

Psychodynamic Psychology Podcast
Alina | Psychodynamic Psychology
A place to nerd-out about psychodynamic theory, books, and ideas.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 16, 2025 • 15min
Anna Freud: Altruism as a Defense
Anna Freud explores how altruism can be used to fend off anxiety (and fulfil "forbidden" wishes), with her interesting exploration of Altruism as a Defense.💌 Psychodynamic Newsletter → https://psychodynamicpsychology.com/newsletter📖 Books mentioned (Amazon affiliate link)The Ego and the Mechanisms of Defense: https://amzn.to/467LwH9TIMESTAMPS00:00 Introduction01:16 Anna Freud02:27 Defense Mechanisms03:30 Altruism (as a Defense)05:02 Why People Use Altruism as a Defense06:45 How Altruism as a Defense Works08:45 Consequences10:15 (Superficial) Examples + Variations14:33 My TakeawayEQUIPMENT (affiliate links)Camera: https://amzn.to/40o7jahLens: https://amzn.to/420IgvbMicrophone: https://amzn.to/4fQQ0TNMusic: https://share.epidemicsound.com/un7jc6DISCLAIMER: The content provided is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. This description contains affiliate links. That means I will receive a small commission at absolutely no extra cost for you if you decide to purchase an item or sign up for a free trial.

Jun 25, 2025 • 12min
Anna Freud: Identification with the Aggressor
This is an introduction to Anna Freud's concept of the Identification with the Aggressor (from her book The Ego and the Mechanisms of Defence). For more book recommendations and deep-dives into psychodynamic theory join my newsletter 💌 → https://psychodynamicpsychology.com/newsletterCORRECTION at 08:25: the term Anna Freud uses is not "acting out (=Ausagieren) aggression" but "abreaction (=Abreagieren) in the transference" in psychotherapy! I made a mistake.📖 Resources mentioned (Amazon affiliate link)Link to study: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/255419693_Does_Venting_Anger_Feed_or_Extinguish_the_Flame_Catharsis_Rumination_Distraction_Anger_and_Aggressive_RespondingThe Ego and Mechanisms of Defense: https://amzn.to/4lhgctETIMESTAMPS00:00 Introduction03:06 What is Identification with the Aggressor?05:41 "Prophylactic" Aggression06:55 Helpful vs. Unhelpful08:57 Back to the Study...I'm Alina, a German psychoanalyst in training. I share what I read and learn online to make psychodynamic theory more accessible.DISCLAIMER: The content provided is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. This description contains affiliate links. That means I will receive a small commission at absolutely no extra cost for you if you decide to purchase an item or sign up for a free trial.

May 27, 2025 • 10min
How to Read Karen Horney
Dive into the insights of Karen Horney, an often-overlooked psychoanalyst. Discover her critiques of Freudian theory and the importance of personal history in understanding psychology. The discussion covers key concepts like basic anxiety, neurotic trends, and the idealized self, revealing how these ideas play a vital role in our lives. Perfect for those wanting a quick yet comprehensive introduction to her work!

Mar 14, 2025 • 19min
Screen Hunger, Eternal Dilettante, Narcissism of Minor Differences | Salman Akhtar's Dictionary
Psychoanalysis is full of weird ideas, some are weird in a good way and some... well... see for yourself. In this video I take you along as I browse through Salman Akhtar's masterpiece the "Comprehensive Dictionary of Psychoanalysis" and *ramble* through how I discover and study three random new concepts as a psychoanalyst in training.💌 Psychodynamic Library + Newsletter → https://psychodynamicpsychology.com📖 Books mentioned (Amazon affiliate link)Salman Akhtar: Comprehensive Dictionary of Psychoanalysis → https://amzn.to/3FshnH3Otto Fenichel: The Economic Function of Screen Memories (1927)Kata Levy: The Eternal Dilettante (1948)Sigmund Freud: The Taboo of Virginity (1918)🤳 Instagram: Casual updates → https://instagram.com/psychodynamicpsychologyTimestamps00:00 Introduction01:41 Screen Hunger - Otto Fenichel09:11 Eternal Dilettante - Kata Levy14:43 Narcissism of Minor Differences - Sigmund FreudEquipement I use (affiliate links)Camera: https://amzn.to/40o7jahLens: https://amzn.to/420IgvbMicrophone: https://amzn.to/4fQQ0TNMusic: https://share.epidemicsound.com/un7jc6DISCLAIMER: The content provided is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. This description contains affiliate links. That means I will receive a small commission at absolutely no extra cost for you if you decide to purchase an item or sign up for a free trial.

