Focal Psychotherapy: Its Potential Impact on Psychotherapeutic Practice in Medicine

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Abstract
A condensed illustration of a complete treatment process of “focal psychotherapy” is presented to contrast the specificity of this form of psychotherapy with nonspecific approaches. A two-year follow-up illustrates the meaning of specificity. The relationship of therapeutic results to the focal interventions is reflected in the patient's own views of his accomplishments in therapy. The theory and techniques of focal psychotherapy were originally worked out by Balint and his co-workers. The case example presented here is the basis of discussion showing how focal psychotherapy can help re-conceptualize and add precision to the theory, techniques and processes of both short- and long-term psychoanalytic psychotherapy. Such increased precision in interventions and focal aims could help leaders and general practitioner training groups to better achieve their collaborative tasks.

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