Psychodynamic therapy (also known as psychodynamic counselling) is a therapeutic approach that combines parts of many different types of analytic therapies. Psychoanalytical and psychodynamic therapy work on the idea that individuals' unconscious thoughts and perceptions are developed throughout childhood and affect their current behaviour and thoughts.
While the roots of psychodynamic therapy lie predominantly in Freud's approach to psychoanalysis, Carl Jung, Alfred Adler, Otto Rank, and Melanie Klein are the few psychologists known for their involvement in further developing the idea and use of psychodynamics.
Like psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic therapy, psychodynamic therapy aims to bring the unconscious mind into consciousness, supporting the person in recognising. Based on the idea that our unconscious holds onto painful feelings and memories, psychodynamic therapy believes these are too difficult for the conscious mind to process.
Many develop defences, such as denial and projection, to hide these memories and experiences. However, according to psychodynamic therapy, these defences often do more harm than good.
Despite sharing the same core principles, psychodynamic therapy is typically less intensive than psychoanalysis. Focusing primarily on immediate problems, it seeks a quicker solution. However, both methods can help with a range of psychological disorders, helping people make significant changes to how they make decisions and interact with others.
What are the core principles of psychodynamic therapy?
Psychodynamic therapists help better understand life and the problems experienced here and now. To help monitor how the development over time occur, they typically review four key areas:
Beliefs
Emotions
Early life experiences
Thoughts
By examining these, your therapist can help you recognise recurring patterns, see how you can avoid distress, and develop defence mechanisms to help you cope. With this insight, you can change negative patterns to help you move forward.
What are the benefits of psychodynamic therapy?
The psychodynamic approach is to help individuals, couples, families, or even groups with a wide range of problems. However, it is generally more effective in treating specific issues, such as anxiety, addiction and eating disorders. Primarily used to treat depression, psychodynamic therapy can be particularly beneficial if a person feels a loss of meaning in life or is having difficulty forming or maintaining personal relationships.
Psychodynamic therapy is suitable for everyone; some benefit more from this approach and respond better than others. If an individual has a genuine interest in exploring oneself and seeking self-knowledge, as well as relieving symptoms, has the capacity for self-reflection, and is naturally curious about one's internal life and behaviours, this therapy should work well for the individual.
What can psychodynamic therapy support?
Anxiety
Depression
Eating disorder
Loss of meaning in life
Panic disorder
Personality disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Persistent feelings of loneliness
Trouble connecting with others or forming a relationship
Sexual issues
Substance misuse (addiction)
How does psychodynamic therapy work?
The core principle guides the psychodynamic approach that the unconscious mind harbours deep-rooted feelings and memories that can affect our behaviour.
Psychodynamic therapists work based on this in context-specific ways, tailoring their techniques and therapy style to you. Your therapist will maintain an equal relationship with you, adopting the attitude of unconditional acceptance and aiming to develop a trusting relationship. They will help encourage you to open up and explore any unresolved issues and conflicts hidden in your unconscious mind that may affect your mood and behaviour.
"Deep insight into the feelings we act out can be achieved by psychodynamic work. Once we become conscious of our internalised feelings and beliefs and from where they stem, we no longer need to act them out. Greater internal security and peace then offers us greater freedom."
To help understand the 'unconscious disturbances' and how the mind works, psychodynamic therapists will draw on similar techniques used in psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic therapy, such as free association, therapeutic transference, and interpretation.
Free association
Free association is a technique that involves talking freely to the therapist. There is no attempt to shape ideas before they are said, nor do they tell things in a linear story structure.
The spontaneity allows true thoughts and feelings to emerge without concern for how painful, illogical, or silly they may sound to the therapist. Be honest and open without fear of judgement.
Therapeutic transference
Redirecting of the feelings for a significant person, especially those unconsciously retained from childhood, onto the therapist.
The feeling or an erotic attraction to the therapist, but this transference can manifest in many other forms, such as hatred, mistrust, extreme dependence and rage. Through recognition and exploration of this relationship, one can understand true feelings and resolve conflicts with figures from childhood.
Interpretation
Psychodynamic therapists are likely to stay quiet throughout therapy but occasionally interject with thoughts or interpretations of the topics chosen to discuss. The therapist will help one learn new patterns of behaviour and ways of thinking that promote personal development and growth, helping to overcome any limitations caused by unconscious feelings.
This process is quick and solution-focused. Sessions occur once a week and last under an hour. Of course, this is entirely up to the client. If required by more or fewer sessions, the therapist may object or accept the offer, and they can devise a proper plan.
Short-term psychodynamic therapy
Since the 1950s, a more intense, short-term form of psychodynamic therapy has emerged. Initially introduced in a series of workshops, this short-term psychodynamic therapy (also known as intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP)) was developed 20 years later by psychoanalysis Habib Davanloo. He aimed to enhance the efficacy of psychoanalysis and minimise the length of treatment.
While the primary goal of short-term psychodynamic therapy is very similar to psychoanalysis, rather than acting as a neutral observer of an individual's personal development, a short-term psychodynamic therapist will be an active advocate of change.
Therapy will guide a person through the process by applying non-interpretive techniques, including encouraging the client to feel a method founded on Davanloo's discovery that the Dynamic unconscious has many layers.
These specific interventions allow the therapist to access the client's layers. When applied in a particular way and at a specific time in the therapeutic process, these interventions can help the client recognise and overcome their unconscious blocks and resistance as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Akhtar, (SAC Dip), Lead Counselling Psychologist.
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