Deepening Understanding. Expanding Healing.
Global Mental Health
Global Mental Health initiative
Across Vietnam, there is a growing need for skilled mental health professionals trained in evidence-based psychotherapy. Together with the Vietnam Psychotherapy Association (VnPA), the department of psychiatry at Baylor College of Medicine is launching Building Depth: Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Training & Certification in Vietnam, the first training program in psychodynamic psychotherapy.
In 2023, the Vietnam Ministry of Health formally recognized dynamic psychotherapy as part of the authorized scope of practice for clinical psychologists under Circular 32/2023/TT-BYT, making it be a covered service by health insurance. Your support will directly strengthen this progress—helping make high-quality, emotionally focused mental health care accessible to people across Vietnam.
What is Psychodynamic Psychotherapy?
Psychodynamic (“mind in motion”) psychotherapy (PDP) is a methodology that helps people understand how their past experiences, identity, emotions, and relationships affect their current lives. The models of the mind developed through psychodynamic theory form the foundation of nearly all modern psychotherapy methods.
In Vietnam, psychotherapy is still a developing field, and most clinicians are currently trained in short-term, structured approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). While CBT is highly effective for many conditions, PDP expands the therapist’s ability to understand and treat more complex emotional and relational difficulties. For example, issues rooted in childhood trauma, wartime experiences, or deep-seated patterns of loss and attachment are often best addressed through a psychodynamic approach that emphasizes understanding the inner world and long-term healing.
By building a psychodynamic training and certification program, we aim to:
- Give Vietnamese therapists tools to explore emotional depth and long-term healing.
- Adapt psychodynamic methods to Vietnam’s cultural and family traditions.
- Create a community of skilled local trainers who can continue this work sustainably.
- Strengthen Vietnam’s mental health system with well-rounded, reflective clinicians.
Your support will help us:
- Develop and translate a culturally responsive psychodynamic psychotherapy curriculum.
- Provide consultation and mentorship to psychiatrists, psychologists, and counselors.
- Establish a sustainable certification pathway recognized by the VnPA and local universities.
- Conduct research on the training’s impact for both clinicians and patients.
This program is not just about education — it’s about building local expertise, ethical practice, and long-term capacity in mental health care across Vietnam.
Every contribution helps us train the next generation of Vietnamese therapists who will bring depth, compassion, and professionalism to their communities.