Here are three simple things to do, starting today, that will help you “sift truth from hyperbole” in your decision-making about what kind of real-world psychological help may be best for you:

“When somebody makes a claim for the benefit of a treatment, any treatment, follow these three simple steps:

Step 1: say, “Show me the study.” Give me a reference, a citation, a PDF. Put the study into my hands. Sometimes it does not exist.
Step 2: if the study does exist, read it—especially the fine print.
Step 3: draw your own conclusion. Ask yourself: do the actual methods and findings of this study justify the claim I just heard?

If you make a practice of following these steps, you may make some shocking discoveries.”

— Shedler, 2015, p. 58

Dr. Mark Ettensohn, a Licensed Psychologist in Sacramento, CA, provides an accessible summary of the effectiveness of psychodynamic psychotherapy based on a literature review of over 200 studies providing evidence supporting the effectiveness and efficacy of psychodynamic psychotherapy .

The below bibliography is a list of references and research on evidence-based psychodynamic psychotherapy that is dynamically generated from my personal library as it continues to grow.

Evidence-Based Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Literature

Abbass, A. A., Kisely, S. R., Town, J. M., Leichsenring, F., Driessen, E., De Maat, S., Gerber, A., Dekker, J., Rabung, S., Rusalovska, S., & Crowe, E. (2014). Short-term psychodynamic psychotherapies for common mental disorders. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 7. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD004687.pub4
Abbass, A., Luyten, P., Steinert, C., & Leichsenring, F. (2017). Bias Toward Psychodynamic Therapy: Framing the Problem and Working Toward a Solution. Journal of Psychiatric Practice®, 23(5), 361–365.
Alekseenko, I. F. (1975). [Fractional identification of proteins of erythrocyte hemolysate subjected to disc electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel]. Zdravookhranenie Kirgizii, 5, 35–36.
American Psychological Association Presidential Task Force on Evidence-Based Practice. (2006). Evidence-based practice in psychology. American Psychologist, 61(4), 271–285. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.61.4.271
Blagys, M. D., & Hilsenroth, M. J. (2000). Distinctive Features of Short-Term Psychodynamic-Interpersonal Psychotherapy: A Review of the Comparative Psychotherapy Process Literature. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 7(2), 167–188. https://doi.org/10.1093/clipsy.7.2.167
Burbridge-James, W., & Iwanowicz, M. (2018). Psychotherapeutic interventions and contemporary developments: common and specific factors. BJPsych Advances, 24(1), 54–65. https://doi.org/10.1192/bja.2017.24
Burkeman, O. (2016, January 7). Therapy wars: The revenge of Freud. The Guardian.
Byrne, G., & Egan, J. (2018). A Review of the Effectiveness and Mechanisms of Change for Three Psychological Interventions for Borderline Personality Disorder. Clinical Social Work Journal, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10615-018-0652-y
Capaldi, II, V. F., & Hafter Gray, S. (2011). [Review of the book psychodynamic therapy: A guide to evidence-based practice by R. F. Summers & J. P. Barber]. The Journal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis and Dynamic Psychiatry, 39(3), 576–580. https://doi.org/10.1521/jaap.2011.39.3.573
Carr, G. D. (2011). Psychotherapy research: Implications for practice. Psychiatric Times, 28(8), 31–31.
Clarkin, J. F., Levy, K. N., Lenzenweger, M. F., & Kernberg, O. F. (2007). Evaluating three treatments for borderline personality disorder: A multiwave study. American Journal of Psychiatry, 164(6), 922–928. https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.2007.164.6.922
Cohen, J. N., McElhaney, R., & Jensen, D. (2018). The Empirical Examinability of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy: A Reply to Hoffart and Johnson. Clinical Psychological Science, 216770261775188. https://doi.org/10.1177/2167702617751887
de Maat, S., de Jonghe, F., Schoevers, R., & Dekker, J. (2009). The effectiveness of long-term psychoanalytic therapy: A systematic review of empirical studies. Harvard Review of Psychiatry, 17(1), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/10673220902742476
Diener, M. J. (2017). Evidence-Based Psychodynamic Therapy Seminar. TZK Seminars.
