The purpose of this study was to explore how personal therapy influences experienced psychodynamic psychotherapists’ ways of being clinicians, and, by implication, their professional development. A hermeneutic research method, which also drew upon aspects of grounded theory methodology, was therefore devised to explore and examine how personal therapy and professional practice relate to each other and to the therapist’s development, and to deepen this descriptive account into a more differentiated and theoretically viable understanding. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight psychodynamic psychotherapists who were working as clinicians and who were concurrently in therapy. Keeping the research objective in mind, a list of questions was developed from the interview material through which the data was re-read and edited. In accordance with the aims of the study, and as suggested by the results of the initial phase of the textual analysis, intersubjective theory, mainly that of Jessica Benjamin, was used to generate a conceptual framework through which the interview material was further interpreted. This foregrounded the shifting power distributions and the varying processes of identification between the treating therapists and the participants. The Jungian notion of the wounded healer was intersubjectively reconfigured as indicating a therapist whose (often unacknowledged) needs and vulnerabilities engender a proclivity to relate to patients as objects rather than subjects. The participants could all be described as having started out their professional lives as wounded healers. The effects of personal therapy on their clinical work were conceptualised in terms of increased abilities for subject-to-subject relating. These were linked to augmented capacities for reflective and symbolic thinking and an enhanced openness to the implicit, unformulated and opaque aspects of experiences in the therapeutic space. Finally an intersubjective model of personal therapy and development as a therapist was generated. It was concluded that because of the focus on the therapeutic relationship as the vehicle for change in psychodynamic psychotherapy, as well as the current increasing emphasis on the use of the therapist’s subjectivity, the therapist’s capacity to engage in and sustain subject-tosubject relating and, by implication, the therapist’s personal therapy, are of pivotal importance for all therapists doing the work of psychodynamic psychotherapy.

The Social Cognition and Object Relations Scale—Global (SCORS-G) is a relatively new scoring system for the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) that provides information about an individual's functioning in a variety of domains, including intrapsychic and interpersonal. Participants in this archival study had been administered a variety of measures as part of a routine clinical assessment, including the TAT, Rorschach, Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2, and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. Selected TAT stories were rescored using current SCORS-G scoring criteria. This dissertation evaluated the factor structure of the SCORS-G in an outpatient sample with a principal component analysis (PCA), finding support for a two-component solution. The SCORS-G was then compared to well-established measures of personality functioning, social cognition, and object relations using correlational analyses, with mixed results. Lastly, support was found for using the SCORS-G as a tool for discriminating individuals with a history of violent or problematic relationships from those without such a history. Implications for card selection based on card pull and the impact of bland protocols were explored.

Introdução: O diagnóstico baseado unicamente na avaliação quantitativa dos sintomas e seu curso muitas vezes não é suficiente para o trabalho em psicoterapia psicodinâmica. Apesar disso, a literatura sobre diagnóstico psicodinâmico ainda é escassa, assim como os estudos empíricos na área. O Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnosis-2 (OPD-2) tem o objetivo de ampliar o diagnóstico tradicional através da operacionalização de informações psicodinâmicas fundamentais para a compreensão dos fenômenos subjacentes à sintomatologia clínica. A construção multi-axial do OPD-2 possibilita que se abarque a complexidade e a inter-relação das condições e fatores que determinam os fenômenos e as patologias mentais do ponto de vista psicodinâmico. O OPD-2 é composto por 4 eixos psicodinâmicos e 1 eixo descritivo: I: vivência da doença e pré-requisitos para o tratamento; II: Relações interpessoais; III: Conflito psíquico; IV: Estrutura psíquica; V: Diagnóstico nosológico tradicional. Apesar de ser amplamente utilizado em vários países ainda não foram realizados estudos com o OPD-2 no Brasil. Objetivos: Esta dissertação apresenta a versão brasileira do OPD-2 e os estudos de validade de conteúdo, concordância inter-avaliadores e validade concorrente do instrumento. Método: A versão brasileira do instrumento foi criada através da adaptação