Is Psychodynamic Psychotherapy for Me?

What is psychodynamic psychotherapy?
Ever wondered - Why do I become more like my mom or dad even though I am doing everything I can to avoid it?  Why am I attracted to partners with the same problems? According to psychodynamic theory, early life experiences in relationships shape the way that we interact with others for the rest of our lives. The familiar is comforting to us, so we unknowingly repeat the past. Avoidance of the past can paradoxically lead to repeating it. Until we break the cycle, the past may continue repeating itself.  Psychodynamic psychotherapy (also called psychoanalysis) looks for patterns from the past (for example early family relationships) that persist into our present. 


You and your therapist examine present relationships and how they compare to past relationships. The therapist’s job is to understand the relational dynamics happening in session and help change the dynamic which can help break the cycle. Clients learn to stop avoiding distressing thoughts, feelings, and sensations and learn to sit in discomfort, something that psychodynamic therapy has in common with mindfulness based therapies like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). The theory is that when we learn to recognize internal conflicts, we can also learn to deal with them in healthy ways, which will lessen symptoms. 


What does psychodynamic theory look for? 
Psychodynamic theory looks for uncomfortable feelings and thoughts that lead to avoidance. According to psychodynamic theory, uncomfortable thoughts and feelings are pushed down and can lead to symptoms in our bodies. Our bodies struggle to bring these conflicts to the surface and thus into our awareness. Examples of possible bodily symptoms are muscle aches, headaches, stomach pain, and loss of feeling in arms and legs or less commonly in other body parts. 


What makes psychodynamic theory different from other theories in treatment?
What makes psychodynamic therapy special is that it focuses on deep-seated issues in order to alleviate symptoms rather than focusing only on the symptoms themselves. This makes psychodynamic therapy more typically long-term. The theory focuses on creating greater, long-term change rather than what are perceived as short-term and surface-level changes via cognitive, behavioral, or solution-focused therapies. 


What can I expect and who benefits from psychodynamic psychotherapy?
Some favorite interventions utilizing psychodynamic therapy involve dream work, art therapy, describing fantasies, and exploring themes and symbols. These types of activities are thought to awaken unconscious content and bring forth important information about inner conflicts and family dynamics. If you enjoy abstract thinking, fantasies, and being creative, you may feel drawn to psychodynamic therapy. 


Psychodynamic therapy has been shown to be helpful in managing depression, anxiety including panic disorder, somatoform disorder, eating disorders, personality disorders including borderline personality disorder, and substance-related disorders