Abstract
Short-term dynamic psychotherapy is rooted in psychoanalytic theory. The historical background of brief psychotherapy was traced, focusing on the contributions of Freud, Ferenczi, Rank and Alexander and French, and then a synthesis of contemporary views were presented. Selection criteria for patients who can benefit from short-term therapy, and the techniques used, are discussed. Similarities to and differences from crisis intervention techniques are pointed out. The trend of the future can be expected to be toward shorter-term therapies, but given the present state of psychiatric knowledge, long-term therapy will still be necessary for many patients.

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