The Role Of Closed-Circuit Training in Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy Teaching

Closed-circuit training is a unique setting developed by Habib Davanloo, the founder of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy. The purpose of this setting is to achieve therapeutic benefits for the patient while providing valuable educational opportunities to the trainee. In this article, the authors present an intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy session that was conducted in a closed-circuit setting at McGill University Health Center. The primary goal of the article is to highlight several aspects of Davanloo's metapsychological principles and the application of their corresponding technical interventions. Another goal is to convey the trainee's reflection on his experience and perception of the closed-circuit training. The authors propose that closed-circuit training could be considered a potential alternative, or at least a complementary method, to the traditional settings of psychotherapy training and supervision.