da versão portuguesa. A avaliação do conteúdo do instrumento foi realizada por experts em psicoterapia psicodinâmica. A concordância inter-avaliadores foi avaliada utilizando-se 51 entrevistas de psicoterapia psicodinâmica. A validade concorrente comparou os itens do OPD-2 com os resultados do The World Health Organization Quality of Life - abbreviated version (WHOQOL-bref) e o Symptom Check-List-90-Revised (SCL-90R). Resultados: A avaliação de conteúdo considerou os itens claros quanto a linguagem e pertinentes teoricamente. Os eixos III e IV apresentaram maior índice de concordância inter-avaliadores. Os eixos I, III e IV obtiveram correlação significativa entre alguns itens com os resultados do SCL-90R e WHOQOL-bref. Conclusão: Este estudo demonstrou que o OPD-2 apresenta boas condições de avaliação de propriedades psicodinâmicas. Outros estudos com diferentes amostras e instrumentos devem ser realizados para verificação das propriedades psicométricas do OPD-2 no Brasil. / Background: Diagnoses based upon quantification of symptoms and their course is less suitable to psychodynamic psychotherapy, yet psychodynamic diagnoses are rarely scrutinized scientifically. The Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnosis-2 seeks to enhance traditional diagnostic schemes through the operationalization of psychodynamic data relevant to the comprehension of psychological phenomena underlying clinical symptomatology. The multi-axial framing of OPD-2 allows the incorporation of the complexity and the inter-relations of conditions and factors determining mental phenomena and pathology from a psychodynamic perspective. OPD-2 has 4 psychodynamic and 1 descriptive axis: I: experience of illness and prerequisites for treatment; II: Interpersonal relations; III: Conflict ; IV: Structure ; V: Mental and psychosomatic disorders. Although largely used in a number of countries, there have been no studies with OPD-2 in Brazil. Objectives: We aimed to present the Brazilian version of OPD-2 and determine the content validity, inter-rater reliability and concurrent validity of the psychodynamic itens of the instrument. Methods: Experts in psychodynamic psychotherapy evaluated content and the inter-rater reliability was based on 51 dialogued interviews obtained during routine clinical practice in a specialized institution. Concurrent validity compared OPD-2 items with results from the World Health Organization Quality of Life - abbreviated version (WHOQOL-bref) and the Symptom Check-List-90-Revised (SCL-90-R). Results: Evaluation of content considered OPD-2 items as clear and theoretically pertinent. Axes III and IV had higher inter-rater concordance. Several items from axes I, III and IV correlated significantly with the SCL-90R and the WHOQOL-bref. Conclusion: OPD-2 is adequate to evaluate psychodynamic properties. Further studies with the OPD-2 in Brazil evaluating different samples and using distinct comparator instruments are needed to confirm and extend our findings.

Introdução: O diagnóstico baseado unicamente na avaliação quantitativa dos sintomas e seu curso muitas vezes não é suficiente para o trabalho em psicoterapia psicodinâmica. Apesar disso, a literatura sobre diagnóstico psicodinâmico ainda é escassa, assim como os estudos empíricos na área. O Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnosis-2 (OPD-2) tem o objetivo de ampliar o diagnóstico tradicional através da operacionalização de informações psicodinâmicas fundamentais para a compreensão dos fenômenos subjacentes à sintomatologia clínica. A construção multi-axial do OPD-2 possibilita que se abarque a complexidade e a inter-relação das condições e fatores que determinam os fenômenos e as patologias mentais do ponto de vista psicodinâmico. O OPD-2 é composto por 4 eixos psicodinâmicos e 1 eixo descritivo: I: vivência da doença e pré-requisitos para o tratamento; II: Relações interpessoais; III: Conflito psíquico; IV: Estrutura psíquica; V: Diagnóstico nosológico tradicional. Apesar de ser amplamente utilizado em vários países ainda não foram realizados estudos com o OPD-2 no Brasil. Objetivos: Esta dissertação apresenta a versão brasileira do OPD-2 e os estudos de validade de conteúdo, concordância inter-avaliadores e validade concorrente do instrumento. Método: A versão brasileira do instrumento foi criada através da adaptação da versão portuguesa. A avaliação do conteúdo do instrumento foi realizada por experts em psicoterapia psicodinâmica. A concordância inter-avaliadores foi avaliada utilizando-se 51 entrevistas de psicoterapia psicodinâmica. A validade concorrente comparou os itens do OPD-2 com os resultados do The World Health Organization Quality of Life - abbreviated version (WHOQOL-bref) e o Symptom Check-List-90-Revised (SCL-90R). Resultados: A avaliação de conteúdo considerou os itens claros quanto a linguagem e pertinentes teoricamente. Os eixos III e IV apresentaram maior índice de concordância inter-avaliadores. Os eixos I, III e IV obtiveram correlação significativa entre alguns itens com os resultados do SCL-90R e WHOQOL-bref. Conclusão: Este