Theoretical Digression

Panic-focused psychodynamic psychotherapy (PFPP) is a form of brief psychotherapy developed by Barbara Milrod, M.D. and her research group for treatment of panic disorder with or without agoraphobia. It has been adapted across anxiety disorders, for anxiety disorders of children and teens (Child and Adolescent Psychodynamic Psychotherapy [CAPP], Preter et al. 2018) and for posttraumatic stress disorder (Trauma Focused Psychodynamic Psychotherapy [TFPP], Busch et al. 2021). PFPP is a psychodynamic psychotherapy, meaning that it aims to reduce specific symptoms of anxiety by working psychodynamically on unconscious underpinnings to the symptoms. A brief introduction to the theoretical basis of this therapy can be found in this book in the chapter by Dr. Charis “Fear, Anxiety, and Their Meaning in Our Life” (more information about this can be found in Busch et al. 2011; or Subic-Wrana et al. 2012). This therapy has demonstrated efficacy, with independent replications, unusual in a psychodynamic psychotherapy, in a number of clinical trials over decades (Milrod et al. 2001, 2007a, b, 2016; Svensson et al. 2020). It is a brief therapy (24 sessions in 12 weeks) and consists of three phases: (a) the initial phase, which is the treatment of acute panic; (b) treatment of panic vulnerability; and (c) termination.