psychodynamic approach to counselling essay

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What Is Psychodynamic Therapy?

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Important Characteristics

How effective is it, what you can expect, a word from verywell, what is psychodynamic therapy.

Psychodynamic therapy is a form of talk therapy focused on learning how the person's subconscious thoughts, feelings, and memories are affecting their current behavior. With this deepened insight and self-awareness, they can develop coping techniques and achieve therapeutic goals such as improving relationships and making better choices.

Psychodynamic therapy is rooted in psychoanalytic theory but is often a less intensive, shorter process than traditional psychoanalysis . Whereas psychoanalysis places much emphasis on the patient-therapist relationship, psychodynamic therapy also looks into a patient’s relationships with other people.

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This approach to psychotherapy can help you cope with mental or emotional distress and gain self-awareness, insight, and emotional growth.

Although similar to psychoanalysis, it is often less frequent and of shorter duration. Like other forms of therapy, it can be used to treat a variety of mental health concerns, such as:

Eating disorders
Interpersonal problems
Personality disorders
Psychological distress
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Social anxiety disorder
Substance use disorders

Although cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a popular and effective approach, evidence suggests that psychodynamic therapy can be just as effective for many conditions. Online psychodynamic therapy may be as effective as online CBT.

People sometimes act or respond in ways they don't understand. Psychodynamic therapy helps people come to understand the sources of their feelings and thoughts by:

Identifying patterns . Psychodynamic therapy helps people learn to recognize patterns in behavior and relationships. People often develop characteristic ways of responding to problems without really being aware of these tendencies. Learning to spot them, however, can help people find new approaches to coping with problems.
Understanding emotions. Psychodynamic therapy is useful for exploring and understanding emotions. This new insight helps people recognize patterns that have contributed to dysfunction and then work toward change.
Improving relationships. Relationships with others are a key focus of psychodynamic therapy. In working with a therapist, people can come to understand their responses to others.

The therapeutic relationship itself can serve as a way to look into relationships through a process known as transference . This helps people explore their typical responses to others and find ways to improve their relationships.

Assessing the efficacy of psychodynamic therapy presents some challenges, but research does suggest that it can be useful in the treatment of a variety of psychological problems.

One reason that it may be difficult to assess the full efficacy of psychodynamic therapy is that many of the changes it produces can be tough to measure.

While it is relatively easy to measure changes in specific acute symptoms, it is much more difficult to measure underlying personality changes, noted researcher Jonathan Shedler in a press release by the American Psychological Association (APA).

Despite this difficulty, research supports the efficacy and use of psychodynamic therapy to treat a variety of conditions.

One notable review published in the journal American Psychologist concluded that the evidence supports the efficacy of psychodynamic therapy.
Another study found that psychodynamic therapy could be at least as effective as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).
A 2017 review published in the American Journal of Psychiatry concluded that psychodynamic therapy was as effective as other established treatments. However, the authors of the study suggested that further research was needed to determine who benefited the most from this type of treatment.

If you decide to try psychodynamic therapy, you may meet with your therapist weekly to a few time each week. Each session typically lasts for around 45 minutes and you will continue to see your therapist for several months. In some cases, you may keep having sessions for a year or longer.

During psychodynamic therapy, people are often encouraged to talk about anything that might be on their minds. This might include things they are currently experiencing or memories of things that have happened in the past.

One form of psychodynamic therapy known as brief psychodynamic therapy is designed to produce results more rapidly, often in 25 to 30 sessions. In this shorter-term form of treatment, people may initially determine a particularly emotional area where they want to focus on.

Long-term psychodynamic therapy may take a year or longer and involve 50 or more therapy sessions.

If you are experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition, talk to your doctor or mental health professional. They can make a diagnosis and recommend treatment options that may be best for your individual needs. Psychodynamic psychotherapy may be a good fit for you.

Driessen E, Van HL, Peen J, Don FJ, Twisk JWR, Cuijpers P, Dekker JJM. Cognitive-behavioral versus psychodynamic therapy for major depression: Secondary outcomes of a randomized clinical trial . J Consult Clin Psychol . 2017;85(7):653-663. doi: 10.1037/ccp0000207

Bögels SM, Wijts P, Oort FJ, Sallaerts SJ. Psychodynamic psychotherapy versus cognitive behavior therapy for social anxiety disorder: an efficacy and partial effectiveness trial . Depress Anxiety . 2014;31(5):363-73. doi: 10.1002/da.22246

Lindegaard T, Hesslow T, Nilsson M, et al. Internet-based psychodynamic therapy vs cognitive behavioural therapy for social anxiety disorder: A preference study . Internet Interv . 2020;20:100316. Published 2020 Mar 18. doi:10.1016/j.invent.2020.100316

American Psychological Association. Psychodynamic psychotherapy brings lasting benefits through self-knowledge .