Diener, M. J., & Pierson, M. M. (2013). Technique and therapeutic process from a supportive-expressive relational psychodynamic approach. Psychotherapy, 50(3), 424.
Diener, M. J., Hilsenroth, M. J., & Weinberger, J. (2007). Therapist affect focus and patient outcomes in psychodynamic psychotherapy: A meta-analysis. American Journal of Psychiatry, 164(6), 936–941.
Doering, S., Hörz, S., Rentrop, M., Fischer-Kern, M., Schuster, P., Benecke, C., Buchheim, A., Martius, P., & Buchheim, P. (2010). Transference-focused psychotherapy v. treatment by community psychotherapists for borderline personality disorder: Randomised controlled trial. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 196(5), 389. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.109.070177
Egger, N., Konnopka, A., Beutel, M. E., Herpertz, S., Hiller, W., Hoyer, J., Salzer, S., Stangier, U., Strauss, B., & Willutzki, U. (2015). Short-term cost-effectiveness of psychodynamic therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy in social anxiety disorder: results from the SOPHO-NET trial. Journal of Affective Disorders, 180, 21–28.
Fonagy, P. (2015). The effectiveness of psychodynamic psychotherapies: An update. World Psychiatry, 14(2), 137–150. PMC. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20235
Fonagy, P., Rost, F., Carlyle, J., McPherson, S., Thomas, R., Pasco Fearon, R. M., Goldberg, D., & Taylor, D. (2015). Pragmatic randomized controlled trial of long-term psychoanalytic psychotherapy for treatment-resistant depression: The Tavistock Adult Depression Study (TADS). World Psychiatry, 14(3), 312–321. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20267
Gaskin, C. (2012). The effectiveness of psychodynamic psychotherapy: A systematic review of recent international and Australian research. Melbourne: PACFA.
Gelso, C. J., Latts, M. G., Gomez, M. J., & Fassinger, R. E. (2002). Countertransference management and therapy outcome: An initial evaluation. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 58(7), 861–867.
Gerber, A. J., Kocsis, J. H., Milrod, B. L., Roose, S. P., Barber, J. P., Thase, M. E., Perkins, P., & Leon, A. C. (2011). A quality-based review of randomized controlled trials of psychodynamic psychotherapy. American Journal of Psychiatry, 168(1), 19–28. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2010.08060843
Gibbons, M. B. C., Gallop, R., Thompson, D., Luther, D., Crits-Christoph, K., Jacobs, J., Yin, S., & Crits-Christoph, P. (2016). Comparative effectiveness of cognitive therapy and dynamic psychotherapy for Major Depressive Disorder in a community mental health setting: A randomized clinical noninferiority trial. JAMA Psychiatry, 73(9), 904–912. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.1720
Glasserman, E. I., & Finch, E. F. (2017). Borderline Personality Disorder: Treatment Resistance Reconsidered. PSYCHIATRIC TIMES.
Harvard Medical School. (2010). Merits of psychodynamic therapy. Harvard Mental Health Letter, 27(3), 1–3.
Hayes, J. A., Gelso, C. J., & Hummel, A. M. (2011). Managing countertransference. Psychotherapy, 48(1), 88–97. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0022182
Hilsenroth, M. J., Blagys, M. D., Ackerman, S. J., Bonge, D. R., & Blais, M. A. (2005). Measuring Psychodynamic-Interpersonal and Cognitive-Behavioral Techniques: Development of the Comparative Psychotherapy Process Scale. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 42(3), 340–356. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-3204.42.3.340
Huber, D., Zimmermann, J., Henrich, G., & Klug, G. (2012). Comparison of cognitive-behaviour therapy with psychoanalytic and psychodynamic therapy for depressed patients–a three-year follow-up study. Zeitschrift Für Psychosomatische Medizin Und Psychotherapie, 58(3), 299–316.
Improve Your Practice. (2016). Psychodynamic therapy. Improve Your Practice: The Therapeutic Relationship, Psychotherapy and Client Outcomes. Implications for Adult Community Mental Health Services under a New Mental Health Act for Victoria.
Johnsen, T. J., & Friborg, O. (2015). The effects of cognitive behavioral therapy as an anti-depressive treatment is falling: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 141(4), 747–768. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000015
Kaplan, A. (2011). Psychodynamic psychotherapy. Psychiatric Times, 27(12).
