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.
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]
Copyright of Psychodynamic Practice is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: Psychical mechanisms in psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioural therapy: towards an integrative analysis of unconscious processes.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Psychodynamic+Practice%22">Psychodynamic Practice</searchLink>. May2026, Vol. 32 Issue 2, p195-212. 18p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Defense+mechanisms+%28Psychology%29%22">Defense mechanisms (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Automaticity+%28Learning+process%29%22">Automaticity (Learning process)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognitive+therapy%22">Cognitive therapy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Subliminal+perception%22">Subliminal perception</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychodynamic+psychotherapy%22">Psychodynamic psychotherapy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pathological+psychology%22">Pathological psychology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Subconsciousness%22">Subconsciousness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ellis%2C+Albert%2C+1913-2007%22">Ellis, Albert, 1913-2007</searchLink>
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  Label: Abstract
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  Data: 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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  Data: <i>Copyright of Psychodynamic Practice is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/14753634.2025.2460270
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 18
        StartPage: 195
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      – SubjectFull: Defense mechanisms (Psychology)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Automaticity (Learning process)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cognitive therapy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Subliminal perception
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychodynamic psychotherapy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pathological psychology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Subconsciousness
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Ellis, Albert, 1913-2007
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: Psychical mechanisms in psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioural therapy: towards an integrative analysis of unconscious processes.
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            – D: 01
              M: 05
              Text: May2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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            – TitleFull: Psychodynamic Practice
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