The Core Conflictual Relationship Theme: A Single-Case Study

Researchers are starting to emphasize the importance of addressing interpersonal difficulties in treating trauma-related difficulties. The formation of a stable therapeutic alliance is particularly on the forefront in many models of trauma treatment. However, some have argued that the interpersonal realm should receive attention beyond the formation of a therapeutic alliance, so the interpersonal difficulties themselves would be further addressed in therapy. Psychodynamic therapy addresses these issues by the gradual application of supportive and expressive techniques. Whereas supportive techniques foster the therapeutic alliance, expressive techniques focus specifically on relationship patterns. These relationship patterns are operationalized by the conflictual relationship theme or CCRT, which characterizes people’s habitual ways of interacting with others by defining dominant wishes, responses of others (RO) and responses of self (RS) in concrete relationship episodes. I will present how the CCRT is characterized at the beginning of therapy and how the different components change over time in a case of trauma. Using case illustrations, I will show that the dominant wish to be close to others does not change throughout therapy, whereas the perceived negative RO and RS do