estudo demonstrou que o OPD-2 apresenta boas condições de avaliação de propriedades psicodinâmicas. Outros estudos com diferentes amostras e instrumentos devem ser realizados para verificação das propriedades psicométricas do OPD-2 no Brasil. / Background: Diagnoses based upon quantification of symptoms and their course is less suitable to psychodynamic psychotherapy, yet psychodynamic diagnoses are rarely scrutinized scientifically. The Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnosis-2 seeks to enhance traditional diagnostic schemes through the operationalization of psychodynamic data relevant to the comprehension of psychological phenomena underlying clinical symptomatology. The multi-axial framing of OPD-2 allows the incorporation of the complexity and the inter-relations of conditions and factors determining mental phenomena and pathology from a psychodynamic perspective. OPD-2 has 4 psychodynamic and 1 descriptive axis: I: experience of illness and prerequisites for treatment; II: Interpersonal relations; III: Conflict ; IV: Structure ; V: Mental and psychosomatic disorders. Although largely used in a number of countries, there have been no studies with OPD-2 in Brazil. Objectives: We aimed to present the Brazilian version of OPD-2 and determine the content validity, inter-rater reliability and concurrent validity of the psychodynamic itens of the instrument. Methods: Experts in psychodynamic psychotherapy evaluated content and the inter-rater reliability was based on 51 dialogued interviews obtained during routine clinical practice in a specialized institution. Concurrent validity compared OPD-2 items with results from the World Health Organization Quality of Life - abbreviated version (WHOQOL-bref) and the Symptom Check-List-90-Revised (SCL-90-R). Results: Evaluation of content considered OPD-2 items as clear and theoretically pertinent. Axes III and IV had higher inter-rater concordance. Several items from axes I, III and IV correlated significantly with the SCL-90R and the WHOQOL-bref. Conclusion: OPD-2 is adequate to evaluate psychodynamic properties. Further studies with the OPD-2 in Brazil evaluating different samples and using distinct comparator instruments are needed to confirm and extend our findings.

Introdução: O diagnóstico baseado unicamente na avaliação quantitativa dos sintomas e seu curso muitas vezes não é suficiente para o trabalho em psicoterapia psicodinâmica. Apesar disso, a literatura sobre diagnóstico psicodinâmico ainda é escassa, assim como os estudos empíricos na área. O Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnosis-2 (OPD-2) tem o objetivo de ampliar o diagnóstico tradicional através da operacionalização de informações psicodinâmicas fundamentais para a compreensão dos fenômenos subjacentes à sintomatologia clínica. A construção multi-axial do OPD-2 possibilita que se abarque a complexidade e a inter-relação das condições e fatores que determinam os fenômenos e as patologias mentais do ponto de vista psicodinâmico. O OPD-2 é composto por 4 eixos psicodinâmicos e 1 eixo descritivo: I: vivência da doença e pré-requisitos para o tratamento; II: Relações interpessoais; III: Conflito psíquico; IV: Estrutura psíquica; V: Diagnóstico nosológico tradicional. Apesar de ser amplamente utilizado em vários países ainda não foram realizados estudos com o OPD-2 no Brasil. Objetivos: Esta dissertação apresenta a versão brasileira do OPD-2 e os estudos de validade de conteúdo, concordância inter-avaliadores e validade concorrente do instrumento. Método: A versão brasileira do instrumento foi criada através da adaptação da versão portuguesa. A avaliação do conteúdo do instrumento foi realizada por experts em psicoterapia psicodinâmica. A concordância inter-avaliadores foi avaliada utilizando-se 51 entrevistas de psicoterapia psicodinâmica. A validade concorrente comparou os itens do OPD-2 com os resultados do The World Health Organization Quality of Life - abbreviated version (WHOQOL-bref) e o Symptom Check-List-90-Revised (SCL-90R). Resultados: A avaliação de conteúdo considerou os itens claros quanto a linguagem e pertinentes teoricamente. Os eixos III e IV apresentaram maior índice de concordância inter-avaliadores. Os eixos I, III e IV obtiveram correlação significativa entre alguns itens com os resultados do SCL-90R e WHOQOL-bref. Conclusão: Este estudo demonstrou que o OPD-2 apresenta boas condições de avaliação de propriedades psicodinâmicas. Outros estudos com diferentes amostras e instrumentos devem ser realizados para verificação das propriedades psicométricas do OPD-2 no Brasil. / Background: Diagnoses based upon quantification of symptoms and their course is less suitable to psychodynamic psychotherapy, yet psychodynamic diagnoses are rarely scrutinized scientifically. The Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnosis-2 seeks to enhance traditional diagnostic schemes through the operationalization of psychodynamic data relevant to the comprehension of psychological phenomena underlying clinical symptomatology. The multi-axial framing of OPD-2 allows the