Psychodynamic Therapy

 

Psychodynamic therapy also looks at patterns of how we experience the world. If life has been difficult, perhaps with family break-ups, or stressed-out parents, or other setbacks, this may have left us experiencing the world as rejecting, uncaring or unreliable. Or it may be something in our own psychological make-up that makes us feel this way.
 
Often, historically, we might have reacted in ways that defended against psychological distress. For example, if we have been pushed away by those close to us, we might avoid close relationships for fear of being hurt again. However, over time, this avoidance of closeness might create its own problems, leaving us with feelings of loneliness or rejection.
 
Although psychodynamic therapy might look at the origin of problems, it recognises the problem is in the present, and it is there that meaningful changes can be made. Many of our defensive patterns might be completely automatic, and sometimes we just need to understand and re-think these.
 
Psychodynamic therapy typically offers more time to understand our experience and our internal world. However, the benefits of understanding ourselves at a deeper level can be transformational, rewarding the time taken. It looks at the whole person, rather than simply trying to understand symptoms.