Time-limited (short-term) psychodynamic therapy is a special form of individual therapy, based on one of the best-established and scientifically proven forms of therapeutic work – psychodynamic therapy. It is characterized by a unique understanding of the purpose of therapy. In this approach, we assume that the person looking for help is doing it now for an important and current reason. Therefore, we follow the principle that the therapy is to serve only to the extent that the client reports. It does not require a multi-year therapeutic process to ensure “overall change” and “all-around improvement.”

Thus, before starting work, the therapist and the client have a series of (usually three to five) consultations, which serve several purposes. First, getting to know each other and checking if the client and therapist will be able to work together, if the client feels understood, if for some important reason cooperation turns out to be impossible, etc. Second, the therapist collects relevant biographical information to be able to best get to know and understand the client. Third, the problem reported by the client is discussed in detail. Together, the therapist and client try to understand what is the present difficulty and its cause (taking into account what the client can and cannot influence).

On this basis, a contract is drawn, which defines the area of joint therapeutic work and determines how long the therapist and the client will meet to deal with the given problem. Thanks to this, the therapy process can take place on the basis of transparent cooperation between the client and the therapist for a specific purpose and time, which makes it more effective.