What Is Psychodynamic Therapy And How Does It Work?

"But how does that make you feel?"

When you think of a therapist, you may immediately think of this phrase. You may even be able to mentally and visually picture a therapist sitting in a chair with a pen and paper in hand overlooking their client laying on a couch in their office. This exact scene is often portrayed in television shows or movies.

In reality, this form of talk therapy is actually not as utilized in today's world. This form of therapy is known as psychodynamic therapy.

Let's learn more about psychodynamic therapy and how it works.

What is Psychodynamic Therapy?

A common type of therapy in today's world is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This type of therapy works to reduce or completely eliminate any signs or symptoms that a client may be facing. While other forms of therapy tend to focus on behaviors, psychodynamic therapy's focus is on a client's thoughts and emotions.

Psychodynamic therapy is a way for therapists to work with their clients and help them dig deeper in order to find more insight and clarity into who they really are. Therapists will work with their clients and help them find patterns in their beliefs, emotions, and thoughts. The ideology behind psychodynamic therapy is that experiences that happen in early childhood can have a significant impact and influence on development and actions even in adulthood.

The Goals of Psychodynamic Therapy

The main goal of psychodynamic therapy is for a client to have a better understanding of their thoughts, feelings, and beliefs in order to build their self-awareness by looking at patterns that occur in their past and present life. In order to achieve the goals of psychodynamic therapy, a therapist will work to guide their clients through past experiences. Psychodynamic therapy attempts to dig into one's unconscious mind in order to bring the problem to the present moment to better deal with it. The patterns that are found will allow a client to have a better understanding and plan in place to deal with the patterns in a better way in the future.

How Psychodynamic Therapy Works

In order to achieve the goals of psychodynamic therapy, a therapist will work to guide their clients through past experiences. One of a therapist's main goals with psychodynamic therapy is to discover a base for the signs and symptoms that their client is dealing with. A therapist will guide their client toward speaking about how they're feeling and what they may be thinking about. After building a relationship with their client, they may start to dig into events from their client's past.

The insight from a client's past will be beneficial in discovering patterns that are taking place in the present moment. The communication between a therapist and a client can also provide insight into patterns that are happening in a client's existing relationships. Working with a therapist is a great way to discover connections and patterns from your past life. Patterns that exist from the past can often have both a positive and negative impact on your present life. Once the patterns are discovered, the issues can be addressed and a client can work towards better managing them in the future.

Getting Started and Next Steps

Congratulations on taking the first step toward researching different therapy options. Going to therapy proves how strong you are. There are many different forms of therapy out there. Taking the time to research can help you finetune the goals you may have for attending therapy. Don't hesitate to reach out to learn more about psychodynamic therapy. Contact me today to set up a consultation. We can help you determine is psychodynamic therapy is right for you and get you on the path toward healing.