NANCY MCWILLIAMS, PHD, ABPP TEACHES

 

PSYCHODYNAMIC DIAGNOSIS AND FIRST SESSIONS

 

Learn from Nancy McWilliams, co-editor of the Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual, to identify personality types, understand the concerns of each, and get off on the right foot with patients in the first sessions.

A filmed masterclass  ·  1.5 CE available  ·  self-paced, no deadline  ·  30-min bonus film included

  NANCY MCWILLIAMS, PHD, ABPP TEACHES

 

PSYCHODYNAMIC DIAGNOSIS AND FIRST SESSIONS

 

Learn from Nancy McWilliams, co-editor of the Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual, to identify personality types, understand the concerns of each, and get off on the right foot with patients in the first sessions.

 

A filmed masterclass  ·  1.5 CE available  ·  self-paced, no deadline  ·  30-min bonus film included

What Viewers Are Saying

What viewers are saying

“As a therapist and instructor myself, I got SO much out of this and will rewatch. Thank you, Dr. McWilliams, for such cogent and engaging analysis of people and of your own process as a therapist.”

Dr. Chris Duquette, Therapist and Adjunct Professor, Golden Gate University

“An amazing teacher. It’s a privilege, as a young psychiatrist, to be able to listen and learn from this from another corner of the world.”

Pooja S, Psychiatrist

“Very few truly understand the importance of her approach to psychodynamic personality diagnosis. I practice according to her model and have accumulated a wealth of experience and knowledge in it.”

Elichen Amitai, Therapist and University Instructor, Israel

“I can listen to her for hours and on repeat. Such a wealth of knowledge and experience.”

Loulwa Kaloyeros, Senior Psychology Faculty, Lebanese American University

“As a psychotherapist and human, thank you for the richness and depth of this presentation — and the humor and humanity you bring to it. I listen to this repeatedly. So much wisdom here.”

Sharon Coulter, LMFT, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist

“Really informative discussion — I appreciated this talk, and realize psychodynamic is such a rich and evolving perspective and lens to work from.”

Kyndra Knight, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Jefferson Community & Technical College

“This is exactly what I needed as a clinician in training.”

Nichole Estremera, PhD Student in Clinical Psychology, Puerto Rico

“So grateful to you for getting these pioneers to share their wealth of psychoanalytic knowledge and wisdom!”

Clinical Psychologist, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

“I just love Nancy McWilliams. She is my favorite. I have learned the most from her in my program.”

Chauncey Zalkin, Student, Northwestern University

Course Overview

 

What You’ll Learn

Personality Types

Understanding personality beyond symptoms and identifying the themes that organize a person’s psychology.

Levels of Functioning

Distinguishing healthy, neurotic, borderline, and psychotic levels of personality organization.

First Sessions

Using early interviews to understand the patient, begin the alliance, and orient treatment.

Psychodynamic Diagnosis

This course focuses on the internal world of the patient, examining personality style, defensive structures, and the nuances of psychological functioning. Learn from Nancy McWilliams, the co-editor of the Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual, to see the human being and relevant themes behind the diagnostic label.

Also included: a bonus 30-minute masterclass with Nancy — The 10 Qualities of Mental Health: what therapists aim toward beyond symptom relief.

A Comprehensive Frame

A practical introduction to clinical formulation that honors the complexity of the individual.

Course Overview

 
Psychodynamic Diagnosis

This course focuses on the internal world of the patient, examining personality style, defensive structures, and the nuances of psychological functioning. Learn from Nancy McWilliams, the co-editor of the Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual, to see the human being and relevant themes behind the diagnostic label.

Also included: a bonus 30-minute masterclass with Nancy — The 10 Qualities of Mental Health: what therapists aim toward beyond symptom relief.

A Comprehensive Frame

A practical introduction to clinical formulation that honors the complexity of the individual.

Basically, you have to care about other people. Be humble, Be interested in them. Want to help them. - Nancy McWilliams

 

Nancy McWilliams is the author of three classic textbooks that have become the gold standard in clinical training: Psychoanalytic Diagnosis, Psychoanalytic Case Formulation, and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy. Her writings have been translated into twenty languages and are used in training programs worldwide.

A former president of the Division of Psychoanalysis (39) of the American Psychological Association, she has received numerous awards for her contributions to clinical psychology, including the Hans H. Strupp Award and the Robert S. Wallerstein Settlement Fund Award for Psychotherapy Research.

She has taught in thirty countries, and has given commencement addresses at Yale University School of Medicine and at Smith College School for Social Work.

 
Bestselling Author

Over 125,000 copies sold of 'Psychoanalytic Diagnosis' worldwide.

 
Clinical Excellence

Over 40 years of dedicated practice leadership.

Meet Nancy McWilliams

Nancy McWilliams is the author of three classic textbooks that have become the gold standard in clinical training: Psychoanalytic Diagnosis, Psychoanalytic Case Formulation, and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy. Her writings have been translated into twenty languages and are used in training programs worldwide.

She has taught in thirty countries, and has given commencement addresses at Yale University School of Medicine and at Smith College School for Social Work.

 

ABPP DIPLOMATE

BEST SELLING AUTHOR

First Sessions Matter

 

The Initial Alliance

The first session is about making a relationship with the person. Begin by understanding what brought them here now and how they hope you can help.

Starting to Understand the Patient

Listen for how the patient understands their suffering, describes important people, and experiences self and others. These early descriptions begin to show personality style, level of functioning, and capacity for nuance.

Preparing the Frame

By the end of the first session, offer an initial way of thinking about the problem and prepare the patient for a fuller history next. The aim is to create enough clarity and trust for the work to continue.

Included Bonus Masterclass

Nancy McWilliams — The 10 Qualities of Mental Health

The 10 Qualities of Mental Health

Beyond diagnosis and first sessions, your enrollment includes an essential 30-minute masterclass in which Nancy McWilliams describes the ten qualities that characterize genuine psychological health — the deeper aims of therapy that reach well past the relief of symptoms.

A 30-minute bonus video · included free with the course

Who This Course Is For

This training is designed for professionals seeking to deepen their clinical intuition and theoretical grounding.

Therapists 

Develop a robust internal framework that guides your interventions during difficult clinical moments.

Teachers

Learn to synthesize complex client history into a coherent and actionable clinical narrative.

Students

Transcend the medical model to see the suffering person behind the diagnostic code.

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