incorporation of the complexity and the inter-relations of conditions and factors determining mental phenomena and pathology from a psychodynamic perspective. OPD-2 has 4 psychodynamic and 1 descriptive axis: I: experience of illness and prerequisites for treatment; II: Interpersonal relations; III: Conflict ; IV: Structure ; V: Mental and psychosomatic disorders. Although largely used in a number of countries, there have been no studies with OPD-2 in Brazil. Objectives: We aimed to present the Brazilian version of OPD-2 and determine the content validity, inter-rater reliability and concurrent validity of the psychodynamic itens of the instrument. Methods: Experts in psychodynamic psychotherapy evaluated content and the inter-rater reliability was based on 51 dialogued interviews obtained during routine clinical practice in a specialized institution. Concurrent validity compared OPD-2 items with results from the World Health Organization Quality of Life - abbreviated version (WHOQOL-bref) and the Symptom Check-List-90-Revised (SCL-90-R). Results: Evaluation of content considered OPD-2 items as clear and theoretically pertinent. Axes III and IV had higher inter-rater concordance. Several items from axes I, III and IV correlated significantly with the SCL-90R and the WHOQOL-bref. Conclusion: OPD-2 is adequate to evaluate psychodynamic properties. Further studies with the OPD-2 in Brazil evaluating different samples and using distinct comparator instruments are needed to confirm and extend our findings.

This descriptive research addressed the challenges of working with the conscious and unconscious aspects of diversity in order to enhance insights into covert and deeper diversity dynamics in organisations. The research supported the evolving trend of shifting the systems psychodynamic orientation from the group to the individual context. The general aim was to describe a systems psychodynamic coaching model, and to determine its trustworthiness in assisting executives to work effectively with conscious and unconscious diversity dynamics. Literature was reviewed to provide a theoretical foundation of diversity challenges which executives face in South African organisations. This was augmented by systems psychodynamic literature, which provided a theoretical basis upon which to understand the intrapsychic aspects of the executives and their interplay with systemic dynamics. The empirical study was conducted over ten months to determine the trustworthiness of executive coaching in diversity from a systems psychodynamic perspective. Data was gathered using the organisational role analysis approach, and analysed by means of the systems psychodynamic discourse analysis method. Nine major themes and their related sub-themes were identified, namely, gender, race, ethnicity, authority, disability, language, age, de-authorisation of diversity work, and the coaching process. Through the coaching, the executives gained insights into their intrapsychic environment and the complex, multifaceted and intersecting nature of diversity in their organisations. They were assisted to take up their leadership roles more effectively and to take action on behalf of their organisations. The research hypothesis formulated and the conclusion made was that executive coaching from a systems psychodynamic perspective displays trustworthiness. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Consulting Psychology)

This descriptive research addressed the challenges of working with the conscious and unconscious aspects of diversity in order to enhance insights into covert and deeper diversity dynamics in organisations. The research supported the evolving trend of shifting the systems psychodynamic orientation from the group to the individual context. The general aim was to describe a systems psychodynamic coaching model, and to determine its trustworthiness in assisting executives to work effectively with conscious and unconscious diversity dynamics. Literature was reviewed to provide a theoretical foundation of diversity challenges which executives face in South African organisations. This was augmented by systems psychodynamic literature, which provided a theoretical basis upon which to understand the intrapsychic aspects of the executives and their interplay with systemic dynamics. The empirical study was conducted over ten months to determine the trustworthiness of executive coaching in diversity from a systems psychodynamic perspective. Data was gathered using the organisational role analysis approach, and analysed by means of the systems psychodynamic discourse analysis method. Nine major themes and their related sub-themes were identified, namely, gender, race, ethnicity, authority, disability, language, age, de-authorisation of diversity work, and the coaching process. Through the coaching, the executives gained insights into their intrapsychic environment and the complex, multifaceted and intersecting nature of diversity in their organisations. They were assisted to take up their leadership roles more effectively and to take action on behalf of their organisations. The research hypothesis formulated and the conclusion made was that executive coaching from a systems psychodynamic perspective displays trustworthiness. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Consulting Psychology)