Shedler J. The efficacy of psychodynamic psychotherapy . Am Psychol . 2010;65(2):98-109. doi: 10.1037/a0018378

Steinert C, Munder T, Rabung S, Hoyer J, Leichsenring F. Psychodynamic therapy: as efficacious as other empirically supported treatments? A meta-analysis testing equivalence of outcomes . Am J Psychiatry . 2017 Oct 1;174(10):943-953. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2017.17010057

Ho C, Adcock L. Short-Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy for the Treatment of Mental Illness: A Review of Clinical Effectiveness and Guidelines [Internet]. Ottawa (ON): Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health.

Bhar SS, Thombs BD, Pignotti M, et al. Is longer-term psychodynamic psychotherapy more effective than shorter-term therapies? Review and critique of the evidence [published correction appears in Psychother Psychosom. 2010 Jun;79(4):216]. Psychother Psychosom . 2010;79(4):208-216. doi:10.1159/000313689

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

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psychodynamic approach to counselling essay

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Psychodynamic Therapy

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Psychodynamic therapy aims to address the foundation and formation of psychological processes. In this way, it seeks to reduce symptoms and improve people’s lives.

Core Principles of Psychodynamic Therapy

Accessing the unconscious.

Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual (PDM)

Improvisational Psychodynamic Music Therapy

In psychodynamic therapy, therapists help people gain insight into their lives and present-day problems. They also evaluate patterns people develop over time. To do this, therapists review certain life factors with a person in therapy:

Early-life experiences

Recognizing recurring patterns can help people see how they avoid distress or develop defense mechanisms to cope. This insight may allow them to begin changing those patterns.

The therapeutic relationship is central to psychodynamic therapy. It can demonstrate how a person interacts with their friends and loved ones. In addition, transference in therapy can show how early-life relationships affect a person today. Transference is the transferring one’s feelings for a parent, for example, onto the therapist. This intimate look at interpersonal relationships can help people understand their part in relationship patterns. It may empower them to transform that dynamic.

People tend to develop defense mechanisms . Defense mechanisms may keep painful feelings, memories, and experiences in the unconscious . A few common defense mechanisms include:

Rationalization

Psychodynamic therapists encourage people to speak freely about their emotions, desires, and fears. Being open may help reveal vulnerable feelings that have been pushed out of conscious awareness. According to psychodynamic theory, behavior is influenced by unconscious thought. Once vulnerable or painful feelings are processed, the defense mechanisms reduce or resolve.

Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual (PDM)

The Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual (PDM) was released in 2006. Its goal is to offer a conceptual framework for human psychological functioning. It also aims to serve as an alternative to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) . The DSM outlines observable symptoms associated with mental health conditions. Meanwhile, the PDM describes subjective experiences.

One approach to psychodynamic therapy is psychodynamic music therapy. This innovative and creative form of therapy involves exploration of various instruments. Guitars, drums, and pianos a just of few of the instruments used. This kind of music therapy is non-directive. It does not require any musical background. Instead, people are encouraged to improvise and express themselves through music in any way they wish.

Music therapists are highly trained to identify various personality traits and emotional issues. They can do this by observing how a person in therapy creates music. As they build their therapeutic alliance, they also participate in the music making. This can help strengthen their bond and help the therapist access deeper communication tools. For people with high levels of anxiety or fear, the music can be soothing. It may provide an element of release during difficult therapeutic sessions.

References:

Knekt, P., Lindfors, O., Härkänen, T., Välikoski, M., Virtala, E., et al. (2008). Randomized trial on the effectiveness of long- and short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy and solution-focused therapy on psychiatric symptoms during a 3-year follow-up. Psychological Medicine, 38 (5), 689-703. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S003329170700164X
Leichsenring, F., Hiller, W., Weissberg, M., & Leibing, E. (2006). Cognitive-behavioral therapy and psychodynamic psychotherapy: Techniques, efficacy, and indications. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 60 (3), 233-59. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/213135027?accountid=1229
Luborsky, Ellen, O’Reilly-Landry, Maureen, and Arlow, Jacob. (2008). Psychoanalysis. In Raymond J. Corsini and Danny Wedding (Eds.), Current Psychotherapies (pp. 15–62) . Belmont, CA: Thomson Higher Education

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Psychodynamic Theoretical Approach to Counseling and Psychotherapy Essay

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My primary approach towards counseling and psychotherapy is rooted in the concept of psychodynamic analysis, which is mainly based on psychoanalysis developed by Sigmund Freud. It is important to note that the given theory emphasizes the criticality of driving forces within a person’s mind, and it is especially applicable to unconscious influences (Sommers-Flanagan & Sommers-Flanagan, 2018). In other words, the approach accentuates the relevance of a patient’s or client’s inner needs and mental issues, which are buried deep beneath the conscious layer of thoughts. The psychodynamic approach, as its name suggests, focuses and addresses the dynamic forces, which directly or indirectly affect an individual.

The psychodynamic theory and counseling approach was historically developed by Sigmund Freud due to his early works on hysteria in the late 1890s. At the beginning of the 20th century, Freud developed his core theories based on the case of hysteria, which was focused on the explanation, where the issue is the result of a past traumatic experience rather than a physical factor (Sommers-Flanagan & Sommers-Flanagan, 2018). In other words, unconscious and hidden problems of the memory affected a person’s current state, where the manifestation was the hysteria itself. In the following years, Freud refined his theory with the collaborative efforts of other well-known psychologists, such as Carl Jung.

