What is Psychodynamic Psychotherapy?

Psychodynamic psychotherapy aims to enhance our self-awareness and help us understand how our past influences our present behaviors. A therapist employing a psychodynamic perspective will enable their client to examine and solve unsettled conflicts and psychological distress that arise from previous dysfunctional relationships such as past family issues, bad relationships, and toxic friendships.

Psychodynamic psychotherapy is rooted in traditional psychoanalysis but is less rigorous than the traditional psychoanalysis methods which comprised of attending 3-4 sessions weekly. However, Psychodynamic psychotherapists will help you understand and change complex, deep-seated problems thereby reducing symptoms and alleviating distress in your life. Psychodynamic psychotherapy is effective for a range of issues, both as an independent treatment and in combination with other forms of therapies. The relationship with your therapist is a crucial element in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy. Psychodynamic Psychotherapy emphasizes the use of transference to inform therapy. Transference refers to a situation where the feelings, desires, and expectations of one person are redirected to another individual. In the therapeutic setting, transference allows your therapist to better understand how projected feelings and past are impacting you in the present.