Abstract

The aim of this paper is to point out the similarities and differences of clinical and psychotherapeutic interviews, ie psychodynamic formulations that are conducted for the purpose of personality assessment for inclusion in psychoanalytic psychotherapy and group analysis. A clinical interview is a tool that helps physicians, psychologists, and researchers in making an accurate diagnosis of various mental illnesses. A psychodynamic interview is by definition conducted for the purpose of setting indications for psychoanalytic psychotherapy or group analysis. The authors describe conducting a psychodynamic interview as a process consisting of four phases: identifying the psychological cause behind the symptoms, reconstructing the medical history story, modeling, and formulation (the so-called case hypothesis). At the end of the interview, the psychodynamically oriented psychotherapist summarizes the psychodynamic formation from the information obtained. This means that he has set up a hypothesis, ie an interpretation (explanation) of the unconscious causes of the patient’s suffering and based on that he will suggest or refuse psychotherapeutic treatment.Also, in the context of an acute pandemic, a brief overview of the conduct of an initial remote psychotherapy interview (online / remote setting) will be given.Also, in the context of an acute pandemic, a brief overview of the conduct of an initial remote psychotherapy interview (online / remote setting) will be given.