The basis of all assumptions of the psychodynamic theory is rooted in the notion of all behavioral issues originating from the unconscious part of the mind. In other words, the concept can be called as psychic determinism, which emphasizes the fact that all behavioral patterns and elements of behavior have a causal origin, and thus, they do not emerge on their own (Sommers-Flanagan & Sommers-Flanagan, 2018). One of the most critical phases of human development is a person’s childhood, which has the strongest and long-lasting impact on the behavioral aspects of an individual. The psychodynamic theory accentuates that one’s psyche is comprised of three major components, which are Superego, Ego, and Id (Sommers-Flanagan & Sommers-Flanagan, 2018). These elements of a mind are tightly interconnected and play a major role in shaping a person’s behavior, and the corresponding issues are the result of problems, which originate from these parts of a psyche.

The role of a therapist or psychotherapist is of paramount importance because it is he or she who identifies and attempts to fix the underlying mental issue causes. The professional can utilize a wide range of methodological tools to access the unconscious aspect of a client’s mind. Therefore, the therapist is an important element of the therapy process because he or she is the one who identifies the underlying problematic areas of the behavioral disturbance.

The goal of the therapeutic process of the psychodynamic approach is to find the cause within the subconscious mind that results in a specified issue.

The techniques might include hypnosis, slips of the tongue, projective tests, free associations, and dream analysis, which can possess their own set of advantages and disadvantages (Sommers-Flanagan & Sommers-Flanagan, 2018).

In conclusion, the basis for my approach to counseling and psychotherapy process is the psychodynamic theory, which was developed and implemented by Sigmund Freud in the early 1900s. The core of the concept focuses on the notion of the subconscious, where the author assumes that all behavioral problems have a root origin in the unconscious mind. In other words, the client himself or herself does not understand that many problems are the result of past experiences, such as childhood disturbances. The theory was first derived from the case involving hysteria, where it was identified that past traumatic events were the key trigger of hysteric behaviors.

Sommers-Flanagan, J., & Sommers-Flanagan, R. (2018). Counseling and psychotherapy theories in context and practice: Skills, strategies, and techniques (3 rd ed.). John Wiley and Sons.

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What is psychodynamic therapy? Types of therapy

Our member Sarai Monk explains what psychodynamic therapy is and what to expect from the psychodynamic approach

Psychodynamic therapy helps you understand how your current feelings and behaviour are shaped by your past experiences and your unconscious mind and impulses.

The relationship with your therapist is key to this therapeutic approach. Having an accepting and trusting relationship with them encourages you to talk freely and openly about topics like your childhood and your relationship with your parents.

This can help you understand what you’re feeling now, why you behave in a certain way and how this affects your relationships.

Psychodynamic therapy – also known as the psychodynamic approach or psychodynamic psychotherapy – is derived from psychoanalysis and the theories of Freud.

Sarai Monk, a London-based psychodynamic psychotherapist, says: “It’s all about getting to the root of the problem to create long-lasting change.

“There may be things in your unconscious that you’re not aware of and are painful or keeping you stuck. A psychodynamic therapist will help you look for these patterns and understand them. We find that knot so you can start unravelling all the strands and move on with your life.”

What to expect from psychodynamic therapy

Your therapist will encourage you to talk freely about whatever comes to mind. This is known as free association. You can talk openly, honestly and without being judged.

“While we do interact, and that’s sometimes directional, you need to feel things are emerging at your pace,” says Sarai. “The patterns of what’s in your unconscious begin to come through and we then explore what that means together.”

A key concept in the psychodynamic approach is transference. This is where you redirect feelings you experienced in previous significant relationships, or during childhood, onto your therapist.

Sarai says: “What happens in our early years and those developmental relationships can be a blueprint for the rest of our lives. It’s a dynamic that we may take into other relationships.”

Transference can help you both learn more about your feelings, behaviours and actions, and then resolve the feelings that originate from these relationships. It can help you understand why you expect to be treated in a certain way and how that impacts on your current relationships.

What psychodynamic therapy can help with

Psychodynamic therapy can help with many different problems, including anxiety, depression, eating disorders and addictions.

Sarai says: “Sometimes people come to therapy because they feel things are not quite right - they’re not happy, not fulfilled or they feel isolated. They’re trying to find meaning and understanding. They want to make sense of things.

“It can be a slow process and the development is often subtle. But when that change happens, clients can find that everything in their life improves - relationships, friendships are more fulfilling to them.

“Even working lives can improve, as people tend to become more productive, creative and better able to think once the emotional knots are worked out, and can work to their full potential.”

But it’s really important that you find a therapist you feel comfortable with and who has the right personality for you.

Says Sarai: “Often a first session will just be about getting a sense of whether the relationship will work. If you don’t think things are working, it might not be the method of therapy, but that your therapist isn’t right for you.

“Find someone you want to be beside you on this journey.”