Anxiety, depression, and other psychological conditions that affect your quality of life are more than just imbalances in the chemicals your brain uses to regulate your mood. Research shows that mood disorders occur when a variety of social, psychological, and environmental factors intersect in your life.

Your childhood fears often leave a lasting imprint on you as an adult. Because it can be painful to relive feelings of rejection and humiliation that accompany old memories, you might not even make the connection between childhood trauma and the places or people making you feel uncomfortable.

Turning to medication alone to relieve the symptoms of depression or anxiety could leave you with many questions about your disorder. That’s where psychodynamic psychotherapy comes into play. Psychodynamic therapy helps explain the “why” of a psychological problem, giving you a safe space to delve into the subconscious rationale behind your behaviors.

What is psychodynamic psychotherapy?

The aim of psychodynamic therapy is to help patients understand how past relationships and events might subconsciously affect the way they relate to the world today. Psychodynamic therapy is insight-oriented; learning about yourself is the primary goal.

In psychodynamic therapy, you and a therapist explore how you see yourself in the world. Throughout the course of treatment you could uncover many old defense mechanisms preventing you from establishing emotionally healthy relationships.

How does it work?

Psychodynamic therapy suggests that an unhealthy relationship or event in your childhood could affect your development. If a conflict is keeping you “stuck” at an early stage of emotional development, a therapist might help you relearn the emotional tools you need to cope.

Therapists rely on free-association to help draw out ways in which you might have adapted harmfully to childhood circumstances. Free association allows you to work through your own thoughts rather than simply absorbing what your therapist says.

As you talk, patterns in the way you relate to the world will emerge. A therapist can help you recognize these patterns. When you understand the “why” behind many of your actions, you not only develop new strategies for engaging with others, you reshape your thoughts in the long-term as well.

In psychodynamic therapy, your relationship with your therapist is an important part of the healing process. Because psychodynamic therapy is so intensive and personal, it’s important for your therapist to truly get to know you. By building a relationship, you and your therapist gain firsthand insight into how you develop relationships in the world.

What will I take away from working with a psychodynamic therapist?

A psychodynamic approach to therapy can meaningfully benefit you in many ways. Perhaps unresolved issues in long-ago relationships are affecting your ability to connect with others today. Psychodynamic therapy can help you find closure, allowing you to truly move on.

By confronting difficult personal issues in a safe space with a person who can help you work through them, you can learn to recognize and replace defense mechanisms you use to shut out negative emotions.

One of the most transformative gifts provided in psychodynamic therapy is a sense of self-awareness. It’s easy to allow our fears and emotions to play tug-of-war over our lives; by becoming aware of how and why you think the way you do, you have the power to change the way you relate to the world.

How long does psychodynamic therapy last?

Like any relationship, building a connection with your therapist can take time. Because psychodynamic therapy aims to provide you with time to talk through your feelings, as well as a set of listening ears, it can take longer than a therapy that provides you with coping skills without delving into why you need them.

Allowing yourself time to understand the “why” helps you change the way you think and gives you a greater chance of happiness in the long run.