Racialized Health Care Dynamics in Time-Limited Psychodynamic Psychotherapy: A Case of a Patient Awaiting Heart Transplantation

Racial inequities within both heart transplantation and psychotherapy access have been well documented. In this report, we describe the case of a patient from a racially/ethnically minoritized background awaiting heart transplantation for whom panic attacks significantly impacted his quality of life and presented a barrier to transplantation. This case illustrates the novel utilization of time-limited psychodynamic psychotherapy exploring racialized health care dynamics as a precipitant to psychological symptoms. We highlight how racialized treatment experiences can contribute to symptoms of panic directly and indirectly. The case emphasizes the importance of discussions about race, ethnicity, and culture within a therapeutic treatment relationship. We also recommend the use of time-limited psychodynamic psychotherapy as an effective mental health treatment in a medically complex transplant population.