I denna kvalitativa studie ombads 5 psykodynamiskt inriktade terapeuter att i skrift beskriva sin upplevelse av journalskrivning. Materialet analyserades med hjälp av EPP-(Empirical Phenomenological Psychological) metoden. Resultatet lyfter fram generella kännetecken och särskiljande drag inom upplevelsen av journalskrivning. Gemensamt för terapeuternas upplevelse är att journalskrivandet har olika funktioner. Det är ett arbetsverktyg för att kommunicera med andra vårdgivare, det omfattas av vissa styrfaktorer och en upplevd osäkerhet om journalskrivandets regelverk. Det egna journalskrivandet uppvisar en hög värdering av den personliga upplevelsen och känslan av att utlämna patienten i journalen. Däremot skiljer sig terapeuterna åt i sättet att hantera känslor av konflikt inom journalskrivandet vilket påverkar den egna upplevelsen av journalskrivning. Två upplevda alternativ att hantera konflikt presenteras. I den ena gruppen försöker terapeuterna att omforma journalen så att den bättre passar den egna terapeutiska identiteten. När det inte längre är möjligt uttrycks en känsla av att något som inte går att ersätta försvinner. I den andra gruppen ökar terapeuterna sin reflektion och bearbetning av de delar inom journalskrivningen som terapeuten upplever orsakar konflikt, vilket bidrar till en känsla av att något positivt tillförts den terapeutiska identiteten. / In this qualitative study 5 psychotherapists with psychodynamic specialization were asked to reflect on their experiences concerning the writing of patient records. This material was analyzed using the so-called EPP-method (empirical phenomenological psychological method). The results show both general and distinctive features in how different therapists feel about their patient records routines. All agree that the process of writing patient records contains a number of different functions. It is a tool to communicate with other medical staff and facilities; it is influenced by certain control factors and also by experienced uncertainty concerning the formal rules related to the routines of patient records. Record routines show a high degree of evaluation of personal emotions and experiences together with a fear of revealing too much information about a patient. On the other hand, there is a substantial distinction in how different therapists handle their feelings of conflict related to medical records. The study presents two different possible ways of handling such conflicts. One group of therapists try to reshape the medical journal to make it better adjusted to their personal therapeutic identity. When that becomes impossible they express a feeling of something being lost. In the second group the therapists work harder with those parts in patient record routines that are causing them problems. This results in a feeling that something valuable is being added to their therapeutic identity.

Inledning: I början av den psykoanalytiska teorins utveckling hade sexualiteten en central roll. När man inom psykoanalytisk teori började frångå driftsteorin, kom man också längre bort från sexualiteten. Detta trots vetskapen om att sexualiteten tycks genomsyra människors liv och leverne på ett genomgripande sätt. Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur legitimerade psykoterapeuter, med kompetens och vana att arbeta med sexuella frågeställningar, arbetar med sexualitet i sitt arbete. Frågeställning: Hur arbetar psykodynamiska psykoterapeuter med speciell kompetens i sexualitet med patienternas sexuella problematik? Metod: En kvalitativ intervju på fenomenologisk grund genomfördes med fem legitimerade psykoterapeuter specialiserade på sexualitet. Dessa var verksamma inom både offentlig och privat verksamhet. Resultat: Psykoterapeuterna ger sexualiteten en integrerad plats i det psykoterapeutiska arbetet. Betydelsen av att göra en sexuell anamnes framträder i resultatet. I patienternas livsberättelser återkommer upplevelser av övergivenhet, trauma, skam och skuld och att sexualiteten återfinns som ett försvar gentemot att stå ut med svåra känslor. För psykoterapeuten krävs förmåga att lyssna på och härbärgera patientens berättelser, även mod att våga ställa frågor och uttrycka sig naturligt kring sexualitet. Detta kan väcka svåra känslor hos psykoterapeuten. För att möjliggöra detta arbete poängteras vikten av handledning och egenterapi. Diskussion: Sexualitet berör så uppenbart på olika vis de flesta människor. Denna studie stödjer de resultat som litteratur och tidigare forskning visar på fördelarna med att redan från början involvera sexualiteten i det psykoterapeutiska arbetet. Att som psykoterapeut integrera sexualitet i det psykoterapeutiska arbetet innebär en möjlighet till fördjupad kontakt och förståelse för de problem som undersöks. / Introduction: Sexuality had a central roll in the beginning of the development of