What is Psychodynamic Therapy and How Can It Help Me?

Now more than ever, it feels like the different types of psychotherapy available are multiplying by the day.  If you’ve searched online for a therapist, chances are you’ve been confused, if not overwhelmed, by all the therapeutic approaches offered.  There’s Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, EMDR, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Internal Family Systems, Somatic Experiencing - the list goes on and on.  Even for a therapist, it can be a challenge to keep them straight.

Not Your Grandfather’s Psychotherapy

The approach that I practice, psychodynamic (or sometimes referred to as psychoanalytic) therapy, is fairly widely practiced, however it is not widely understood.   Psychodynamic therapy, in many regards, was the original psychotherapy - at least in Western/European culture.  Most everyone has at least heard of its creator: Sigmund Freud.  He was very much a product of his 19th - early 20th century times, which meant that his theories included some blatantly sexist and racist ideas.  Because of that, not to mention the stereotypes of patients free associating on a couch, the psychodynamic approach is sometimes written off as being outdated or not useful.

Many people (including many therapists) do not realize how radically psychodynamic therapy has evolved since Freud’s day.  It has been shaped by feminism, queer theory, Critical Race Theory, and continues to develop to meet the ever changing needs of our times.  

Today’s psychodynamic therapists place tremendous value on their relationships with their clients.  Of course, therapists of any ilk strive to create a safe and supportive space for clients, but those of us that use this approach actually see the therapeutic relationship as a vehicle for healing and change.  Far from being the stereotypical “blank slate” of decades past, we work to foster an intimacy that allows our clients to take risks and discover new aspects of themselves.

So How Does It Work?

Psychodynamic therapy is based on the belief that change and growth occur from knowing ourselves as deeply as possible.   While we all know ourselves on a basic level - our preferences, our fears, our desires - we may not always know why we feel the way we feel or why we act the way we act.  This can be frustrating when we act in ways that sabotage ourselves - or when our behavior doesn’t line up with the person we want to be.

Psychodynamic therapists help clients dig beneath the surface to uncover patterns that hold the key to these feelings and behaviors.  We believe that the more awareness and understanding you have, the less you’re living your life on automatic pilot, enslaved by irrational thoughts and feelings.  

A major misconception is that psychodynamic therapy only focuses on your past - or blames your parents for your problems.   This kind of therapy does consider your past, not to stay stuck there or blame anyone, but to give context to the challenges you’re facing now. Having this context can be especially important for people who tend to be self-critical; understanding the why helps you not judge yourself for acting in ways that don’t serve you.  The more understanding you develop, the more you see that every misguided behavior originally started as a way to help you cope in the best way you could.

How Can It Help?

If you’re struggling with anxiety or depression, psychodynamic therapy offers more than a band-aid solution.  Much like in gardening, if we don’t get the weeds by their roots, they’ll grow back over and over again.  This approach gets to the bottom of the fears and distorted thinking that keeps you stuck and helps create lasting change.

If you’d like to learn more about how this approach could work for your specific needs, set up a time to speak with me for a free phone consultation.