Jan 20, 2025 • 15min
Psychoanalytic Diagnosis (and Why It Matters) | Nancy McWilliams
If I could only recommend one book to every psychodynamic psychotherapist (in training), this would be it: Psychoanalytic Diagnosis - Understanding Personality Structure in the Clinical Process by Nancy McWilliams. It’s a masterpiece that you shouldn’t miss in your own library to improve your clinical knowledge and practice.
📖 Get the book (Amazon affiliate link) → https://amzn.to/4hkDwF3
🎥 Videos mentioned
Defense Mechanisms: https://youtu.be/tiQRJh0HL4E
Dwight Schrute: https://youtu.be/Xjbzbe0ubqU
💌 Psychodynamic Library + Newsletter → https://psychodynamicpsychology.com/newsletter
🤳 INSTAGRAM: Casual updates → https://instagram.com/psychodynamicpsychology
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 My favourite psychodynamic book
00:51 Why (psychoanalytic) diagnosis matters
04:22 Content of the book
09:19 Personality types aka my favourite part
11:40 Limits
EQUIPMENT (affiliate links):
Camera: https://amzn.to/40o7jah
Lens: https://amzn.to/420Igvb
Microphone: https://amzn.to/4fQQ0TN
Music: https://share.epidemicsound.com/un7jc6
DISCLAIMER: The content provided is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. This description contains affiliate links. That means I will receive a small commission at absolutely no extra cost for you if you decide to purchase an item or sign up for a free trial.

Jan 1, 2025 • 14min
What I Read in December 2024 (as a Psychoanalyst in Training): Karen Horney, Thomas Ogden, and more
In this ongoing series of “What I Read” I hope to help you find interesting new books to discover (and at least sometimes understand) the great minds and ideas of psychoanalysis. Here is what I read in December 2024 as a psychoanalyst in training.
💌 NEWSLETTER: Get my Psychodynamic Library → https://psychodynamicpsychology.com/newsletter
🤳 INSTAGRAM: Casual updates → https://instagram.com/psychodynamicpsychology
📚 Books mentioned (Amazon affiliate links):
Karen Horney, New Ways in Psychoanalysis: https://amzn.to/470yo55
Karen Horney, Final Lectures: https://amzn.to/49rektU
Andrew Morrison, Essential Papers on Narcissism: https://amzn.to/4fz2Upk
Heinz Kohut, The Restoration of the Self: https://amzn.to/3WRbKsc
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Introduction
00:29 Overview
01:28 Karen Horney, New Ways in Psychoanalysis
05:01 Thomas Ogden, Reading Loewald: Oedipus Reconceived
06:07 Karen Horney, Final Lectures
08:23 What’s next
DISCLAIMER: The content provided is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. This description contains affiliate links. That means I will receive a small commission at absolutely no extra cost for you if you decide to purchase an item or sign up for a free trial.

Dec 19, 2024 • 23min
Best (Psychodynamic) Books of 2024 | What I Read as a Psychoanalyst in Training
Here are my favourite psychodynamic books and articles out of 4200+ pages I read in 2024 (as a psychoanalyst in training). Each of them allowed me to dive into another great mind, theory, or contribution of psychoanalysis.
🎥 Watch the video version here on YouTube: https://youtu.be/sRsfqNkNwBo
💌 Psychodynamic Library + newsletter → https://psychodynamicpsychology.com/newsletter
🤳 Instagram + casual updates → https://instagram.com/psychodynamicpsychology
📚 Books mentioned (Amazon affiliate links):
"Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy: A Practitioner's Guide" by Nancy McWilliams: https://amzn.to/4ccruul
"The Hidden Spring" by Mark Solms: https://amzn.to/3SB7tqg
"The Neuroscientific Underpinnings of Psychoanalysis" by Mark Solms: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/behavioral-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00294/full
"The Shadow of the Object" by Christopher Bollas: https://amzn.to/3T13N1B
"Psychoanalytic Studies of the Personality" by W. R. D. Fairbairn: https://amzn.to/3ywLKJp
"Why Read Fairbairn?" by Thomas Ogden
"New Ways in Psychoanalysis" by Karen Horney: https://amzn.to/470yo55
"A Mind of Her Own: The Life of Karen Horney" by Susan Quinn: https://amzn.to/3XOMuSO
"Triangulierung" Jürgen Grieser: https://amzn.to/3YzPwwq
"Schopenhauer’s Porcupines: Intimacy and Its Dilemmas" by Deborah Luepnitz: https://amzn.to/3yqDlHw
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Introduction
02:03 Nancy McWilliams, Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy: A Practitioner's Guide
04:16 Mark Solms, The Hidden Spring
06:53 Mark Solms, The Neuroscientific Underpinnings of Psychoanalysis
07:46 Christopher Bollas, The Shadow of the Object
10:29 W. R. D. Fairbairn, Psychoanalytic Studies of the Personality
13:08 Thomas Ogden, Why Read Fairbairn?
13:50 Susan Quinn, A Mind of Her Own: The Life of Karen Horney
15:33 Karen Horney, New Ways in Psychoanalysis
17:38 Jürgen Grieser, Triangulierung
19:52 Deborah Luepnitz, Schopenhauer’s Porcupines: Intimacy and Its Dilemmas
DISCLAIMER: The content provided is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. This description contains affiliate links. That means I will receive a small commission at absolutely no extra cost for you if you decide to purchase an item or sign up for a free trial.