Kivlighan Jr, D. M., Hill, C. E., Gelso, C. J., & Baumann, E. (2016). Working alliance, real relationship, session quality, and client improvement in psychodynamic psychotherapy: A longitudinal actor partner interdependence model. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 63(2), 149.
Kivlighan Jr, D. M., Gelso, C. J., Ain, S., Hummel, A. M., & Markin, R. D. (2015). The therapist, the client, and the real relationship: An actor–partner interdependence analysis of treatment outcome. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 62(2), 314.
Kuutmann, K., & Hilsenroth, M. J. (2012). Exploring in‐session focus on the patient–therapist relationship: Patient characteristics, process and outcome. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 19(3), 187–202.
Lasher, M. P., Webb, J. R., Stinson, J. D., & Cantrell, P. J. (2017). Addressing Social Anxiety Concurrently With Prison-Based Sex Offender Treatment: A Case of Individual Needs in an Era of Manualized Treatment. Journal of Correctional Health Care, 23(3), 271–282.
Laska, K. M., Gurman, A. S., & Wampold, B. E. (2014). Expanding the lens of evidence-based practice in psychotherapy: A common factors perspective. Psychotherapy, 51(4), 467–481. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0034332
Lazar, S. G. (2014). The cost-effectiveness of psychotherapy for the major psychiatric diagnoses. Psychodynamic Psychiatry, 42(3), 423–457. https://doi.org/10.1521/pdps.2014.42.3.423
Leichsenring, F. (2001). Comparative effects of short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy in depression: a meta-analytic approach. Clinical Psychology Review, 21(3), 401–419.
Leichsenring, F., & Leibing, E. (2003). The effectiveness of psychodynamic therapy and cognitive behavior therapy in the treatment of personality disorders: a meta-analysis. American Journal of Psychiatry, 160(7), 1223–1232. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.160.7.1223
Leichsenring, F., & Rabung, S. (2008). Effectiveness of long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy: A meta-analysis. JAMA, 300(13), 1551–1565. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.300.13.1551
Leichsenring, F., & Rabung, S. (2011). Long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy in complex mental disorders: update of a meta-analysis. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 199(1), 15–22.
Leichsenring, F., Rabung, S., & Leibing, E. (2004). The efficacy of short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy in specificpsychiatric disorders: a meta-analysis. Archives of General Psychiatry, 61(12), 1208–1216.
Leichsenring, F., Luyten, P., Hilsenroth, M. J., Abbass, A., Barber, J. P., Keefe, J. R., Leweke, F., Rabung, S., & Steinert, C. (2015). Psychodynamic therapy meets evidence-based medicine: a systematic review using updated criteria. The Lancet Psychiatry, 2(7), 648–660.
Leichsenring, F., Salzer, S., Beutel, M. E., Herpertz, S., Hiller, W., Hoyer, J., Huesing, J., Joraschky, P., Nolting, B., & Poehlmann, K. (2014). Long-term outcome of psychodynamic therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy in social anxiety disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 171(10), 1074–1082.
Leichsenring, F., Leweke, F., Klein, S., & Steinert, C. (2015). The Empirical Status of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy - An Update: Bambi's Alive and Kicking. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 84(3), 129–148. https://doi.org/10.1159/000376584
American Psychological Association. (2012). Recognition of Psychotherapy Effectiveness. In APA Council of Representatives Policy Manual. APA.
Levy, R. A., & Ablon, J. S. (Eds.). (2009). Handbook of evidence-based psychodynamic psychotherapy: bridging the gap between science and practice. Humana Press.
Levy, K. N., Ehrenthal, J. C., Yeomans, F. E., & Caligor, E. (2014). The efficacy of psychotherapy: Focus on psychodynamic psychotherapy as an example. Psychodynamic Psychiatry, 42(3), 377–421. https://doi.org/10.1521/pdps.2014.42.3.377
Luyten, P., Blatt, S. J., & Fonagy, P. (2013). Impairments in Self Structures in Depression and Suicide in Psychodynamic and Cognitive Behavioral Approaches: Implications for Clinical Practice and Research. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy, 6(3), 265–279. https://doi.org/10.1521/ijct.2013.6.3.265