Transference focused psychotherapy

Has anyone had success or heard anything about transference-focused psychotherapy, pioneered by Otto Kernberg, for NPD and/or NPD with BPD traits (or the other way around)? I'm looking into this. Unfortunately, it looks like it requires 2-3 sessions per week, which in my city would probably amount to about $2,000 per month. Ridiculously unaffordable. But I'm curious about any feedback anyone might have?

The Internal Family Systems Model (IFS) is an integrative approach to individual psychotherapy developed by Richard C. Schwartz. It combines systems thinking with the view that mind is made up of relatively discrete subpersonalities each with its own viewpoint and qualities. IFS uses family systems theory to understand how these collections of subpersonalities are organized.

This is suposedly cutting-edge psychotherapy. But yeah, Kernberg knew his $#%^.

covertunsure wrote:Has anyone had success or heard anything about transference-focused psychotherapy, pioneered by Otto Kernberg, for NPD and/or NPD with BPD traits (or the other way around)? I'm looking into this. Unfortunately, it looks like it requires 2-3 sessions per week, which in my city would probably amount to about $2,000 per month. Ridiculously unaffordable. But I'm curious about any feedback anyone might have?

Last time I checked the few comparative studies about TFT implied that TFT is inferior to Mentalization-Based-Treatment and Schema-Focused-Therapy. Which is better for you personally I assume we won't know. I think to remember I told you to check out MBT years ago...? Dont know anymore.
Afaik TFT itself is for BPD and needs some modification for NPD.
Can you list which types of therapies you already aborted and maybe why?
I'm asking - also - because I remember from a phase where I was lookin at therapy types a lot but not moving an inch towards actually doing therapy .

Akuma wrote:

covertunsure wrote:Has anyone had success or heard anything about transference-focused psychotherapy, pioneered by Otto Kernberg, for NPD and/or NPD with BPD traits (or the other way around)? I'm looking into this. Unfortunately, it looks like it requires 2-3 sessions per week, which in my city would probably amount to about $2,000 per month. Ridiculously unaffordable. But I'm curious about any feedback anyone might have?

Last time I checked the few comparative studies about TFT implied that TFT is inferior to Mentalization-Based-Treatment and Schema-Focused-Therapy. Which is better for you personally I assume we won't know. I think to remember I told you to check out MBT years ago...? Dont know anymore.
Afaik TFT itself is for BPD and needs some modification for NPD.
Can you list which types of therapies you already aborted and maybe why?
I'm asking - also - because I remember from a phase where I was lookin at therapy types a lot but not moving an inch towards actually doing therapy .

There are so many approaches/therapies, it's so confusing.

I've only done regular talk therapy and CBT...but I never actually did the homework/exercises for the latter. Basically constant self-sabotage.

At this very moment, I'm watching/listening to this video about TFP for NPD... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hp4AcdnRViI Pretty interesting, but it's a bit abstract and hard to see if it would work for me. I really need a professional dx.

You've never pursued therapy? I thought you mentioned once that you were in therapy.

covertunsure wrote:You've never pursued therapy? I thought you mentioned once that you were in therapy.

I'm in psychoanalytic-style therapy at the moment. I meant to say that I had a phase where I looked at all sorts of approaches and took that as a means to avoiding actually doing it.

Made an appointment with a more reasonably priced TFP therapist for next Tuesday. He seems nice and I'm excited to try an entirely new modality of psychotherapy. So far it's mostly been CBT or unstructured talk therapy. We'll see how it goes. I don't think I can afford the 2x per week "requirement," but he said I could still derive some value from 1x per week.

covertunsure wrote:Made an appointment with a more reasonably priced TFP therapist for next Tuesday. He seems nice and I'm excited to try an entirely new modality of psychotherapy. So far it's mostly been CBT or unstructured talk therapy. We'll see how it goes. I don't think I can afford the 2x per week "requirement," but he said I could still derive some value from 1x per week.

Cool. Do they also have long waiting times? Or is the side effect of their ridiculous pricing that you could start immediately? Just curious as I waited here about 14 months after my first contact.

Akuma wrote:

covertunsure wrote:Made an appointment with a more reasonably priced TFP therapist for next Tuesday. He seems nice and I'm excited to try an entirely new modality of psychotherapy. So far it's mostly been CBT or unstructured talk therapy. We'll see how it goes. I don't think I can afford the 2x per week "requirement," but he said I could still derive some value from 1x per week.

Cool. Do they also have long waiting times? Or is the side effect of their ridiculous pricing that you could start immediately? Just curious as I waited here about 14 months after my first contact.

I'm in the US, where the good mental health providers (not to mention many/most top doctors) are almost all private pay. A small number take insurance, but often that's for a reason--'cuz they're not that in-demand (and thus maybe not that great, or just not good marketers). So yep, since it's private pay, I can start as soon as they have availability.

covertunsure wrote:I'm in the US, where the good mental health providers (not to mention many/most top doctors) are almost all private pay. A small number take insurance, but often that's for a reason--'cuz they're not that in-demand (and thus maybe not that great, or just not good marketers). So yep, since it's private pay, I can start as soon as they have availability.

Yea I thought so. Well that's a good side effect then.
I lol'd at "marketers". That makes you sound really American. Therapy-marketing. lol.

Akuma wrote:

covertunsure wrote:I'm in the US, where the good mental health providers (not to mention many/most top doctors) are almost all private pay. A small number take insurance, but often that's for a reason--'cuz they're not that in-demand (and thus maybe not that great, or just not good marketers). So yep, since it's private pay, I can start as soon as they have availability.

Yea I thought so. Well that's a good side effect then.
I lol'd at "marketers". That makes you sound really American. Therapy-marketing. lol.

Yeah, we’re capitalists. And we’re not ashamed of it!

For better or worse, all professions must market. Even those that want to appear above it, like therapists. Everyone needs to put bread on the table, and some want more than that for their families or themselves.

I’m conflicted about that because on some level, it does seem to make the profession less “pure” in motive and for a cynic like me can make it seem disingenuous, but it’s also a necessary fact of life and of humans to want to make money and feel secure and comfortable.