Dec 11, 2024 • 22min
What I Read (as a Psychoanalyst in Training) | Oedipus Complex, Fairbairn, Karen Horney...
This is another rambly (video) podcast episode, where I share 5 niche psychodynamic/psychoanalytic articles and books I read in the last two months. In case you look to discover what to read next as a psychodynamic psychotherapist in traning, this might be interesting for you. Thematically they ranged from the Oedipus complex, to Fairbairn, solid introductions into psychoanalytic psychotherapy, and lots of Karen Horney.
💌 Psychodynamic Library + newsletter → https://psychodynamicpsychology.com/newsletter
🤳 Instagram + casual updates → https://instagram.com/psychodynamicpsychology
Articles and books mentioned (affiliate links):
"The Waning of the Oedipus Complex" by Hans W. Loewald
"Why Read Fairbairn?" by Thomas Ogden
"Introduction to the Practice of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy" by Alessandra Lemma → https://amzn.to/3X7WPci
"Feminine Psychology" by Karen Horney → https://amzn.to/3WUA9xj
"A Mind of Her Own: The Life of Karen Horney" by Susan Quinn → https://amzn.to/3XOMuSO
If you're new here: Hi! My name is Alina, I'm a German psychoanalyst in training. I dive into psychodynamic books for a living and hope to make the great psychodynamic thinkers more accessible.
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Introduction
01:58 "The Waning of the Oedipus Complex" by Hans W. Loewald
06:02 "Why Read Fairbairn?" by Thomas Ogden
08:25 "Introduction to the Practice of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy" by Alessandra Lemma
13:10 "Feminine Psychology" by Karen Horney
15:57 "A Mind of Her Own: The Life of Karen Horney" by Susan Quinn
DISCLAIMER: The content provided is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. This description contains affiliate links. That means I will receive a small commission at absolutely no extra cost for you if you decide to purchase an item or sign up for a free trial.

Sep 18, 2024 • 33min
Reading Fairbairn, Solms, and Fromm | What I Read in August 2024 (Psychodynamic Edition)
As a (beginning) psychodynamic practitioner, you know you should read more. But where to start and what is worth your time? Maybe I can help.
If you're new here: Hi! My name is Alina, I'm a German psychologist and psychoanalyst in training. I dive into psychodynamic books for a living and try to simplify complex theories whenever I can.
💌 Newsletter: Get my psychodynamic library and updates in your inbox → https://psychodynamicpsychology.com/newsletter
🤳 Instagram: Casual updates → https://instagram.com/psychodynamicpsychology
On this podcast, I sometimes dive into concrete theories and present them in the most concise and clear manner I can muster. Other times, like today, I take you behind the scenes of what I'm reading. Be prepared for an unscripted, chatty episode.
What I read in August 2024:
Erich Fromm, The Art of Loving: https://amzn.to/4esWJ68 (Amazon affiliate link)
W. R. D. Fairbairn, Psychoanalytic Studies of the Personality: https://amzn.to/3XQeJkf (Amazon affiliate link)
Mark Solms, The Neurobiological Underpinnings of Psychoanalytic Theory and Therapy: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/behavioral-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00294/full#note21a
Resources mentioned in this episode:
My video on the neuropsychology of dreams: https://youtu.be/n048WanjScA
My video on different psychodynamic theories (an overview): https://youtu.be/gbmySNY-8Sw
My video on Melanie Klein: https://youtu.be/DnT8o1DF0VE
Thomas H. Ogden, Fear of Breakdown and the Unlived Life (2014)
DISCLAIMER: The content provided is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. This description contains affiliate links. That means I will receive a small commission at absolutely no extra cost for you if you decide to purchase an item or sign up for a free trial.

9 snips
Sep 9, 2024 • 21min
The Neuropsychology of Dreams | Mark Solms and Neuropsychoanalysis
Delve into the fascinating world where neuroscience meets psychoanalysis. Discover how dream states reveal secrets about our brain functions and emotions. Learn about the role of the dopamine circuit in dream interpretation, reshaping our understanding of dreams as vital expressions of desire and emotion. Mark Solms' insights challenge traditional views, presenting dreams as profound reflections of our psyche. This exploration invites listeners to rethink the significance of their nightly journeys.