Despite the enormous progress in the pharmacological and cognitive-behavioral treatments of panic disorder over the last 30 years, these treatments often provide only temporary or partial relief and many patients continue to experience persistent anxiety symptoms after the discontinuation of treatment. Substantial evidence exists that intrapsychic conflict and characterological features play a central role in the genesis and onset of panic disorder as well as the frequency of relapse after the termination of treatment. Many clinicians believe that psychodynamic psychotherapy is the best-suited approach to address these issues.

Based on extensive clinical experience and written by distinguished experts in the field, the Manual of Panic-Focused Psychodynamic Psychotherapy is the first manual to comprehensively examine the usefulness of exploratory psychotherapy in the treatment of panic disorder. It suggests that psychodynamic approaches can aid both psychopharmacological and cognitive-behavioral treatments and can often resolve panic symptoms in many patients when used as the sole treatment modality. The authors catalog psychological factors commonly present in panic disorder patients and describe how to address them within a psychodynamic psychotherapy. A wealth of clinical vignettes and a complete case example illustrate the psychodynamic approach to this disorder. Other treatment issues including defense mechanisms, transference, termination of treatment, and the use of this method in conjunction with other therapeutic approaches are also covered.