J. F., & Levy, K. N. (2004). Transference-focused psychotherapy: Overview and update. Journal of Personality Disorders, 18(6), 468-480.
Levy, K. N., Meehan, K. B., Kelly, K. M., Reynoso, J. S., Weber, M., Clarkin, J. F., & Kernberg, O. F. (2006). Change in attachment patterns and reflective function in a randomized control trial of transference-focused psychotherapy for borderline personality disorder. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 74(6), 1027-1040.
Clarkin, J. F., Levy, K. N., Lenzenweger, M. F., & Kernberg, O. F. (2007). Evaluating three treatments for borderline personality disorder: A multiwave study. American Journal of Psychiatry, 164(6), 922-928.
Kernberg, O. F., Yeomans, F. E., Clarkin, J. F., & Levy, K. N. (2008). Transference-focused psychotherapy for borderline personality disorder: An evidence-based approach. Guilford Press.
Caligor, E., Levy, K. N., & Yeomans, F. E. (2015). Narcissistic personality disorder: Diagnostic and clinical challenges. American Journal of Psychiatry, 172(5), 415-422.
