Psychical mechanisms in psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioural therapy: towards an integrative analysis of unconscious processes.
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| Title: | Psychical mechanisms in psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioural therapy: towards an integrative analysis of unconscious processes. |
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| Authors: | Perrotta, Davide (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Psychodynamic Practice. May2026, Vol. 32 Issue 2, p195-212. 18p. |
| Subjects: | Defense mechanisms (Psychology), Automaticity (Learning process), Cognitive therapy, Subliminal perception, Psychodynamic psychotherapy, Pathological psychology, Subconsciousness, Ellis, Albert, 1913-2007 |
| Abstract: | Clinical psychology focuses generally on psychological mechanisms that operate outside the subject's awareness. This paper analyzes psychological mechanisms from both the psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral therapy traditions by distinguishing them as defense mechanisms and cognitive automatisms. Despite their different theoretical and historical backgrounds, both the clinical frameworks can cooperate and coexist in practice with the same patients, insofar as I suggest that they address different sources of psychopathological symptomatology. To propose a comparison, the first part of the paper focuses on the concept of defense mechanisms as introduced in psychodynamic, briefly explaining the transition from Freud's origins to the post-Freudian developments. The second part introduces the concept of irrational beliefs and automatic thoughts of Ellis and Beck, clarifying the epistemological basis of how CBT works. Without introducing contemporary approaches to CBT, I focus on the original positions of Beck and Ellis to distinguish cognitive automatism as a specific source of symptomatology and propose a possible complementarity with the analysis of defense mechanisms. Finally, I argue that the two kinds of psychic mechanisms address distinct aspects of unconscious processing, paving the way for possible collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Abstract: | Clinical psychology focuses generally on psychological mechanisms that operate outside the subject's awareness. This paper analyzes psychological mechanisms from both the psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral therapy traditions by distinguishing them as defense mechanisms and cognitive automatisms. Despite their different theoretical and historical backgrounds, both the clinical frameworks can cooperate and coexist in practice with the same patients, insofar as I suggest that they address different sources of psychopathological symptomatology. To propose a comparison, the first part of the paper focuses on the concept of defense mechanisms as introduced in psychodynamic, briefly explaining the transition from Freud's origins to the post-Freudian developments. The second part introduces the concept of irrational beliefs and automatic thoughts of Ellis and Beck, clarifying the epistemological basis of how CBT works. Without introducing contemporary approaches to CBT, I focus on the original positions of Beck and Ellis to distinguish cognitive automatism as a specific source of symptomatology and propose a possible complementarity with the analysis of defense mechanisms. Finally, I argue that the two kinds of psychic mechanisms address distinct aspects of unconscious processing, paving the way for possible collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 14753634 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/14753634.2025.2460270 |