psychoanalytic theory. At the same time the instinct theory was left behind, sexuality became less important as well, even though it is well known that sexuality penetrates the human way of life in a vigorous way. The purpose of the study is to investigate how licensed psychotherapists, who have the competence and are used to work with questions concerning sexuality, do so in their daily work. Question: How do psychodynamic psychotherapists who specialised in sexuality work with their patients sexual problems? Method: A qualitative phenomenologically -based interview carried out with five legitimate psychotherapists who specialised in sexuality, working in both public and private practice. Results: Sexuality is given integrated room in the psychotherapeutic work. The importance of taking a sexual history shows in the results. Experiences of abandonment, trauma, shame and guilt return in the patient´s histories together with the experience that sexuality is regained as a defence against difficult feelings. This demands the ability of the psychotherapist to listen to and contain the patient´s histories, even the courage to ask question and talk naturally about sexuality. This can stir up difficult feelings in the psychotherapist. To make the work possible, emphasises the importance of supervision and therapy. Discussion: Sexuality obviously affects most of the people in different ways. This study supports earlier results of literature and research and shows the advantages to involve sexuality in the psychotherapeutic work from the start. To integrate sexuality in the psychotherapeutic work gives the psychotherapist the possibility for deeper contact and understanding of the problems he/she investigates.

Inledning: Äkta humor, glädje och skämt kan skapa en lättnad i det mänskliga livet. Men till skillnad från konflikter, smärtor och ångest har dessa känslor inte varit lika framträdande i psykoterapin. Det beror på att systematiska studier av användandet och funktionen av humor i den psykoterapeutiska processen till stor del saknas. Frågeställningar:Vilka är patienters erfarenheter av humor i den psykoterapeutiska relationen? Hur anser patienterna att humor kan ha påverkat den psykoterapeutiska processen? Metod:Studien har en kvalitativ forskningsansats. Fem deltagare som går i psykoterapi intervjuades. Intervjuerna analyserades och tolkades utifrån en kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultat:Humor i terapi kan skapa en god allians genom terapeutens delaktighet, ge en ökad känsla av frihet och meningsfullhet för deltagaren, väcka en förändring av det upplevda problemet eller händelsen ur ett mer humoristiskt sätt samt vara ett verktyg för att bearbeta synen på tidigare upplevelser. Användning av humor stärker deltagarnas självuppfattning, intresse för den egna utvecklingen och slutligen möjligheten att utveckla ett förtroende med terapeuten.                                        Diskussion:Humor kan vara en mycket verksam och utvecklande del i psykoterapin. I studien visar användandet av humor främst positiva effekter och få negativa effekter. Användning av humor kan ge optimala förutsättningar för ett positivt terapiarbete och kan utgöra en viktig betydelse för den terapeutiska relationen och processen. Flertalet forskare och terapeuter motsäger sig dock användandet av humor och ser humor som en försvarsmekanism. Tidigare forskning beskriver framväxten av humor i terapin som ytterst begränsad. / Introduction: Genuine humor, joy and jokes can create a relief in human life, just as conflicts, pain and anxiety these emotions have been as prominent. The use of humor in therapy and the function of humor in the therapeutic process have had a very limited role in the psychotherapeutic world. Question formulation: What are the patient’s experiences of humor in a psychotherapeutic relationship? How do patients consider that humor may have affected the psychotherapeutic process? Method: The study has a qualitative research approach. Five participants attending psychotherapy were interviewed. The interviews were analyzed and interpreted based on a qualitative content analysis. Results: Humor in therapy can create a good alliance through the therapist's participation, provide a greater sense of freedom and meaningfulness to the participant, bringing a change in the perceived problem or event in a more humorous way, and be a tool to process the view of past experiences. The use of humor strengthens participants' self-perception, interest in their own development, and finally the ability to develop trust with the therapist. Discussion: Humor can be a very effective and stimulating part of psychotherapy. The study shows the use of humor has mostly positive effects with only a few negative effects. The use of humor can provide optimal conditions for a positive therapy work and can be an important bearing on the therapeutic relationship and process. Most researchers and therapists contradict the use of humor and sees it as a defense mechanism. Previous research describes the emergence of humor therapy as extremely limited.