ABSTRACT
In the initial meeting to set up the therapy, it is vital to make the number of sessions clear from the beginning, both the 28-week structure of Short-Term Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy (STPP) and the point at which an agreement about proceeding with the treatment will be reached. Especially in time-limited psychotherapy, such as STPP, the countertransference feeling associated with ending “can be one of cruelty and deprivation, leading to feelings of guilt and inadequacy”. During the early stages of STPP, the primary focus is on establishing the therapeutic frame or setting, building the therapeutic alliance, and identifying the barriers to engagement in treatment and the central depressive dynamics. The establishment of a “secure base” or a “therapeutic alliance” is one of the aims of the early stages of treatment and is one of the greatest challenges when working with depressed young people.
